Joan Marshall

Biography

Joan Marshall, born June 9, 1931, in Chicago, Illinois, was an American actress and writer. She began her career as a showgirl at the age of 14 at the Chez Paree nightclub. By 16, she was performing in Las Vegas, where she met her first husband and welcomed two children, Steven and Shari. Marshall starred in the television series Bold Venture during the 1959-60 season and appeared in around ten feature films, including Homicidal (1961), where she played dual roles. Known for her beauty and comedic talent, she was featured on popular shows like The Jack Benny Program and The Red Skelton Hour. In the 1970s, she collaborated with writer Dirk Wayne Summers on sitcoms. Marshall was married to director Hal Ashby, who used elements of her life in the film Shampoo (1975). She later married Mel Bartfield and passed away on June 28, 1992, with her ashes spread in Jamaica.