Joan de Beauvoir de Havilland (October 22, 1917 – December 15, 2013), known professionally as Joan Fontaine, was an English-American actress who is best known for her starring roles in Hollywood films during the Golden Age. She was born in Tokyo, Japan, in what was known as the International Settlement. Her father was a British patent attorney with a lucrative practice in Japan, but due to Joan and older sister Olivia de Havillands recurring ailments the family moved to California in the hopes of improving their health. Mrs. de Havilland and the two girls settled in Saratoga while their father went back to his practice in Japan. Joans parents did not get along well and divorced soon afterward. Mrs. de Havilland had a desire to be an actress but her dreams were curtailed when she married, but now she hoped to pass on her dream to Olivia and Joan.While Olivia pursued a stage career, Joan went back to Tokyo, where she attended the American School. In 1934 she came back to California, where her sister was already making a name for herself on the stage. Joan likewise joined a theater group in San Jose and then Los Angeles to try her luck there. After moving to L.A., Joan adopted the name of Joan Burfield because she didnt want to infringe upon Olivia, who was using the family surname. She tested at MGM and gained a small role in No More Ladies (1935), but she was scarcely noticed and Joan was idle for a year and a half. During this time she roomed with Olivia, who was having much more success in films.In 1937, this time calling herself Joan Fontaine, she landed a better role as Trudy Olson in You Cant Beat Love (1937) and then an uncredited part in Quality Street (1937). Although the next two years saw her in better roles, she still yearned for something better. In 1940 she garnered her first Academy Award nomination for Rebecca (1940). Although she thought she should have won, (she lost out to Ginger Rogers in Kitty Foyle (1940)), she was now an established member of the Hollywood set. She would again be Oscar-nominated for her role as Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth in Suspicion (1941), and this time she won.Joan was making one film a year but choosing her roles well. In 1942 she starred in the well-received This Above All (1942). The following year she appeared in The Constant Nymph (1943). Once again she was nominated for the Oscar, she lost out to Jennifer Jones in The Song of Bernadette (1943). By now it was safe to say she was more famous than her older sister and more fine films followed. In 1948, she accepted second billing to Bing Crosby in The Emperor Waltz (1948).Joan took the year of 1949 off before coming back in 1950 with September Affair (1950) and Born to Be Bad (1950). In 1951 she starred in Paramounts Darling, How Could You! (1951), which turned out badly for both her and the studio and more weak productions followed. Absent from the big screen for a while, she took parts in television and dinner theaters. She also starred in many well-produced Broadway plays such as Forty Carats and The Lion in Winter. Her last appearance on the big screen was The Witches (1966) and her final appearance before the cameras was Good King Wenceslas (1994). She is, without a doubt, a lasting movie icon.
Mrs. de Winter
Film 1940
Lisa Berndle
Film 1948
Dr. Susan Hiller
Film 1961
Susan Spencer
Film 1956
Jane Wharton
Film 1948
Peggy Day
Film 1939
Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth
Film 1941
Emmaline "Emmy" Stebbins
Film 1939
Gwen Mayfield
Film 1966
Kendall Hale
Film 1956
Mavis Norman
Film 1957
Christabel Caine Carey
Film 1950
Self (archive footage)
Film 2017
Ivy
Film 1947
Alyce Marshmorton
Film 1937
Page
Film 1951
Charlotte Parratt
Film 1937
Eve Graham
Film 1953
Manina Stuart
Film 1950
Françoise Ferrand
Film 1958
Meg Lawrence
Film 1938
Anne Leslie
Film 1957
Prudence Cathaway
Film 1942
Caroline Rumsey
Film 1935
Dona St. Columb
Film 1944
Alice Grey
Film 1951
Ann Porter
Film 1938
Fiametta / Bartolomea / Ginevra / Isabella
Film 1953
Julie Evans
Film 1938
Joan Stevens
Film 1936
Jean Clemens
Film 1937
Doris King
Film 1937
Sheila Harrison
Film 1938
Susan Lane
Film 1953
Self (archive footage)
Film 2000
Self (uncredited)
Film 1961
Self (archive footage)
Film 2004
Self
Film 1982
Queen Ludmilla
Film 1994
Self (archive footage)
Film 1999
Self / Jane Eyre (archive footage) (uncredited)
Film 1949
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Film 1985
Baby Warren
Film 1962
Self
Film 1942
Jennifer Langley
Tv 1977
Tv 1982
Tv 1971
Tv 1958
Ellen Grayson
Tv 1959
Tv 1955
Tv 1981
Tv 1964
Self
Tv 1953
Self - Guest Host
Tv 1953
Self (archive footage)
Tv 2013
Trudy
Tv 1952
Alexandra Markham
Tv 1986
Self - Presenter
Tv 1956
Self - Panelist
Tv 1950
Self - Mystery Guest
Tv 1950
Self - Co-Host
Tv 1961
Alice Pemberton
Tv 1962