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Joan Leslie

Biography

Joan Leslie was an American actress and vaudeville performer who became a star at Warner Bros. during the Hollywood Golden Age. Born in Detroit, she began performing as a child with her sisters' vaudeville act and was signed by MGM in 1936, making an uncredited screen debut in Camille (1936). Her big break came with High Sierra (1941) and Sergeant York (1941), followed by Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), in which she played opposite James Cagney. She appeared in The Hard Way (1943), The Sky's the Limit (1943), This Is the Army (1943) and Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943). After leaving Warner Bros. she signed with Eagle-Lion Films, where she made Repeat Performance (1947), and her last film was The Revolt of Mamie Stover (1956). She received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 1960 and retired from acting in 1991.

90years old at death

  • Born Detroit
  • Died Los Angeles
  • Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18
  • Joan Agnes Theresa Sadie Brodel (birth name)Also credited as Joan Leslie Caldwell and Joan Brodel

Movie Career

Films
13
Career span
20 years1936 to 1956

Genres

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  1. First role

    Joan Leslie was chosen for her first credited film role in Winter Carnival (1939) because the director wanted an actress with a southern accent, and she was billed as Joan Brodel.

  2. Big break

    Leslie landed her breakthrough part in High Sierra (1941) after a screen test for a movie she did not know, winning the role because she could cry on cue.

  3. A role that slipped away

    Leslie was considered for Tessa in The Constant Nymph, a 1943 film that would have paired her with Errol Flynn. Executive Jack L. Warner thought she was unsuitable, so Joan Fontaine got the part.

  4. Early training

    While under contract at MGM, the young Leslie attended the studio's Little Red Schoolhouse alongside child actors Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney and Freddie Bartholomew.

Joan Leslie movies on Netflix

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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  1. Yankee Doodle Dandy1942 Drama, Musicas Mary

    IMDb rating 7.618K votes

  2. Sergeant York1941 Biography, Drama, Historyas Gracie Williams

    IMDb rating 7.720K votes

  3. High Sierra1941as Velma

    IMDb rating 7.521K votes

  4. Repeat Performance1947as Sheila Page

    IMDb rating 6.82.4K votes

  5. Born to Be Bad1950as Donna

    IMDb rating 6.63.3K votes

  6. Man in the Saddle1951as Laurie Bidwell

    IMDb rating 6.31.8K votes

  7. This Is the Army1943as Eileen Dibble

    IMDb rating 5.81.5K votes

  8. The Sky's the Limit1943as Joan Manion

    IMDb rating 6.31.3K votes

Most often with

Raoul Walsh directed two of these films, Michael Curtiz two. George Tobias appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Films together

Awards

One award and honor.

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Joan Leslie's awards and nominations, grouped by award
YearAwardFilmResult
Other honors
Star on Hollywood Walk of FameHonored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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