Joan Carroll

Joan Felt was born on January 18, 1931, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Her mother was quite a famous piano player in the 1930s. Six-year-old Joan made her film debut in _Walking Down Broadway (1938)_ (qv). She played the role of Sunny, and changed her name from Felt to Carroll. A role in _Two Sisters (1938)_ (qv) followed, and the next year she had supporting roles in _Barricade (1939)_ (qv) and _Tower of London (1939)_ (qv). It wasn't until 1940 when Joan had her breakthrough. She had important parts in _Anne of Windy Poplars (1940)_ (qv) and especially _Primrose Path (1940)_ (qv), as 'Ginger Rogers' (qv)' younger sister. In 1941, she won her first lead role in _Obliging Young Lady (1942)_ (qv) as Bridget Potter, a young girl stuck in the middle of her parents' divorce case. The film costarred 'Ruth Warrick' (qv).In 1942, she was the first child star from Hollywood to appear in a Broadway play.This play, "Panama Hattie", garnered Carroll national fame, and she was featured in many magazine articles and newspapers. In 1943, she won her second lead role in _Petticoat Larceny (1943)_ (qv), in which she played Joan Mitchell, a radio star who goes undercover to get a better feel of her roles. That film reunited Joan with Warrick.In 1944, she played Agnes, the middle sister between 'Judy Garland' (qv) and 'Margaret O'Brien' (qv) in _Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)_ (qv). In 1945, she had an important supporting role in _The Bells of St. Mary's (1945)_ (qv), which starred 'Bing Crosby' (qv) and 'Ingrid Bergman' (qv). That same year she appeared in _Tomorrow, the World! (1944)_ (qv), after which she retired.::soccrstr6