Joan Leslie was born in Detroit and began acting as a child performer. She was never able to escape the good girl role in her early work. She married Dr. William Caldwell in 1950. She quit her acting career to raise her identical twin daughters Patrice and Ellen. Both daughters are now Doctors teaching at universities.
October 12, 2015, Los Angeles, California, United States
Place Of Birth
Detroit, Michigan, United States
Height
5' 4" (1.63 m)
Profession
Actress, Soundtrack
Nationality
American
Spouse
Dr. William G. Caldwell ; children
Children
Patrice Caldwell, Ellen Caldwell
Parents
John Brodel, Agnes Brodel
Siblings
Mary Brodel, Betty Brodel
Awards
Golden Boot Awards, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Vine Street
Movies
Yankee Doodle Dandy, Sergeant York, High Sierra, The Sky's the Limit, Hollywood Canteen, This Is the Army, Thank Your Lucky Stars, The Wagons Roll at Night, The Revolt of Mamie Stover, Man in the Saddle, Woman They Almost Lynched, The Male Animal, Cinderella Jones, Repeat Performance, Born to Be Bad...
[on working with James Craig in Northwest Stampede (1948)] He was a pill . . . not easy to work with. He seemed to have a chip on his shoulder and it showed in everything he did.
3
[on making Man in the Saddle (1951)] Randolph Scott was a joy to work with, elegant, such a gentleman, and so devastatingly good looking. A charmer with beautiful eyes. I compare him to Gary Cooper, but Cooper had more versatility. Randy was so at ease on the set.
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Fact
1
Gave birth to her 1st and 2nd children at age 25, twin daughters Ellen Marie and Patrice Joan Caldwell on January 5, 1951. Children's father was her husband, Dr. William Caldwell.
2
Joan Leslie was an accomplished piano player.
3
Hobbies included reading, badminton and horseback riding.
4
In the early 1940's Joan had a pet terrier named "Microphone", which she called "Mike" for short.
5
A devout Catholic, she was heavily involved in charitable works and was named 'Girl of the Year' in 1948 by the Catholic Youth Organisation.
6
First appeared on stage at the age of two. Subsequently became part of a vaudeville act with her older sisters, touring extensively through Canada and the U.S. East Coast.
7
Has resumed her acting career since her daughters have grown up. [1996]
8
Mentioned in The Andrews Sisters' song "Corns for My Country": "We're not petite like Joan Leslie".
9
Her sister, Mary Brodel, had a short career in the 1940s, as did her other sister, Betty Brodel.
10
Performed under her real name, debuting in Camille (1936), until adopting "Joan Leslie" for High Sierra (1941).
Joan Brodel- Member of the Brodel Sisters (as Joan Brodel)
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing
2009
Video documentary performer: "Sweet Dreams, Sweetheart" - uncredited
Warner at War
2008
TV Movie documentary performer: "You're a Grand Old Flag", "Over There" - uncredited
Cinderella Jones
1946
performer: "If You're Waitin' I'm Waitin' Too", "Cinderella Jones", "When the One You Love Simply Won't Love Back", "You Never Know Where You're Goin' Till You Get There"
performer: "I'm Riding for a Fall" 1943, "No You, No Me" 1943 - uncredited
The Sky's the Limit
1943/I
performer: "My Shining Hour", "A Lot in Common with You" - uncredited
The Hard Way
1943
performer: "Youth Must Have Its Fling" 1942, "Am I Blue?" 1929, "I'll String Along with You" 1934, "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" 1932, "She's a Latin from Manhattan" 1935 - uncredited
Yankee Doodle Dandy
1942
performer: "Mary's a Grand Old Name" 1906, "Harrigan" 1908, "The Warmest Baby in the Bunch" 1896 - uncredited
High Sierra
1941
performer: "I Get a Kick out of You 1934" - uncredited
Alice in Movieland
1940
Short performer: "Will My Dream Come True" - uncredited
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Yellow Brick Road and Beyond
2009
Video documentary special thanks
Warner at War
2008
TV Movie documentary special thanks
Garbo
2005
Documentary grateful thanks
Curtains for Roy Earle: The Story of 'High Sierra'
2003
Video documentary short special thanks
Let Freedom Sing! The Story of 'Yankee Doodle Dandy'
2003
Video documentary short special thanks
James Cagney: Top of the World
1992
TV Movie documentary special thanks
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Curtains for Roy Earle: The Story of 'High Sierra'
2003
Video documentary short
Herself - Actress
Let Freedom Sing! The Story of 'Yankee Doodle Dandy'
2003
Video documentary short
Herself - Actress
Gary Cooper: The Face of a Hero
1998
Documentary
Inside the Dream Factory
1995
TV Movie documentary
Herself
James Cagney: Top of the World
1992
TV Movie documentary
Herself - Actress
Going Hollywood: The War Years
1988
Documentary
Herself
Screen Snapshots: Ha! Ha! From Hollywood
1953
Documentary short
Herself - 'House Party' radio show guest
The Ed Wynn Show
1950
TV Series
Herself
Stars on Horseback
1943
Short
Herself (uncredited)
Meet the Stars #2: Baby Stars
1941
Documentary short
Herself
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression
2009
Video documentary
Herself
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing
2009
Video documentary
Herself
The Yellow Brick Road and Beyond
2009
Video documentary
Herself
Hollywood Gangster
2008
TV Movie documentary
Herself
Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film
$950,000
