Tall, provocative actress Joan Woodbury -- Joan and her second husband subsequently co-founded the Palm Springs-based Valley Players Guild, staging plays that featured other veteran performers. She died of a respiratory ailment in 1989 and was survived by three children from her first marriage to Wilcoxon.
She was the great-niece of the founder of Woodbury Soap.
Her mother was the third queen of the Rose Parade.
For six years she was a producer and and director of both grand and light operas for the Redlands (California) Bowl.
She and her second husband, actor Ray Mitchell co-founded the Valley Players Guild Theatre in Palm Springs, California.
Occasionally wrote magazine and newspaper articles for her local Palm Springs area.
Had three children from her marriage to actor Henry Wilcoxon : Wendy, Heather and Cecilia. Cecilia was named after Cecilia de Mille , the daughter of director Cecil B. DeMille , with whom Henry was a close associate.
Suffered from tuberculosis when she died in Desert Hot Springs.
Appeared in her first film at age 6 in The Half Breed starring Wheeler Oakman. Her first professional lead was in the Hopalong Cassidy western The Eagles Brood (1935) billed as "Nana Martinez".
Later taught workshops at UC and also produced, directed and acted in the annual Nativity play for the Wilcoxon Group Players.
According to Laura Wagners article on Joan in Film of the Golden Ages, Spring 2015 issue, Joan was considered a child prodigy. At three she was performing in concert. At six she was fluent in two languages; was an excellent child horsewoman; and danced and played the piano.
Father Elmer owned a hotel; mother Joan Hedenfeldt, a one-time vaudevillian, was a Pasadena Tournament of Roses Queen of 1907. Her parents divorced when Joan was 10. Following this Joans mother entered her daughter into a convent and pursued a European operatic career for several years before returning.
An artist, photographer and photo collector, she later had special exhibitions of her art work. In 1963 she hosted a local series "Adventure in Art" on KCHU-TV.
Was chosen to be premiere ballerina for the Corps de Ballets Opera Under the Stars at the Hollywood Bowl Grand Opera Festibval in 1936.
Opened a dance school in 1944. Jennifer Jones became a student.
