February 27, 1910 - December 7, 1990 Joan Bennett was born in Palisades, New Jersey,
February 27, 1910, but says, "with all of Constance's juggling of dates through the years, I started out as the youngest,
then became her twin, and wound up as the oldest sister."
She began her career with her father in an anti-Hollywood
play, Jarnegan, in 1928. Prior to that in movies, she had played extras, and a small role in Power with
William Boyd, before her real start as Ronald Colman's leading lady in Bulldog Drummond, 1929. From
her long career, she selects only six films that satisfied her: three from the 1930s, Little Women,
Private Worlds, and Trade Winds, and three from the 1940s, Man Hunt, The Woman in the
Window, and Scarlet Street.
In marriage, she calls herself a "three-time loser."
At sixteen, she married John Marion Fox of Seattle, a man 10 years older, who was on the fringe of the theatre and movies,
and became the father of her first daughter, Adrienne Ralston Fox (later renamed Diana Markey). In March 1932, she married
screenwriter Gene Markey (13 years her senior), had a second daughter, Melinda, and divorced him in 1937. In 1940, she
married producer Walter Wanger (16 years older), and had more daughters, Stephanie and Shelley. On December 13, 1951,
Wanger shot Joan's agent and his friend Jennings Lang, in the groin, telling police "I've just shot the sonofabitch who tried
to break up my home." Joan went on record saying, " He's imagining things. He was worried over financial difficulties,
and I'm afraid it affected his mind." She allowed Wanger to live in the house after his 3-month jail
term for the sake of their 2 daughters. They were eventually divorced in 1965.
In 1953, Joan returned to the theatre and made
successful national tours. For five years (1966-1971), she appeared on the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows,
being one of a few cast members who were there from beginning to end of the daytime series' run. She also appeared in
various films through 1982.
Joan Bennett passed away from a heart attack on
Dec. 7, 1990 at her home in Scarsdale, New York.
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