Joan Miller Biography (1910-1988)

Born in 1910 in Nelson, BC, Canada; moved to England, 1935; died August 31, 1988, in London, England; daughter of Richard Wallace and Rhoda (Tingle) Miller; married John Godfrey (died); married Peter Cotes (a theatrical director),1948.

Nationality
Canadian
Gender
Female
Birth Details
1910
Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
Death Details
August 31, 1988
London, England

Famous Works

  • Credits
  • STAGE DEBUT--When Knights Were Bold, Empress Theatre, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 1930.
  • LONDON DEBUT--Josephine, His Majesty's Theatre, 1934.
  • BROADWAY DEBUT--Julia Almond, A Pin to See the Peepshow, Playhouse Theatre, 1953.
  • Credits; PRINCIPAL STAGE APPEARANCES
  • Mistress Quickly and Lady Tree (understudy), Henry IV, Part I, His Majesty's Theatre, London, 1935.
  • May Stokes, Golden Arrow, Whitehall Theatre, London, 1935.
  • the Maid, The Soldier's Fortune, Ambassadors' Theatre, London, 1935.
  • Louise Michel, The Tiger, Embassy Theatre, London, 1936.
  • Hennie Berger, Awake and Sing, Vaudeville Theatre, London, 1938.
  • Eliza Doolittle, Pygmalion, Vaudeville Theatre, then Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, U.K., both 1942.
  • Rebecca West, Rosmersholm, Torch Theatre, London, 1945.
  • Branwen Elder, The Long Mirror, and Eva, For Services Rendered, New Lindsey Theatre, London, 1946.
  • Mrs. Collins, Pick-Up Girl, New Lindsey Theatre, then Prince of Wales' Theatre, London, both 1946, later Casino Theatre, London, 1947.
  • Gisela Waldstein, Dark Summer, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, London, 1947, then St. Martin's Theatre, London, 1948.
  • Frances Shelley, The Rising Wind, Embassy Theatre, 1949.
  • title role, Miss Julie, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, 1949.
  • Helen Winthrop, Birdcage, People's Palace, London, 1950.
  • Karen Wright, The Children's Hour, New Boltons Theatre, London, 1950.
  • Mrs. Fitzgerald, Loaves and Fishes, Julia Almond, A Pin to See the Peepshow, Helen, Mrs. Basil Farrington, and Godiva, The Importance of Wearing Clothes, all New Boltons Theatre, 1951.
  • Mrs. Gillis, The Man, Her Majesty's Theatre, London, 1952, then St.
  • Martin's Theatre, 1953.
  • Clara Dennison, The Wooden Dish, Phoenix Theatre, London, 1954.
  • title role, Medea, Oxford Playhouse, Oxford, U.K., 1957.
  • Constane, King John, Portia, Julius Caesar, the Queen, Cymbeline, and Juno, The Tempest, all Shakespeare Memorial Theatre Company, Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-on-Avon, U.K., 1957.
  • Nell Palmer, Hot Summer Night, New Theatre, London, 1958.
  • Margaret Hyland, The Rope Dancers, Arts Theatre, London, 1959.
  • Hannah Kingsley, QC, Girl on the Highway, Princes' Theatre, London, 1960.
  • Helen Baird, A Loss of Roses, Pembroke Theatre, Croydon, U.K., 1962.
  • Contessa Catherine Minadoli, Hidden Stranger, Longacre Theatre, New YorkCity, 1963.
  • A Woman Alone (one-woman show), Theatre Royal, Bristol, U.K., 1963.
  • Nora Melody, A Touch of the Poet, Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon, U.K., 1963.
  • Marya, Uncle's Dream, Phoenix Theatre, Leicester, U.K., 1965.
  • Sally, Staring at the Sun, Vaudeville Theatre, 1968.
  • Lucy Amorest, The Old Ladies, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, U.K., then Westminster Theatre, London, both 1969, later Duchess Theatre, London, 1970.
  • Mrs. Morland, Mary Rose, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, 1971.
  • Mrs. Warren, Mrs. Warren's Profession, Theatre Royal, York, U.K., 1972.
  • Mrs. George, Getting Married, Theatre Royal, York, U.K., 1974.
  • Madame Raquin, Therese, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, 1974.
  • title role, The Dame of Sark, Theatre Royal, York, U.K., 1976.
  • Madame d'Alvarez, Gigi, Swan Theatre, Worcester, U.K., 1977.
  • Judith Bliss, Hay Fever, Watermill Theatre, Newbury, U.K., 1977.
  • Amanda Wingfield, The Glass Menagerie, Liverpool Playhouse, Liverpool, U.K., 1978.
  • Also appeared in repertory at the Open Air Theatre, London, 1935; as EllaRentheim, John Gabriel Borkman, and in Candida, both in Manchester, U.K., 1948; in Candida, New Boltons Theatre, 1951.
  • Credits; MAJOR TOURS
  • Lola, Come Back, Little Sheba, U.K. cities, 1952.
  • Margaret Pardee, The Odd Ones, U.K. cities, 1963.
  • Mrs. Laurentz, So Wise, So Young, U.K. cities, 1964.
  • Lavinia Penniman, The Heiress, U.K. cities, 1975.
  • Credits; PRINCIPAL FILM APPEARANCES
  • Secretary, Take It from Me (also known as Transatlantic Trouble), WarnerBrothers/First National, 1937.
  • Vera, Cry of the City, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1948.
  • reporter, One Touch of Venus, Universal, 1948.
  • lush, Criss Cross, Universal, 1949.
  • woman, The Great Sinner, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), 1949.
  • Susan, The Woman in the Hall, General Films Distributors/Eagle-Lion, 1949.
  • Claire, Caged, Warner Brothers, 1950.
  • Mabel Spooner, The Jackpot, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1950.
  • Mac, Something for the Birds, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1952.
  • woman on the bridge, The Story of Three Loves, MGM, 1953.
  • Barker, Blonde Sinner (also known as Yield to the Night), Allied Artists,1956.
  • Frank, Over-Exposed, Columbia, 1956.
  • Mrs. Canaday, Fire Down Below, Columbia, 1957.
  • Victor's wife, Menace in the Night, United Artists, 1958.
  • Mrs. Collins, Too Young to Love, Rank, 1960.
  • Mrs. Smith-Gould, Heavens Above!, British Lion/Romulus/Janus, 1963.
  • Jess, No Tree in the Street, Seven Arts, 1964.
  • Credits; PRINCIPAL TELEVISION APPEARANCES; SERIES
  • Picture Page Girl, BBC, 1936.
  • Credits; SPECIALS
  • Candida, Australian television.
  • Also title role, Jane Clegg; and in Woman in a Dressing Gown.
  • Writings
  • Television in the Making, 1956.
  • The Woman Poet, 1977.

Further Reference

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

  • Variety, September 7, 1988.