Biography

Joan Fontaine was born Joan de Beauvoir de Havilland on Monday, October 22, 1917 to Lilian Ruse and Walter de Havilland in Tokyo, Japan's International Settlement. Her mother studied acting at the Royal London's Academy of Dramatic Arts and her father was a patent attorney. Her older sister, Olivia Mary, was born July 1, 1916. In 1919, due to the poor health of Joan and Olivia, their mother decided to move to the San Francisco Bay/Saratoga area of Northern California. Mr. de Havilland stayed in Japan and Lilian and Walter would eventually divorce in 1925. Mrs. de Havilland married George M. Fontaine that same year. The California climate agreed with Olivia, but Joan remained a sickly child and often had to stay in bed for extended periods of time. When tested at an early age, Joan's IQ score was 160. Joan attended Oak Street Elementary School and during part of her high school years attended Los Gatos High School. In 1932 she went to Japan to live with her father and Yoki-San and attended The American School in Japan. Upon her return to the United States in September of 1934, Joan was introduced to actress May Robson and her career began with the stage production of KIND LADY. Soon followed a similar role in CALL IT A DAY. It was on opening night of this play at the Duffy Theatre in Hollywood that Joan was seen by Jesse Lasky, a prominent movie producer, who immediately signed her to a long-term contract.

Joan Fontaine began her movie career in 1935 with a brief part in NO MORE LADIES which starred Joan Crawford. She was billed as Joan Burfield, but soon changed her name upon the advice of a fortune teller who advised that she take a name that ended with the letter "e." Joan adopted her stepfather's last name, and thus became Joan Fontaine. She starred in a number of "B" films during her ingenue years. Under contract to RKO, she was introduced to the public in THE MAN WHO FOUND HIMSELF. Her three most important and well-known films during this time were THE WOMEN, GUNGA DIN, and DAMSEL IN DISTRESS. In August of 1939, Joan married Brian Aherne, a union that lasted until 1944.

At a dinner party at Charles Chaplin's house, Miss Fontaine sat next to David O. Selznick. He told her that he had just bought the rights to Daphne du Maurier's REBECCA and asked her if she would like to test for the role of the second Mrs. de Winter. After seven tests and many disappointments, she finally landed the coveted part. Others who were considered for the part included her sister, Olivia, Loretta Young, Vivien Leigh, and Anne Baxter. REBECCA won the Academy Award in 1940, giving Miss Fontaine her first Best Actress nomination and the Canadian Film Critics' Award. In her next film, SUSPICION, also directed by Alfred Hitchcock, she won the prized Oscar. At the time, she was the youngest leading lady to ever win an Oscar, a record which stood until Marlee Matlin won. She also received another Academy Award Nomination as Best Actress for her work in THE CONSTANT NYMPH. Her other fine performances during the 1940's include those in THIS ABOVE ALL, FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, FRENCHMAN'S CREEK, THE AFFAIRS OF SUSAN, JANE EYRE, IVY, THE EMPEROR WALTZ, KISS THE BLOOD OFF MY HANDS, YOU GOTTA STAY HAPPY and LETTER FROM AN UNKNOWN WOMAN. The latter two films were produced by Rampart Productions, a company formed by Miss Fontaine and her second husband, William Dozier. Miss Fontaine has stated that she believes she gave her best performance in LETTER FROM AN UNKNOWN WOMAN. Another of her personal favorites is THE CONSTANT NYMPH. Joan has one daughter, Deborah Leslie Dozier, born November 4, 1948. She also adopted a Peruvian child named Martita Pareja Calderon. Joan and William Dozier divorced in January, 1951.

In the early 1950's, Joan starred in BORN TO BE BAD, SEPTEMBER AFFAIR, DARLING! HOW COULD YOU?, SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR, IVANHOE, and THE BIGAMIST. SEPTEMBER AFFAIR and IVANHOE were especially successful. Her career started to slow down by the mid-1950's due to a lack of good roles for women. She then turned to television and starred in many episodes of successful series such as THE GENERAL ELECTRIC THEATRE and FOUR STAR PLAYHOUSE. In 1954 she appeared on Broadway in TEA AND SYMPATHY with Anthony Perkins. She won critical acclaim for her role as Laura in that production. More films followed her triumph on Broadway. Miss Fontaine and Collier Young were married on November 12, 1952 and divorced January 2, 1961.

In the 1960's, Joan appeared in many theatrical plays such as PRIVATE LIVES, FORTY CARATS, CACTUS FLOWER, DIAL 'M' FOR MURDER, THE SPIDER'S WEB, SUSAN AND GOD and THE MARRIAGE-GO-ROUND. She acted in the stage production, THE LION IN WINTER, in Vienna, Austria and won great critical acclaim for her forceful and brilliant intrepretation of Eleanor of Aquitaine. One critic said, "Vienna's English Theatre's lively show is crowned by Miss Fontaine's sterling performance." Joan made few films in the 1960's, among them TENDER IS THE NIGHT and her last threatrical film THE DEVIL'S OWN in 1966.

The 1960's, 1970's and 1980's were filled with many TV appearances and made-for-television films. She also lectured in universities and women's clubs on such subjects as HOLLYWOOD...THE GOLDEN YEARS, THE ROMANCE OF ELIZABETH BARRETT AND ROBERT BROWNING: THEIR POEMS AND LETTERS, NOW IS THE BEST TIME OF ALL, AMERICA: THREE CENTURIES THROUGH THE WORDS OF HER WOMEN POETS and THE CHINA EXPERIENCE. She received an Emmy nomination for her cameo role in the daytime soap opera, RYAN'S HOPE. Her last role was as Queen Ludmilla in the 1994 television film, GOOD KING WENCESLAS. Also THE JOAN FONTAINE SHOW, a talk and interview show, was viewed monthly on national TV cable networks for four years in the late 70's and early 80's.

In the 1960's, Joan invested in citrus groves, cattle farms, oil interests and real estate. She owned an apartment building in Los Angeles and was president of Oakhurst Enterprises, Inc., a California Corporation formed to handle her many business enterprises. Miss Fontaine is a world traveler and has stated that travel is one of her favorite activities.

Miss Fontaine lived in New York City for many years. In 1964 she married Alfred Wright, Jr., a senior editor at "Sports Illustrated" but they divorced on July 20, 1969. In 1984, Joan moved to the Carmel Highlands in California where she still resides. She is now retired from public life and spends her time reading, writing, tending her rose and flower gardens, participating in many charitable causes, and enjoying a quiet life with her friends and several dogs.

Along with her family, Joan Fontaine is listed in "Burke's Landed Gentry" under her family name.

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