The Defamation of Joan Davis

Backus and Davis, the not-so-happy couple?

It's a lonely job, but someone has to do it. I'm talking about the ongoing battle to speak in defense of Joan Davis (1912-1961), one of my favorite comediennes. Almost without exception, when her name comes up in Facebook groups or other social media outlets, someone can't wait to tell us what a horrible person she was. These are, of course, people who never met her.

This news flash is usually attributed to her sitcom husband, the late Jim Backus. It's true that the chapter on I Married Joan in his memoir (co-authored with wife Henny) does not paint a flattering picture of Joan. But I think Backus himself, who wasn't above a bit of embellishment to make a good story better, might regret what he wrote, if he could see how it's been used to bludgeon a talented performer who's no longer around to defend herself.

I can only hope that those who truly want to learn more about Miss Davis' life and career will take a look at Joan Davis: America's Queen of Film, Radio and Television Comedy. The book, which is based on a substantial amount of research, doesn't try to make Joan a saint -- or crucify her. I believe it's a balanced presentation that treats her with the respect her accomplishments deserve. I'm sorry that's in danger of becoming a minority viewpoint.

Joan's Best Buddy

When I interviewed the late Sherwood Schwartz for my book on Joan Davis, he told me that the star's favorite TV sidekick (her "Ethel Mertz") was actress Geraldine Carr, who played Joan Stevens' buddy Mabel. That made me wonder why Miss Carr did not appear in the later episodes of I Married Joan filmed. The sad answer, as some research disclosed, was that she died in a car crash on September 2, 1954, while the series was still in production.

The recurring TV role was a career break for the up-and-coming actress, whose previous credits included supporting roles in The Sniper (1952), as Arthur Franz's unsympathetic supervisor, and in The Long, Long Trailer (1954). Miss Carr made two guest appearances on I Married Joan, in non-recurring parts, before being cast as neighbor Mabel. Seen frequently during Season Two, she was contracted for regular appearances the following year, until tragedy struck. She was 40 years old at the time her life was so abruptly cut short.

For many reasons, I'm glad that I Married Joan is currently enjoying a revival on the Decades cable channel; one is the opportunity to appreciate the work of gifted performers no longer with us. For more on this underappreciated comedy series and its cast, please see my book Joan Davis: America's Queen of Film, Radio and Television Comedy.

Morning Merriment

Fans of classic comedy are in for a treat! Decades, the digital broadcast TV network, is giving its viewers plenty of laughs, with a double dose of morning comedy. Two of the best comediennes of the 1950s are brightening Decades' morning lineup, with the revival of I Married Joan (above), starring Joan Davis, and Our Miss Brooks (below), starring Eve Arden.

And if, after admiring their comic gifts, you find yourself wanting to know more about the lives and careers of these two very funny ladies, I have a suggestion or two for you about that.

Let's Drink to Hal's Birthday!

Born on this date 101 years ago, talented character actor Hal Smith (1916-1994) is probably best-known for his recurring role as the perpetually tipsy Otis Campbell on The Andy Griffith Show. But he won one of his first career breaks when he was cast as next-door neighbor Charlie Henderson* on I Married Joan. Less frequently seen than his wife Mabel (played by Geraldine Carr), he nonetheless turned up in some of the series' best episodes, including "Changing Houses" and "Mabel's Dress" ("You know your orange cake is dynamite!")

For more about I Married Joan, one of the funniest sitcoms of the 1950s, go here.

*Or Charlie Harrison. The writers couldn't seem to make up their minds.

Miss Davis' Birthday

The one and only Joan Davis was born 105 years ago today. In her short life (she was only in her late forties at the time of her death in 1961), she produced a substantial body of work as a comedienne. She was successful in multiple media -- movies, radio, and television.

It was a labor of love to research Joan Davis: America's Queen of Film, Radio, and Television Comedy, published in 2014. I was pleased to be able to build on what was already known about her life and career, putting into print new information about her birthdate and family background, as well as the most detailed logs ever compiled of her radio and TV comedy shows.

If you don't already know her work, take a look. She's worth your attention.

It's Joan's Birthday -- Isn't It?

Wishing a very happy birthday to the late, great comedienne Joan Davis, born on this date in 1907. Or was it 1912? 

This is one time you'd do well not to rely on the Internet for a correct answer (excepting this blog, of course!) Both dates have been reported by multiple sources, so in researching Joan Davis: America's Queen of Film, Radio and Television Comedy, I was determined to give the definitive answer.

Thanks to the considerable help of my genealogist friend PD (who doesn't like her name bandied about online), I was able to obtain a copy of Joan's birth certificate. It provided a few surprises, including a given name that wasn't quite what I expected, a notation as to when and how it was legally amended, years after it was filed -- and a date ...

Well, for that part, please check out my fifth book, published in 2014. Too little is known about this gifted funny lady, who died much too young in 1961, and the book represents my best effort at filling that need. I hope you'll give it a look.

"Say, Aren't You..."

Here's a face you probably never expected to see on I Married Joan. Bing Crosby makes a cameo appearance in the closing scene of "Opera," a first-season episode which aired on February 25, 1953. Der Bingle plays a new neighbor who drops by, though he firmly insists he's not...you know. At this juncture, General Electric was sponsoring both I Married Joan and Crosby's CBS radio show, explaining the unexpected walk-on.

Joan and Bing also appeared in print ads for their sponsor, as you can see below:

Worth a Look: Stanwyck's "Witness to Murder"

If you ask old movie buffs for a list of Barbara Stanwyck's ten best films, 1954's Witness to Murder isn't likely to make the cut, and I won't argue that it should. But this lesser- known suspense film offers plenty of diversion for anyone willing to give it a look.

With a running time of only 82 minutes, there's little time to waste in telling a story. Witness to Murder is up and running from the get-go, as Los Angeles dress designer Cheryl Draper (Stanwyck) looks out her window one night to see her neighbor across the way, Alfred Richter (George Sanders), throttling a woman to death. With only moments to spare, Richter drags the body to a vacant apartment nearby, changes quickly into nightclothes, and acts convincingly bewildered when the police show up to check out Miss Draper's story. Police Lieutenant Larry Mathews (Gary Merrill) tries to soothe Miss Draper, convinced she must have woken abruptly from a bad dream and mistaken it for reality, but she knows what she saw. When she doesn't seem inclined to let the mystery drop, the seemingly suave and cultured Richter decides to take no chances on putting this inconvenient witness to his crime out of commission.

Arrestingly photographed by Oscar-winning cinematographer John Alton, Witness to Murder benefits from strong performances in its lead roles, and a brisk pace that keeps you watching. Fans of All About Eve will enjoy seeing Sanders and Merrill together again, and there are also some smart performances in the supporting cast. When Cheryl Draper's crusade against her nefarious neighbor earns her a brief stay in the psych ward, her fellow patients are memorably etched by the fine character actresses Adeline De Walt Reynolds, Claire Carleton, and -- five years before Imitation of Life -- Juanita Moore, whose lines consist almost entirely of the song she can't stop singing. Since all things around here lately lead to Joan Davis, I also noticed Dick Elliott, who turned up often on I Married Joan, as an apartment manager who unwittingly gives Stanwyck's character a vital clue to the mysterious murder.

When your viewing pleasures consist mostly of the films and television shows of an earlier era, there's always a concern that the well will run dry, that you will have seen "everything good." It's a treat to come across a movie like this one, that proves there are still new discoveries to be made.

Joan Davis Attends a TVParty!

As a longtime reader of Billy Ingram's fun, informative TVParty! site, I'm delighted by today's featured post, a review of my Joan Davis book. Click here to see what he has to say. Unbelievably, it's now been more than 50 years since Joan's trailblazing career was cut short by her untimely death at the age of 48. Thanks, Billy, for helping make sure her life and work are remembered.

A Special Message from The Joan Davis Channel

If you're a Joan Davis fan, you probably know about the terrific Joan Davis Channel on YouTube. It's a dream site for followers of this brilliant comedienne, founded by collectors who have devoted many hours to preserving her work.

That's why I'm thrilled to have their endorsement for my new book. Check out their amazing video for more information. And while you're there, watch an episode or two. The laughs are on them.

Joan is Kindled

The Kindle version of Joan Davis has just been released, and right now it's available for only $9.95. This price may or may not last, so hop to it if you want to cozy up with your e-Reader and America's Queen of Film, Radio and Television Comedy. Happy reading!

P.S. That's the late, great John Rich above with Joan, directing her in a classic I Married Joan segment.

He Married Joan

What is it about February and funny men? A few days ago, we observed the birthday of Gale Gordon; today, we remember Jim Backus on the 101st anniversary of his birth. Born February 25, 1913, James Gilmore Backus will long be remembered for his classic roles as Thurston Howell III on Gilligan's Island, Judge Bradley Stevens on I Married Joan, and as the voice of the visually challenged cartoon character Mr. Quincy Magoo.

The short-lived Jim Backus Show.

Although a longtime TV mainstay, Backus had a love-hate relationship with series work, and claimed to have formed a support group called Series Anonymous. "Agents love to put an actor in a series," he groused in 1969, "'cause you don't bother them for nine months ... You live in a vacuum and come out asking who's president." Series Anonymous, he joked, would do an intervention for an actor offered a series role. "They call me up, bring over a bottle of booze, and I talk them out of it."

Apparently no one did that for Jim himself. You can read about his starring sitcom, The Jim Backus Show: Hot off the Wire in my book Lost Laughs of '50s and '60s Television. Jim also figures, naturally, into my new book on I Married Joan star Joan Davis, due out this spring. Jim's memoirs painted a less-than-flattering picture of Joan as a colleague; my book provides another perspective, and I hope will encourage you to seek out this classic comedy of early TV.

New Book on Joan Davis in 2014

I'm excited to announce the forthcoming release of my fifth book, Joan Davis: America's Queen of Film, Radio and Television Comedy, to be published by McFarland & Company in spring 2014. Here's the publisher's description:

"The Emmy-nominated star of the classic 1950s sitcom I Married Joan, Joan Davis (1912-1961) was also radio’s highest paid comedienne in the 1940s--and she displayed her unique brand of knockabout comedy in more than forty films. This book provides a complete account of her career, including a filmography with critical commentary, and the most detailed episode logs ever compiled for her radio and television programs. A biographical chapter offers never-before-published information about her family background, marriage to vaudeville comedian Si Wills and relationships with other men, and her tragic early death."

I hope the book will not only help Joan's longtime fans learn more about this brilliant comedienne, but also introduce her work to those who have not yet discovered her. In the meantime, check out The Joan Davis Channel on YouTube to see her timeless comedy as preserved by one of her most devoted fans.