Joan Blondell had a long career in film and later TV between 1930 and 1979. She was born in New York in 1906, the daughter of vaudeville performers. She toured with her parents from the age of 4, making her NY stage debut with the Zeigfeld Follies. She appeared in a number of Broadway productions, including alongside James Cagney.
She made her film debut with Cagney in 1930's Sinner's Holiday. She never quite made it as a superstar though carved out a solid career as a supporting actor in a number of films. She was often cast as a wisecracking ally to the male lead, an example being 1941's Topper Returns. She died in 1979.
