From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJoan Leslie (born Joan Agnes Theresa Sadie Brodel; January 26, 1925 – October 12, 2015) was an American actress, dancer, and vaudevillian who, during the Hollywood Golden Age, appeared in such films as High Sierra, Sergeant York, and Yankee Doodle Dandy.Joan Agnes Theresa Sadie Brodel was born on January 26, 1925, in Highland Park, Michigan, the youngest child of John and Agnes Brodel.At 15, Leslie had her first significant role as the crippled girl in High Sierra (1941), starring Humphrey Bogart and Ida Lupino. The same year she played in Sergeant York as Yorks fiancée.Leslie had a supporting role in The Male Animal (1942) as Olivia de Havillands younger sister. In Yankee Doodle Dandy (also 1942) she portrayed George M. Cohans girlfriend/wife. By now, Leslie had become a star whose on-screen image was described as sweet innocence without seeming too sugary.Leslie was in four motion pictures released during 1943 The Hard Way, starring Ida Lupino and Dennis Morgan; The Skys the Limit (1943), starring with Fred Astaire; the wartime film This Is the Army (1943) with Ronald Reagan; and finally Thank Your Lucky Stars.During World War II, she was a regular volunteer at the Hollywood Canteen, where she danced with servicemen and signed hundreds of autographs. She was featured with Robert Hutton, among many others, in the Warner Bros. film Hollywood Canteen (1944). In 1946 Leslies career took a dive when she took Warner Brothers to court in order to get released from her contract based on moral and religious grounds because of the parts they kept giving her. She wanted more serious and mature roles. In 1947, the Catholic Theatre Guild gave Leslie an award because of her consistent refusal to use her talents and art in film productions of objectionable character. As a result of this, Jack Warner used his influence to blacklist her from other major Hollywood studios.From this point on Leslie had a more irregular film career. In 1947, she signed a two-picture contract with the poverty row studio Eagle-Lion Films. The first one was Repeat Performance (1947), a film noir. The other was Northwest Stampede (1948) in which she performed with James Craig. In 1952, she signed a short-term deal with Republic Pictures. One of the films she made for Republic was Flight Nurse (1953). Her last film was The Revolt of Mamie Stover (1956). However, she continued making sporadic appearances in television shows while her children were at school. She retired from acting in 1991, after appearing in the TV film Fire in the Dark.Leslie died on October 12, 2015, in Los Angeles, California. She was 90. Her survivors include her two children and one sister, Betty.On October 8, 1960, Joan Leslie received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1560 Vine Street. In 1999, she was one of the 250 actresses nominated for the American Film Institutes selection of the 25 greatest female screen legends to have debuted before 1950. On August 12, 2006, she received a Golden Boot Award for her contributions to Western television shows and movies.
Self
Film 2003
Sheila Page
Film 1947
Katherine 'Katie' Blaine
Film 1943
Self
Film 2008
Laurie Bidwell Isham
Film 1951
Donna Foster
Film 1950
Julie Adams
Film 1945
Pat Dixon
Film 1943
Joan Manion
Film 1943
Eileen Dibble
Film 1943
Gracie Williams
Film 1941
Self
Film 1944
(archive footage)
Film 1982
Patricia Stanley
Film 1942
Annalee Johnson
Film 1956
Self
Film 2008
Sally Maris
Film 1953
Garnet Hale
Film 1954
Ellen Hanley
Film 1952
Mary Kimber
Film 1952
Janie Conway
Film 1946
Mary Matthews
Film 1941
Young Patricia Falconer
Film 1938
Patsy
Film 1940
Connie Reed
Film 1946
Lt. Polly Davis
Film 1953
Receptionist (uncredited)
Film 1941
Alice Purdee (as Joan Brodel)
Film 1940
Shelley Stanton
Film 1940
Chris Johnson
Film 1948
Mary Keegan
Film 1976
Wendy Conway (as Joan Brodel)
Film 1939
Party Guest (uncredited)
Film 1940
College Girl (uncredited)
Film 1940
Mayme, Journalism Student (uncredited)
Film 1939
Autograph Seeker (uncredited)
Film 1939
Daphne Lattimer
Film 1950
Self
Film 1992
Claudia
Film 1951
Sally Sawyer
Film 1945
Sarah Moffit
Film 1954
Jones' Sister (uncredited)
Film 1940
Betsy Phillips
Film 1939
Marie Jeanette (uncredited)
Film 1936
Sandy Hannah
Film 1986
Film 2006
Self (uncredited)
Film 1944
Self
Film 2008
Party Guest
Film 1989
Girl (as Joan Brodel)
Film 1940
Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Film 1947
Self (segment 'Yankee Doodle Dandy') (archive footage)
Film 1943
Film 1943
Herself
Film 1945
Self
Film 1995
Self
Film 1998
Self
Film 2009
Lillian Appletree
Tv 1984
Tv 1977
Tv 1981
Catherine
Tv 1976
Sarah Owens
Tv 1953
Tv 1973
Vanessa Cook
Tv 1950
Tv 1951
Tv 1955
Tv 1965
Tv 1990