Joan Marshall, a talented actress, was born on June 9, 1931, in Chicago, Illinois. She attended St. Clement's School, where she developed a passion for the performing arts. At the tender age of 14, she auditioned for and landed a job as a showgirl at Chicago's renowned Chez Paree nightclub, one of the country's premier entertainment venues in the 1940s and 1950s. Two years later, she began performing in Las Vegas productions, where she met her first husband and gave birth to her son, Steven.
Three years later, Joan welcomed her daughter Shari into the world. The family relocated to Beverly Hills, where she landed a starring role on the television series Bold Venture from 1959 to 1960. Throughout her career, she appeared in approximately 10 feature films, although she was not particularly fond of most of them. In 1961, she starred in the cult classic Homicidal, playing dual roles, one male and one female.
Joan's early television career was marked by frequent appearances on popular shows such as The Jack Benny Program and The Red Skelton Hour. Her comedic talents were often overlooked due to her striking beauty. In the 1970s, she collaborated with her old school friend, award-winning writer Dirk Wayne Summers, co-scripting sitcoms.
Joan's personal life was marked by two marriages. Her first marriage was to film director Hal Ashby, with whom she had a tumultuous relationship. During their first six months of marriage, Ashby convinced Joan to share intimate details of her life, which he and screenwriter Robert Towne later used as inspiration for the romantic comedy film Shampoo in 1975. Joan was reportedly displeased with her husband's use of their personal experiences in the film.
Joan's real-life wedding to Ashby can be seen in the opening scenes of his film The Landlord, released in 1970. Tragically, Ashby passed away in 1988. Two years later, Joan married business executive Mel Bartfield. Despite rumors of a secret marriage to actor Richard Chamberlain, Joan and Chamberlain remained close friends.
In her later years, Joan developed a deep affection for the island nation of Jamaica, where she owned a home. It was in Jamaica that she passed away on June 28, 1992, at the age of 61, due to complications from lung cancer. Her ashes were scattered under her favorite tree on the property, a poignant reminder of her enduring love for the island and its people.
