Saturday, April 18, 2015

#78 Joan Staley

Joan Staley did things a little differently. Though most people assume she was a Playmate and then became an actress, it was actually the other way around.

Not a bad actress at all, she garnered 61 credits over a 22-year career, including lots of TV, a couple of appearances as an Elvis babe, and bit parts in biggies such as Ocean’s Eleven, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and Cape Fear.

She’s rather an interesting person – be sure to check out the “interesting tidbits,” below.



Embarrassing Real Name:  Joan McConchie

Embarrassing Real Birthplace:  Minneapolis

Cheesy Pageant Titles:  Hollywood Deb Star, 1962

Embarrassing Movies
  • Witchcraft a Go Go
  • Valley of the Dragons
  • The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (my all-time favorite movie as a kid) *
* - author has seen

Embarrassing Taglines
  • They go a million years back in time ... and land a million miles out in space!
  • Space travelers in a world that time forgot!
  • Mastodons! Dinosaurs! Flying reptiles! Humankind makes its last stand!
  • Battle for survival – against brutal, bestial Neanderthals!
  • Subterranean mole-men inflicting weird tortures on all captives!
And all from Valley of the Dragons.

Joan and friend

Embarrassing Characters
  • Danish Stewardess
  • Prostitute addict
  • Okie Annie
  • Tiger

Whiffs of Scandal:  Playboy Playmate (though being Miss November 1958 means she didn’t even have to get naked)

Interesting Tidbits
  • Was born aboard an airplane
  • Was a child prodigy in the violin
  • First appeared on film as such at age 8
  • Her parents were missionaries, and her father was later an Army chaplain
  • Attended high school in  Munich and Paris
  • Had a decent voice and sang backup for Sam Phillips
  • Is now a consumer advocate and religious counselor for troubled youth

Where can I learn more?    

That's Mr. Chicken on the left


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