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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.

Favorite roles: Rebecca West in Rosmersholm.

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.