Joan Davis

Joan Davis was an American comedian whose career took in vaudeville, movies, radio and television. Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, she performed from childhood and made her first film, the Educational Pictures short Way Up Thar (1935), a hillbilly comedy with Roy Rogers. Twentieth Century-Fox signed her for features, and she became known for physical comedy, playing supporting roles in major Fox pictures and larger parts in minor ones. After Fox did not renew her contract in the early 1940s, she freelanced at Universal with Abbott and Costello, then for Republic, RKO and Columbia, and she appeared in the Abbott and Costello comedy Hold That Ghost (1941). She also became a leading radio comedy star in the 1940s, with shows including The Sealtest Village Store and Joanie's Tea Room. On television she starred in I Married Joan from 1952 to 1955 and was one of its executive producers.