American actress (1911?1983)
Joan Valerie
|
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Valerie in 1939
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Born
| Helen Vlahakis
(
1911-07-15
)
July 15, 1911
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Died
| January 30, 1983
(1983-01-30)
(aged 71)
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Occupation
| Actress
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Years active
| 1935?1953
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Spouse(s)
| Paris Methusis
(
m.
1940;
div.
1942)
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Children
| 2
[1]
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Joan Valerie
(born
Helen Vlahakis
;
[2]
July 15, 1911 ? January 30, 1983) was an American actress, who appeared mainly in
B movies
in the late 1930s and 1940s.
Early years
[
edit
]
Born in Sparta, Wisconsin,
[3]
Valerie was the daughter of Michael Vlahakis.
[4]
She was a 1931 graduate of
Rhinelander High School
.
[5]
She participated in local play productions in her hometown
[6]
[7]
and was active in theatrical productions
[2]
at
Morningside College
.
[8]
In 1932, Vlahakis was runner-up for the title of "Miss Wisconsin."
[9]
In 1934, Vlahakis was selected from a group of 44 women as Morningside College's "most beautiful girl,"
[10]
Miss Morningside.
[3]
Film
[
edit
]
Valerie initially changed her name to "Helen Valkis" for acting purposes.
[2]
She was discovered by
Darryl F. Zanuck
on stage at the
Pasadena Playhouse
.
In 1928, she was the leading lady in
Yukon Trails
, a
Rex Pictures
production that was filmed in Valerie's hometown, Rhinelander, Wisconsin, with an all-local cast.
[11]
Vlahakis's performance as the lead in
Edward Elsner
's
Not So Long Ago
in Hollywood led to two film studios' giving her
screen tests
, one of which resulted in a small part in
Reckless
(1935).
[3]
After signing a contract (as Helen Valkis) with the
Independent Productions
film company in 1935,
[12]
she received a contract from
Warner Bros.
in 1936.
[13]
She played ingenues in two musical westerns with
Dick Foran
, and appeared in
Confession
,
The Prince and the Pauper
,
Day-Time Wife
, and
Sergeant Murphy
, among others.
Warners dropped her option after one year. In 1938 she freelanced, landing a role in a
Gene Autry
western and a lead in a low-budget animal adventure (for which she used the pseudonym Helen Hughes). That same year
Twentieth Century-Fox
chief
Darryl F. Zanuck
saw her in a play and offered her a contact. Under the new name Joan Valerie, she was featured in many of Fox's "A" and "B" pictures, including the
Charlie Chan
and
Michael Shayne
mysteries.
Fox curtailed most of its "B" productions in 1942 and released Joan Valerie. She accepted two assignments at
RKO
, and then withdrew from the screen temporarily. She resumed her movie career in 1947, freelancing again, and retired in 1953.
Personal life
[
edit
]
She was married to Paris Methusis
[14]
and, in 1940,
[15]
to
Grant Richards
.
[14]
She and Richards, with whom she had a daughter, Jo-Ellen Rose, were divorced September 9, 1942. A newspaper report said that Valerie "sued under her true name of
Helen Jaffe
."
[15]
She also had a son, George.
[16]
Partial filmography
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Clipped from the Rhinelander Daily News"
.
The Rhinelander Daily News
. August 1951. p. 5.
- ^
a
b
c
"Beauty of Girl Here Is Lauded by Californian"
.
The Rhinelander Daily News
. Wisconsin, Rhinelander. January 4, 1935. p. 5
. Retrieved
June 15,
2016
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- ^
a
b
c
"Bright Future in Drama Predicted for Local Girl"
.
The Rhinelander Daily News
. Wisconsin, Rhinelander. March 29, 1935. p. 8
. Retrieved
June 16,
2016
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- ^
"Many Here for Wedding Rites"
.
The Rhinelander Daily News
. Wisconsin, Rhinelander. June 16, 1931. p. 5
. Retrieved
June 16,
2016
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- ^
"Helen Valkis Was Active in School Plays"
.
The Rhinelander Daily News
. Wisconsin, Rhinelander. May 18, 1937. p. 5
. Retrieved
June 16,
2016
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- ^
"(ad for play)"
.
The Rhinelander Daily News
. Wisconsin, Rhinelander. December 17, 1932. p. 2
. Retrieved
June 16,
2016
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- ^
"Announce Personnel for Historical Pageant Here"
.
The Rhinelander Daily News
. Wisconsin, Rhinelander. June 30, 1932. p. 2
. Retrieved
June 16,
2016
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- ^
"Orchestra Will Appear During Guild Program"
.
The Rhinelander Daily News
. Wisconsin, Rhinelander. December 17, 1932. p. 3
. Retrieved
June 16,
2016
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- ^
"Miss Vlahakis Wins Honor as Beauty Queen". The Rhinelander Daily News. Wisconsin, Rhinelander. May 26, 1934. p. 2.
- ^
"Miss Vlahakis Wins Honor as Beauty Queen"
.
The Rhinelander Daily News
. Wisconsin, Rhinelander. May 26, 1934. p. 2
. Retrieved
June 16,
2016
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- ^
"Rhinelander Movie Is Shown This Week"
.
The Rhinelander Daily News
. Wisconsin, Rhinelander. December 26, 1928. p. 2
. Retrieved
June 15,
2016
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- ^
"Signs Movie Contract"
.
The Rhinelander Daily News
. Wisconsin, Rhinelander. May 21, 1935. p. 3
. Retrieved
June 16,
2016
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- ^
"Warners Sign Helen Valkis"
.
The Rhinelander Daily News
. Wisconsin, Rhinelander. October 7, 1936. p. 2
. Retrieved
June 16,
2016
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- ^
a
b
"Joan Valerie"
. Omnilexica
. Retrieved
April 25,
2013
.
- ^
a
b
"Wins Custody of Daughter"
.
Spokane Daily Chronicle
. Associated Press. September 10, 1942. p. 12
. Retrieved
June 16,
2016
.
- ^
Muller, Pat (August 1, 1951).
"Movie Actress Is Vacationing In Home Town"
.
The Rhinelander Daily News
. Wisconsin, Rhinelander. p. 5
. Retrieved
June 16,
2016
– via
Newspapers.com
.
External links
[
edit
]
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International
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National
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Other
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