Joi Lansing

[Rebekah]

I didn't see a thread on Ms. Lansing so I thought I would start one.
She was quite beautiful and was cast on The Beverly Hillbillies as
Lester Flatt's wife to rival Donna Douglas' beauty. She died young too.

[johnny]

She was a beauty.

From IMDB

Joi Lansing was born Joyce Wassmansdorff in Salt Lake City, Utah, on April 6, 1929. She was a young lady who developed, physically, early as a teen. Because of her striking good looks, she began to model and was extremely successful throughout the 1940s. It was only natural that her physical assets eventually landed her on the silver screen. Her first go at films occurred in 1948 with roles as - what else? - a model in The Counterfeiters (1948), Julia Misbehaves (1948) and Easter Parade (1948). She was 20 years old. Her acting wasn't exactly polished in the beginning, but producers didn't care - she was hired because of her looks and her body.

The following year brought more of the same, getting parts (mostly uncredited) in films as nothing more than a showpiece. Joi took a hiatus from films in 1950 while she concentrated on her modeling career. She returned to the big screen in 1951 to play minor roles, but this time it was a little better. She played Susan Matthews in FBI Girl (1951) and Marilyn Turner in On the Riviera (1951) - at least she had names to go along with her characters. Then it was back to being a showpiece. In 1952 she had an uncredited role in one of the most popular movies of all time, Singin' in the Rain (1952). Another minor role as the Maxim Girl in The Merry Widow (1952) followed. She began appearing on television in 1955 when she played in an episode of "Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok" (1951) and one of "I Love Lucy" (1951) the following year. In 1955 Joi landed a recurring role as Shirley Swanson in the TV series "The Bob Cummings Show" (1955). It was this show that proved to all that Joi could, indeed, act and act well. Because of this series, she began to get a few more substantial parts in films such as The Brave One (1957), Hot Cars (1956) and So You Think the Grass Is Greener (1956), all in 1956. Then it was back to bit roles. For the balance of the 1950s she continued to appear in B movies with less than quality roles. After appearing in Who Was That Lady? (1960) in 1960, Joi landed the part of Goldie in the "Klondike" (1960) TV series. However, most viewers remember her as the wife of Lester Flatt in "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962), which she appeared on and off from 1965-1968. As Gladys Flatt, her beauty even surpassed that of Ellie May, played by Donna Douglas. Her film career was winding down. In 1967 she appeared as Boots Malone in Hillbillys in a Haunted House (1967). This B movie went nowhere. Joi was diagnosed with breast cancer, and died at the age of 43 on August 7, 1972, in Santa Monica, California.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Denny Jackson

Spouse
Stan Todd (1960 - 7 August 1972) (her death)
Lance Fuller (1951 - 1953) (divorced)
Jerry Safron (? - ?) (divorced)

Trivia
She was considered for a regular continuing character role in the "Adventures of Superman" (1952) TV series after the success of her role as "Superman's Wife" in the final season, filmed in the fall of 1957, but the series was canceled; she might have returned to the series in 1959-60 if only George Reeves had lived to make it.

Measurements: 38 1/2-23-35 (on "The Bob Cummings Show" (1955)). (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine).

[KELT]

I was watching the episode with her first (of five) appearance on
THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES yesterday and wondered when someone was going to get around to doing a post on her.

Yeah, her turn on THE BOB CUMMINGS SHOW was likely her biggest note of fame, but she also did have a tiny but crucial role in one of the most acclaimed films of all time: in ORSON WELLES' 1958 crime drama
TOUCH OF EViL. JOI LANSING is the blond bimbo in the opening sequence who drunkenly gets into the convertible that unbeknowst to her has just had a bomb placed beneath it. As the opening scene follows the procession of the car to go from Tijuana back to the States, JOI' big line is " I keep hearing ticking in my head; like a clock ya know ? " After the car passes (stars) CHARLTON HESTON & JANET LEIGH and crosses the border, it eXplodes.

JOI in 1953

JOI with the star of THE BOB CUMMINGS SHOW (1955)

Various photos of JOI from the late 50s thru mid 1960s

JOI in 1970

[johnny]

She's a beauty.
Here is that opening shot you referenced with Joi. For fun, check out this clip. This is an amazing shot with one take that lasts a number of minutes and was done 50 years ago. What a complicated shot.
The story goes that the poor actor playing the checkpoint guard blew the lines a few times so finally Welles put his back to the camera and dubbed it in later.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHN2jTkbPTA

[theotherlondon]

Near the end of her life I heard Frank Sinatra paid
the medical bills.

[Kathyf]

I heard that about Frank too and a few other people as well.

[MorbidMolly]

Wonderful link to her memorial ..........http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...e=gr&GRid=8663


Thanks for a great thread on a forgotten talent

[Jack-O-Lantern]

For some reason her name rang a bell, and it rattled around in my head for a few hours...and then I remembered!
She starred in the worst (and I mean that in the kindest way possible) movie I have ever seen:

http://www.amazon.com/Bigfoot-John-C.../dp/B000N31QFW

[poppie]

Lance Fuller- wasn't there some kind of scandal when she divorced him. Some type sexual pervert?

[suzycreamcheese1]

poppie...You're thinking of Lance Rentzel and Joey Heatherton. He was an exhibitionist and though they divorced I read somewhere she still stood by him.

[johnny]

Lance was arrested for indecent exposure to a 10-year-old girl. He was released from the team he was then playing for, the Dallas Cowboys.

[johnny]

you got joey heatherton waiting for you at home and you want to flash a 10 year old girl instead? man you got issues.

[VeuveClicquotNJ]

Joi also made a couple of Scopitones in the 60s -

Web of Love
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7eGnjuCwoW4

The Silencer
http://youtube.com/watch?v=LLZ4wdncE84&feature=related


P~

[hell0kitty]

i always remembered joi lansing as absolutely gorgeous on the bob cummings show. great post!

[Jigsaw]

The last time I saw Joi Lansing, she was on the Mike Douglas Show circa 1967. She was some kind of health "fanatic." She said the reason she looked good and was healthy was Tiger's milk and weight lifting. She went over to this mat and exercised with weights, but from what I can recall, it was only to keep her breasts looking nice.

I was shocked when she died. They must have hushed up the cause of her death because the radio said she died of leukemia.

Frank paid all her bills. She was in a film with him. I think it was The Marriage-Go-Round (1965).

jigsaw

[malaki]

She was beautiful!! does anyone know if she ever had any children???

[Jigsaw]

Joi also made a couple of Scopitones in the 60s -

Web of Love
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7eGnjuCwoW4

The Silencer
http://youtube.com/watch?v=LLZ4wdncE84&feature=related


P~

The first one, Web of Love, was awful! That had to be her singing because it was beyond mediocre. Would they hire someone who sang that bad?

She had a hell of a lot of make-up on. Her breasts are pushed out from long sessions of lifting weights for her pectoral muscles, which enlarged and her breasts hung on these muscles. Mansfield did the same thing. Neither Joi nor Mansfield were as beautiful as Marilyn.

The link to Silencer didn't work.

jigsaw

[Guest]

Sexy! Was gonna start a thread on Joi, then noticed this! Far hotter and cuter than Marilyn!

[Guest]

Watching Joi on youtube - hubba hubba, didn't realise her voice was so husky though!

[KELT]

I was watching the episode with her first (of five) appearance on
THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES yesterday and wondered when someone was going to get around to doing a post on her.

Yeah, her turn on THE BOB CUMMINGS SHOW was likely her biggest note of fame, but she also did have a tiny but crucial role in one of the most acclaimed films of all time: in ORSON WELLES' 1958 crime drama
TOUCH OF EViL. JOI LANSING is the blond bimbo in the opening sequence who drunkenly gets into the convertible that unbeknowst to her has just had a bomb placed beneath it. As the opening scene follows the procession of the car to go from Tijuana back to the States, JOI' big line is " I keep hearing ticking in my head; like a clock ya know ? " After the car passes (stars) CHARLTON HESTON & JANET LEIGH and crosses the border, it eXplodes.

JOI in 1953

JOI with the star of THE BOB CUMMINGS SHOW (1955)

Various photos of JOI from the late 50s thru mid 1960s

JOI in 1970

Ok, you're going to love this one. It's downright PAINFUL to watch.
JOI LANSING singing "THE SiLENCERS" which was the theme song from the first Matt Helm movie of the same name. In the film VICKIE CARR sang it, while CYD CHARISSE mouthed it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLZ4wdncE84

[ShockDoc]

Wow, she's like marshmallow creme! OMG...

[TheMasterKey]

http://www.glamourgirlsofthesilversc...how.php?id=156

For detailed info on Joi, some provided by friends and family, and a photo, please visit the Glamour Girls site.

[1karenhb]

That youtube of her singing the The Silencer was truly awful, especially the 3 bikini bimbos. One commentor asked if the choreographer was Stevie Wonder!

[michihunt]

She was a doll. I can't believe I've never heard of her. She died too young.

[Jod6cindy]

I read somewhere once that Joi Lansing had silicone injected directly into her breasts (rather than enclosed in implants), and there was some thought that it may have caused her to develop the cancer that later killed her. I don't know if there is any truth to that, however.

She was definitely sexy!!!

[Heavenly Tiger]

Those bras they wore then look painful

[Bidmor]

Torpedo bras? I think that's they were referred to. Many a busty actress had those thrust upon them back then to accentuate what they already had. Janet Leigh wore them in Psycho and she ain't flat chested by any means to begin with.

So sad that Joi died at such a young age. I have my own pet theory regarding a primary cause of breast cancer (which is not restricted to women, BTW)...I think it's long term and daily use of antiperspirants which contain aluminum, as opposed to deodorants which do not contain aluminum. Imagine years of soaking aluminum into the tissue near the breast could do.

On a lighter note: casting a woman with a 38 inch bust as Mrs. Flatt on the Hillbillies. Classic!

[suicide_blonde]

She reminds me of Jessica Rabbit!

[Bessolo]

Joi was also in an episode of The Adventures of Superman in which she played Superman's wifey! This was one of the later color episode which had a super-saturated color that smacks of Technicolor. In close ups you can see how they trowled on her pancake makeup, yikes! Instead of using Max Factor I think they hired Aunt Jemima!!!!!! I say this not in a mean spirited way but fax is fax.

Here's a great synopsis of this episode: http://www.jimnolt.com/supermanswife.htm

[MirrorDimly]

Never heard of her - gorgeous gal. Sounds like she could've used a better agent! (One that would steer her towards better film roles and away from singing...)

[Slick SKillet Mayhand]

I wish I could remember the exact exchange in one of TBH eps where Joi quips to Miss Jane something about "filling her [Joi's] shoes." To which Miss Jane responds, after a slight pause, "Your shoes. . . yes."

[Dangitbawb]

you got joey heatherton waiting for you at home and you want to flash a 10 year old girl instead? man you got issues.

AMEN on that!

[Bessolo]

I would say that guy even had all the BACK issues. Whatta weirdo.

[DFinMOzarks]

Read the Kitty Kelley expose on Frank Sinatra "His Way" about him and the Rat Pack and it will explain why they helped pay for some of her medical bills. She got passed around like candy between them all for many years. Sinatra, Martin, Lawford, Davis, etc. used her like a blow up doll and when she was an emotional wreck they dumped her. The Rat Pack members denied it but then they did pay for her medical bills at the end of her life so what conclusions should most folks come to???? Trivia: the Rat Pack wasn't created by Sinatra and Martin. It was originally the "Holmby Hills Rat Pack" gang of carousing friends of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.

[GEM]

Exploited "Eye Candy"..........

[Noelle1966]

Just saw Joi on an episode of The Beverly Hillbillies this morning. Strange, was just thinking about her.

[theotherlondon]

Just saw Joi on an episode of The Beverly Hillbillies this morning. Strange, was just thinking about her.

True, sadly but I miss her too.

[Noelle1966]

I think Joi was absolutely stunning.

[Drew]

The last time I saw Joi Lansing, she was on the Mike Douglas Show circa 1967. She was some kind of health "fanatic." She said the reason she looked good and was healthy was Tiger's milk and weight lifting. She went over to this mat and exercised with weights, but from what I can recall, it was only to keep her breasts looking nice.

I was shocked when she died. They must have hushed up the cause of her death because the radio said she died of leukemia.

Frank paid all her bills. She was in a film with him. I think it was The Marriage-Go-Round (1965).

jigsaw

Joi Lansing died from breast cancer at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California where she had initially been treated surgically for the disease earlier the same year.

[Drew]

That youtube of her singing the The Silencer was truly awful, especially the 3 bikini bimbos. One commentor asked if the choreographer was Stevie Wonder!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT0voxIK4eg Sad,what this beautiful woman was reduced to in the 1960s http://www.briansdriveintheater.com/joilansing.html

[Noelle1966]

Joi Lansing died from breast cancer at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California where she had initially been treated surgically for the disease earlier the same year.

Well, whatever Joi was doing to make her breasts look good, it really worked. Sad that she died of breast cancer. I remember seeing her on "I Love Lucy" a few times. I think that Lucy liked her.

[Noelle1966]

Reading a book on Joi right now. It is called "A Body to Die For."

[Dave62]

On a lighter note: casting a woman with a 38 inch bust as Mrs. Flatt on the Hillbillies.

LOL, I also remember Earl Scruggs warning Lester that if Gladys' movie career took off (her screen name was 'Gladys DeLovely') Lester would be known as 'Lester Delovely'.

I always found her very photogenic but with too much makeup, even for the 60's. Lacquered hair, carefully done eyebrows, lashes etc. Reminds me of that scene in the Garland-Mason version of A Star is Born where Norman sees Esther's heavy makeup (courtesy of the Studio) and laughingly remarks "you sat in that [makeup] chair an hour too long." It'd be nice to see a candid photo of Joi, without the layers of glamour makeup.

[Mansfield67]

On a lighter note: casting a woman with a 38 inch bust as Mrs. Flatt on the Hillbillies.

LOL, I also remember Earl Scruggs warning Lester that if Gladys' movie career took off (her screen name was 'Gladys DeLovely') Lester would be known as 'Lester Delovely'.

I always found her very photogenic but with too much makeup, even for the 60's. Lacquered hair, carefully done eyebrows, lashes etc. Reminds me of that scene in the Garland-Mason version of A Star is Born where Norman sees Esther's heavy makeup (courtesy of the Studio) and laughingly remarks "you sat in that [makeup] chair an hour too long." It'd be nice to see a candid photo of Joi, without the layers of glamour makeup.

I agree way too much makeup, but at least she was always beautiful. I can't say the same for Jayne Mansfield in the '60's , with hair not unlike the sweeping end of a broom ! I think that is a quote from Mr. Blackwell. Sorry Jayne, but ..... LOL. I think I might purchase the book Joi Lansing A Body To Die For on Kobo hoping it has some personal photos.

[Noelle1966]

There are some personal photos, but quite a few professional photos. Joi did get silicone injections which led to her breast cancer. She also took estrogen in an attempt to stay young. It is very sad that she really was quite a normal person, but did so many things to risk her health all in the name of Hollywood. Joi did not have children. She was pregnant with a child from her last marriage, but her husband had her get an abortion. She never forgave him, but stayed married to him.

[Mansfield67]

I just bought the book on Kobo. Thanks for the insight Noelle, I have read that she was a really lovely person to know, I look forward to reading it !