Joan Shawlee

Zany, extrovert, sometimes blonde, sometimes brunette, sometimes red-haired character comedienne Joan Shawlee began her performing career as a fourteen-year old Powers model. At sixteen, she sang in New York night spots and was proclaimed one of "the six most beautiful girls in Manhattan". Hollywood noticed in due course and 20th Century Fox signed her under contract. However, Joan was soon revealed to be under-age. Having failed to get into films, Joan returned to New York to live with her mother. In 1945, as luck would have it, she was spotted singing at the famous Copacabana by comedian Lou Costello. On the condition that her mother could join her in Hollywood, Joan signed a new contract with Universal. She appeared in thirteen films as 'Joan Fulton', culminating in a leading role in Rookies Come Home (1947).