Joi Lansing was born Joyce Renee Brown on April 6, 1929 in Salt Lake City,
Utah. As a teen she developed early, and because of her striking good looks,
she began to model and was extremely successful throughout the 1940s.
It was only natural that her physical assets eventually landed her on the silver
screen. Her first go at films occurred in 1948 with roles as--what else?--models
in
The Counterfeiters (1948),
Julia Misbehaves (1948), and
Easter Parade (1948). She was 20 years old and her acting wasn't exactly polished
in the beginning, but producers cared not--she was hired for her looks and her
body.
The following year brought more of the same; she got mostly uncredited roles
in films as nothing more than a showpiece. She took a hiatus in 1950 to
concentrate on her modeling career. She returned to the big screen in 1951 to
play minor roles, though this time went a little better. She played Susan
Matthews in
F.B.I. Girl (1951) and Marilyn Turner in
On the Riviera (1951); at least she played characters with names. Then it was back
to being a showpiece. In 1952, she had an uncredited role in one of the most
popular movies of all time,
Singin' in the Rain (1952).
Another minor role as the Maxim Girl in
The Merry Widow (1952) followed.
She began appearing on television in 1955 when she played in an episode
of
Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1951)
and one of
I Love Lucy (1951) the
following year.
In 1955, Joi landed a recurring role as Shirley Swanson in the
television series
The Bob Cummings Show (1955).
It was this series that proved to all that she actually could act
well. Because of this series, she began to get more-substantial
parts in films such as
The Brave One (1956),
Hot Cars (1956), and
So You Think the Grass Is Greener (1956),
all in 1956. Then it was back to bit roles. For the balance of the
1950s, she continued to appear in B-movies with less-than-quality
roles. After appearing in the comedy film
Who Was That Lady? (1960), Joi
landed the role of Goldie in the television series
Klondike (1960). However, most
viewers remember her as the wife of
Lester Flatt on the situation comedy
The Beverly Hillbillies (1962),
in which she appeared from 1965 to 1968. As Gladys Flatt, her
beauty even surpassed
Donna Douglas' as Elly May Clampett.
Her film career was now winding down and she appeared as Boots Malone
in the B-movie
Hillbillys in a Haunted House (1967), which went nowhere.
Joi Lansing died of breast cancer at age 43 on August 7, 1972 in Santa
Monica, California.
The Governor & J.J.(1969)as Joan Brock
Bigfoot(1970)as Joi Landis
The Mothers-In-Law(1967)as Barbara
The Beverly Hillbillies(1962)as Gladys Flatt
Petticoat Junction(1963)as Millicent Marshall
Hillbillys in a Haunted House(1967)
Klondike(1960)
The Dennis Wholey Show(1969)as Self
George Jessel's Here Come the Stars(1968)as Self
The Mike Douglas Show(1961)as Self, Self - Actress
The Joey Bishop Show(1967)as Self
Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles(2014)as Zita (clip from Touch of Evil (1958))
Mike Douglas: Moments & Memories(2008)as Self
The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made(2004)
Superman(1973)as Sgt. Helen J. O'Hara
