MovieChat Forums > Anne of Windy Poplars (1940) Discussion > RIP: Actress Joan Carroll dies at 85

RIP: Actress Joan Carroll dies at 85


The following was posted by Joan's son on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=mary%20anne%20krack

My mother, Joan Felt Ashley (Carroll)

Joan was called home on November 16, 2016 and now enjoys the promise of eternal life in heaven with her parents, all of the saints and her loving Lord and savior Jesus Christ. While we are certain she is finally happy and at peace in the loving embrace of God, her family will miss her until we are all united once again.

Born Joan Marie Felt in Elizabeth, New Jersey on January 18, 1931 to Wright Lafayette Felt and Freda Marie Brown (Felt) she began performing on stage at age 4. Her family moved to California in 1936, where she developed into an accomplished child actress and performed under the stage name of Joan Carroll. Between 1936 and 1945 she appeared as lead or in supporting roles in seventeen movies. Her big break came in the 1940 film, Primrose Path, as Ginger Rogers's younger sister, for which she won a Critics Award. In that same year she became the first child star to be recruited from Hollywood to appear in the leading role of a Broadway musical, Panama Hattie, which ran from October 30, 1940 to January 03, 1942.

Some of Joan’s other best-remembered work were her leading roles of Bridget Potter in Obliging Young Lady (1942) and Joan Mitchell in Petticoat Larceny (1943). She also appeared as Judy Garland’s younger sister Agnes in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) and as the troubled teenager, Patsy in The Bells of St. Mary's (1945) with Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman.

Soon after completing work on The Bells of St. Mary’s Joan retired from the entertainment industry and in 1951 married James Joseph Krack. Joan and Jim had four children during their 18-year marriage. Joan is survived by her brother, Fr. James Wright Felt, SJ, her children; Ann Marie Wellnitz, Mary Anne Zink, James Anthony Krack and Joseph Michael Krack, 14 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren. Services will be 10:00 AM at St. Clare Chapel located on the grounds of Santa Clara Mission Cemetery, 490 Lincoln St. Santa Clara, California on Saturday, December 10, 2016. In lieu of flowers, you may make a donation in Joan’s name to: Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, P.O. Box 128, Los Gatos, CA 95031.

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I am fond of the 80's Anne of Green Gables trilogy , since I was a teen then myself. But since I am curious about the older films based on the series, I came across this film. I recall the late performer as Patsy in Bells of St. Mary, a terrific film! However,, I did not know she left the industry so young. Did anyone like her performance in the Anne film? I hope it is on either YT or DVD.

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