Joan Roberts | |
|---|---|
| Born | Josephine Rose Seagrist (1917-07-15)July 15, 1917 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | August 13, 2012(2012-08-13) (aged 95) Stamford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Musical theatre, film and television actress |
Joan Roberts (July 15, 1917 – August 13, 2012)[1] was an American actress, most famous for creating the role of Laurey in the originalBroadway production ofOklahoma! in 1943.
Roberts was born Josephine Rose Seagrist[2][3] inManhattan, New York and was raised inAstoria, Queens.[4] She first appeared on stage at age 6. She was active in dramatic productions as a student atSt. Patrick's Cathedral (Manhattan) High School and gained additional experience in summer stock productions.[5] She studied singing withEstelle Liebling, the teacher ofBeverly Sills, in her youth.[4]
Roberts was a regular onThe Texaco Summer Theater onCBS July 4 - December 5, 1943. The program was a summer replacement forThe Fred Allen Show but was extended when Allen did not return as scheduled.[6]
Sunny River was Roberts' firstBroadway production. She played Madeleine Caresse December 4, 1941 - January 3, 1942.[7] Later in 1942 she played inHit the Deck with theLos Angeles Civic Light Opera.[5]
Roberts initially auditioned for the role of Ado Annie in the original Broadway production ofOklahoma! (which eventually went toCeleste Holm), but the show's librettistOscar Hammerstein cast her as the female lead, Laurey.[4] At the time of her death she was one of four surviving cast members of the original 1943 opening night production ofOklahoma! and the only one who played a principal role (Celeste Holm died several weeks earlier), along withGeorge S. Irving,Marc Platt, andBambi Linn. Roberts subsequently starred as Sara Longstreet on Broadway in the musicalHigh Button Shoes.[4]
In addition to her work as an actress, Roberts taught voice lessons and presented workshops on singing and voice projection.[8] In 2011 theUniversity of North Carolina's School of the Arts mounted a production ofOklahoma! that replicated the original Broadway staging of the show. Roberts and Celeste Holm both attended that production and were present at an event honoring the two actresses.[8]
She was in retirement for many years onLong Island, New York, when she appeared as Heidi Schiller in the 2001 Broadway revival ofStephen Sondheim'sFollies.[4] Over the years she was seen in documentaries aboutOscar Hammerstein II,George Abbott and in the filmBroadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There.
On December 19, 1966, Roberts appeared in a production ofJack and the Beanstalk onCBS-TV.[9]
In 1977 on the SeriesEmergency! S6 E15 “Breakdown”, she made an appearance as Jane.
Roberts was married to Dr. John J. Donlon,[10] who died in 1965.[3] They had a son, John J. Donlon, Jr.[10]
On August 13, 2012, Roberts died of congestive heart failure, aged 95, according to her son.[11]
Celeste Holm, who played Ado Annie in the same original production ofOklahoma!, had died only a month before, also at age 95.[4]
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The Texaco Star Theater, a generic The Texaco Summer Theater Joan Roberts.
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