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.