Profile Text
Birth Name: Rose Blondell
Date of Birth: August 30, 1906
Place of Birth: Manhattan, New York, New York, United States
Date of Death: December 25, 1979
Place of Death: Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: * father – Ashkenazi Jewish * mother – Irish
Joan Blondell was an American pageant queen, model, actress, and sex symbol. Her roles included the films The Crowd Roars , Gold Diggers of 1933 , He Was Her Man , Stage Struck (1936), Gold Diggers of 1937 , The King and the Chorus Girl , There’s Always a Woman , East Side of Heaven , The Kid from Kokomo , Good Girls Go to Paris , Two Girls on Broadway , Topper Returns , Three Girls About Town , Lady for a Night , A Tree Grows in Brooklyn , The Corpse Came C.O.D. , Nightmare Alley , Christmas Eve (1947), The Blue Veil , Desk Set , This Could Be the Night , Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? , Stay Away, Joe ; The Cincinnati Kid , Opening Night , Grease (1978), The Champ (1979), and The Woman Inside , among many others; and the series Here Come the Brides and Banyon . She was the 1926 Miss Dallas.
Her family was in vaudeville. Joan was the daughter of Catherine/Kathryn Cecelia “Katie” Blondell (born Cain/Kane/Caine) and Eddie/Ed/Edward Blondell (born Levi Bluestein/Bluestine). Her father was a Polish Jewish immigrant, who was raised in Columbus, Indiana. He was a comedian, who toured with Blondell and Fennessy’s stage version of The Katzenjammer Kids . Her mother was born in New Jersey, and had Irish ancestry. Her sister was actress Gloria Blondell. Joan spent part of her childhood in Honolulu, Hawaii; Australia; and Dallas, Texas.
Joan had a son, producer, director, and television executive Norman Powell, with her former husband, cinematographer George Barnes; and a daughter, studio hair stylist Ellen, with her former husband, actor, singer, director, producer, and studio head Dick Powell. Dick also adopted Norman.
Joan’s paternal grandfather was named Simon Bluestein/Bluestine. Simon was born in Lipowo, Podlaskie.
Joan’s paternal grandmother was named Rebecca “Riva” Karolsky/Karilsky.
Joan’s maternal grandfather was named John H. Cain/Kane. John was born in New York or Connecticut.
Joan’s maternal grandmother was named Frances Elizabeth “Lizzie” Madden (the daughter of John Madden and Catherine). Frances was born in New York. John was Irish, and was the son of Garret/Garrett A. Madden, who was born in County Tyrone, and of Mary Ann “Nancy,” who was born in County Cork.
Sources: Genealogies of Joan Blondell – https://www.geni.com https://www.findagrave.com https://www.wikitree.com
Birth record of Joan Blondell – https://www.familysearch.org
Joan Blondell on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Joan’s parents on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Joan’s father on the 1870 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org Joan’s father on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Joan’s father – https://www.familysearch.org
Birth record of Joan’s mother – https://www.familysearch.org