Joanne Dru (1922-1996)

biography

Born Joanne LaCock in Logan, West Virginia, on January 31, 1922, beautiful Joanne Dru went to New York as a teenager, following the death of her father. The gorgeous teenager soon found work as a Powers model and showgirl. In 1941 at the age of 19, Dru married crooner Dick Haymes. The newlyweds moved to California soon afterward, as Haymes had signed a film contract with 20th Century-Fox. The couple eventually had two daughters and a son. As Haymes' film career began to ebb in the late 1940s, Joanne Dru's acting career gained momentum.

For her first film, she landed the starring role in Abie's Irish Rose (1946), but the film flopped at the box office and was slaughtered by critics. Her next role, however, was in Howard Hawk's hit western Red River (1948; with John Wayne), in which she costarred with John Ireland. By this time her marriage to Haymes was disintegrating, and in 1949 Dru divorced Haymes and married Ireland. Dru and Ireland made a number of films together, including All the King's Men (1949; with Broderick Crawford), Vengeance Valley (1951; with Burt Lancaster), Hannah Lee (1953; with Macdonald Carey), and Southwest Passage (1954; with Rod Cameron). Although she appeared in a healthy dose of dramas and film noir thrillers, due to her frequent appearances in westerns Dru found herself typecast by the late 1950s.

the films of joanne dru

Abie's Irish Rose (1946)

All the King's Men (1950)

My Pal Gus (1952)

Forbidden (1953)

Thunder Bay (1953)

3 Ring Circus (1954)

Duffy of San Quentin (1954)

Ford's V-8 Theater, aka All Star Theatre (1956)

The Light in the Forest (1958)

September Storm (1960)

The Long, Hot Summer (1965-66 ABC TV Series)

later years

Beyond 1960, Dru made just two more films. Throughout the 1960s, her acting career flourished on television, where she took guest spots in many shows. Dru's brother, comedian and game show host Peter Marshall, invited her to appear on Hollywood Squares numerous times in the 1960s and 1970s. After Dru's divorce from John Ireland in 1957, she married two more times. Her third husband died in 1972, and and fourth husband left her a widow in 1992. Sadly, by this time Dru's health had begun to deteriorate, and she passed away on September 10, 1996, at the age of 74. She was survived by her three children.

joanne dru films available from movies unlimited

Red River [DVD](1948) DVD
Psychologically complex and visually stunning western from Howard Hawks showcases John Wayne as a ruthless rancher moving a huge herd of cattle down the Chisholm Trail to Abilene, Texas. Causing friction is Montgomery Clift, Wayne's adopted son, who, rebelling against Wayne, wants to lead the drive his own way. Joanne Dru, Walter Brennan, John Ireland also star. Standard; Soundtrack: English; Subtitles: English, Spanish, French; scene access.
All The King's Men [DVD](1949) DVD
Three Oscars (Picture, Actor, Supporting Actress) went to this drama of a backwoods Southern lawyer who deals his way into the governor's mansion, but cannot control his lust for power. Broderick Crawford stars as the Huey Long-inspired kingpin. Mercedes McCambridge, John Ireland and Joanne Dru; based on the novel by Robert Penn Warren. 109 min. Standard; Soundtracks: English mono, French, Spanish, Portuguese; Subtitled: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Thai.
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon [DVD](1949) DVD
Memorable look at duty, devotion and honor from director John Ford stars John Wayne as a middle-aged Cavalry captain who, on the eve of retirement, strives to forestall war between Indians and the army. With Joanne Dru, Ben Johnson, John Agar. 103 min. Standard; Soundtracks: English, French; Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish; featurettes; theatrical trailer.
Wagon Master [DVD](1950) DVD
Ben Johnson and Harry Carey, Jr. star in this dramatic story of two roving cowboys who join a Mormon wagon train heading west. Danger strikes the trail when a band of crazed outlaws decides the pious caravan would serve as the perfect cover for their wicked deeds! Joanne Dru, Ward Bond co-star; directed by John Ford. 90 min. Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital mono, Spanish Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish, French; audio commentary.
Vengeance Valley [DVD](1951) DVD
Offbeat sagebrusher in which Burt Lancaster becomes embroiled in a nasty feud with bad boy half-brother Robert Walker when he's accused of fathering an illegitimate child. Hoping to control Lancaster's stake in the family ranch, Walker joins forces with the woman's brothers to track down his sibling. Joanne Dru, John Ireland also star. 83 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo.
James Stewart: Screen Legend Collection [DVD] DVD
The versatility of James Stewart is showcased in this three-disc set. First, he shines as a journalist whose marriage with stage star Margaret Sullavan is strained when he is sent overseas to work, in the drama "Next Time We Love" (1936). With Ray Milland, Grant Mitchell. In the wacky "You Gotta Stay Happy" (1948), pilot Stewart takes runaway bride Joan Fontaine on an impromptu flight to California. Eddie Albert and Roland Young lend support. Next, oil wildcatters Stewart and Dan Duryea fight with Cajun fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico, in "Thunder Bay" (1953). Joanne Dru, Gilbert Roland co-star. Then, in the fantastic biopic "The Glenn Miller Story" (1953), Stewart shines as the famed musician/band leader. Co-stars June Allyson, Harry Morgan; with performances from Gene Krupa, Louis Armstrong and the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Finally, in the western drama "Shenandoah" (1965), Civil War opposer Stewart is forced to take sides when his son is kidnapped by Union troops. With Doug McClure, Glenn Corbett. 8 1/3 hrs. total. Standard/Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital stereo, Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English (SDH), French; theatrical trailers.

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filmography

Super Fuzz (1980) with Terence Hill and Ernest Borgnine
Sylvia (1965) with Carroll Baker, George Maharis, Peter Lawford, and Nancy Kovack
September Storm (1960) with Mark Stevens
The Wild and the Innocent (1959) with Audie Murphy and Gilbert Roland
The Light in the Forest (1958) with Fess Parker, Wendell Corey, and Carol Lynley
Drango (1957) with Jeff Chandler, Julie London, John Lupton, and Morris Ankrum
Hell on Frisco Bay (1955) with Alan Ladd, Edward G. Robinson, and Fay Wray
Sincerely Yours (1955) with Liberace, Dorothy Malone, Guy Williams, and Lori Nelson
The Dark Avenger (1955) with Errol Flynn and Christopher Lee
Day of Triumph (1954) with Lee J. Cobb and Mike Connors
Duffy of San Quentin (1954) with Louis Hayward and Maureen O'Sullivan
The Siege at Red River (1954) with Van Johnson, Richard Boone, and Jeff Morrow
Three Ring Circus (1954) with Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, and Zsa Zsa Gabor
Southwest Passage (1954) with John Ireland and Rod Cameron
City of Bad Men (1953) with Jeanne Crain, Dale Robertson, Lloyd Bridges, and Carl Betz
Forbidden (1953) with Tony Curtis
Hannah Lee (1953) with John Ireland and Macdonald Carey; directed by John Ireland and originally released in 3-D
Thunder Bay (1953) with James Stewart and Gilbert Roland
The Pride of St. Louis (1952) with Dan Dailey
Return of the Texan (1952) with Dale Robertson, Richard Boone, and Robert Horton
My Pal Gus (1952) with Richard Widmark
Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell (1951) with Clifton Webb and Hugh Marlowe
Vengeance Valley (1951) with Burt Lancaster, John Ireland, Sally Forrest, and Hugh O'Brian
711 Ocean Drive (1950) with Edmond O'Brien
Wagon Master (1950) with Ben Johnson
All the King's Men (1949) with John Ireland, Broderick Crawford, Mercedes McCambridge, and John Derek
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) with John Wayne, John Agar, George O'Brien, and Tom Tyler
Red River (1948) with John Wayne, John Ireland, and Coleen Gray
Abie's Irish Rose (1946)

TELEVISION SERIES
Guestward Ho!, 1960-1961 ABC TV series. Dru portrayed Babs Hooton
In addition, Dru made numerous appearances on TV shows from the 1950s through the 1970s, including multiple appearances on Hollywood Squares.

joanne dru film now showing

Watch Joanne Dru's 1951 film Vengeance Valley