Leatrice Joy embarked on her cinematic journey in 1917, making her film debut as an extra, and subsequently progressed to sharing the screen with renowned comedians Billy West and Oliver Hardy. Notably, acclaimed director Cecil B. DeMille took a vested interest in her career, featuring her prominently in several of his films.
Throughout her acting tenure, Leatrice Joy frequently portrayed career-oriented characters dressed in androgynous attire, as well as refined and elegant society ladies. Her portrayal of these characters during the 1920s is often credited with popularizing the bobbed-hair style.
Leatrice Joy eventually retired from the film industry following the advent of sound, but made sporadic appearances in supporting roles throughout the years, albeit on a smaller scale.