Joan Weldon

Joan Weldon (born Joan Louise Welton; August 5, 1930) is an American film and television actress.

Joan Weldon
Weldon with Byron Palmer on CBS Radio (1955)
Born
Joan Louise Welton

(1930-08-05) August 5, 1930
San Francisco, California, U.S.
OccupationSinger, film and television actress
Years active1953-1958 (film and television) to 1980 (singer)
Spouse(s)Dr. David Podell (1966-present) 1 child
ChildrenMelissa Weinand (b. 1968)[1]

Early years

Weldon was born in San Francisco, California. Her grandmother, Olio Cornell, raised her in San Francisco after she "was left motherless at five."[2] Weldon's great-grandfather was an actor on stage and in vaudeville. She attended Galileo High School.[1]

Stage
Joan Weldon and Forrest Tucker in The Music Man (1960)

Weldon began her career singing in the San Francisco Grand Opera Company chorus. She also sang with the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera.[3] On Broadway, she appeared in Kean.[4]

She sang at the opening of the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center, in 1964.[5]

After working in film and television, she resumed her career as a singer in road company productions including The Music Man[6] and Oklahoma!. Weldon retired in 1980.

Radio

In 1953, Weldon appeared as the soprano soloist on a broadcast of The Standard Hour on NBC radio.[7]

Film

Weldon's film debut came in the 1953 film The System.[2] Although her background was singing in operas, The System and her next two films, So This Is Love and Rear Guard, all had her in non-singing roles.[8]

She became a contract actress with Warner Bros. where she remained until her contract ended in 1954. Her most prominent film was the cult thriller Them!

Television

Weldon had a brief television career in the 1950s. Her first appearance in 1955 was in an episode of The Millionaire, starring Marvin Miller. She made three appearances on Lux Video Theater in various roles. She also played Marian Keats in the title role of the Perry Mason episode, "The Case of the Angry Mourner" in 1957. She appeared in Have Gun-Will Travel.[The Singer].Her final television appearance was in 1958 on Shirley Temple Theater.

In 1955, Weldon was one of the regular singers on the syndicated program This Is Your Music.[9]

Filmography

References
  1. "Joan Weldon - The Private Life and Times of Joan Weldon. Joan Weldon Pictures". Glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  2. Cook, Ben (January 12, 1953). "Thumbnail Sketch". Indiana, Terre Haute. The Terre Haute Tribune. p. 4. Retrieved March 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Hopper, Hedda (November 20, 1952). "In Hollywood". Texas, Harlingen. Valley Morning Star. p. 7. Retrieved March 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "We found 30 results for "Joan Weldon"". Playbill. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  5. Esterow, Milton (1964-04-24). "STATE'S THEATER OPENS AT CENTER". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-05-30.
  6. "Opera star heads 'Desert Song' cast". The Gridley Herald. July 8, 1977. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  7. Buren, Maxine (September 6, 1953). "Vienna Philharmonic to Be Heard, NBC Features Newer Names on Air". Oregon, Salem. The Oregon Statesman. p. 12. Retrieved March 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. Hopper, Hedda (August 11, 1953). "Hedda Hoppers Hollywood". Arizona, Tucson. Tucson Daily Citizen. p. 13. Retrieved March 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7. P. 1074.


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