Joyce Compton

Joyce Compton

1907-01-27 – 1997-10-13 (age 90) Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Olivia Joyce Compton (January 27, 1907 – October 13, 1997) was an American actress. Compton was born in Lexington, Kentucky. (Despite frequent reports to the contrary, her name was not originally "Eleanor Hunt"; she had appeared in the film Good Sport (1931) with Hunt and this confusion in an early press article followed Compton throughout her career.) After graduating high school she spent two years studying at the University of Tulsa, studying dramatics, art, music and dancing. She won a personality and beauty contest and spent two months in a film studio as an extra.

Compton first made a name for herself when she was named one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars in 1926, alongside Mary Brian, Dolores Costello, Joan Crawford, Dolores del Río, Janet Gaynor and Fay Wray. Compton appeared in a long string of mostly B-movies from the 1920s through the 1950s. She was a comedy actress and protested at being stereotyped as a "dumb blonde".

Among her over two hundred films were Imitation of Life, Magnificent Obsession, The Awful Truth, Mildred Pierce, and The Best Years of Our Lives.

A devout Christian, on her gravestone, just beneath her dates of birth and death, is written "Christian Actress". She died from natural causes, aged 90, and was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills.

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Known For

The Best Years of Our Lives
The Best Years of Our Lives

1946

as Hat Check Girl (uncredited)

Mildred Pierce
Mildred Pierce

1945

as Waitress (uncredited)

Ziegfeld Girl
Ziegfeld Girl

1941

as Miss Sawyer (uncredited)

They Drive by Night
They Drive by Night

1940

as Sue Carter (uncredited)

Mighty Joe Young
Mighty Joe Young

1949

as Alice (uncredited)

Jet Pilot
Jet Pilot

1957

as Mary Lou Simpson

The Awful Truth
The Awful Truth

1937

as Dixie Belle Lee

City for Conquest
City for Conquest

1940

as Lilly

Sorry, Wrong Number
Sorry, Wrong Number

1948

as Cotterell's Blonde Girlfriend (uncredited)

Kid Galahad
Kid Galahad

1937

as Party Guest on Phone (uncredited)

We Have Our Moments
We Have Our Moments

1937

as Carrie

Christmas in Connecticut
Christmas in Connecticut

1945

as Nurse Mary Lee

Imitation of Life
Imitation of Life

1934

as Young Woman at Party (uncredited)

You and Me
You and Me

1938

as Curly Blonde

The Toast of New York
The Toast of New York

1937

as Mary Lou (uncredited)

Scattergood Meets Broadway
Scattergood Meets Broadway

1941

as Diana Deane

Pillow to Post
Pillow to Post

1945

as Gertrude Wilson (uncredited)

Love Before Breakfast
Love Before Breakfast

1936

as Mary Lee

If I Had a Million
If I Had a Million

1932

as Marie - Waitress (uncredited)

King Kelly of the U.S.A.
King Kelly of the U.S.A.

1934

as Maxine LaTour