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Joan DixonAmerican actress
Date of Birth: 06.06.1930
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Joan Dixon
Joan Dixon was an American television and film actress of the mid-20th century. She was born on June 6, 1930, in Norfolk, Virginia. In 1950, the seductive brunette with feline eyes and a luscious mouth signed a contract with the 'RKO Pictures' studio, which was owned by eccentric millionaire Howard Hughes. Dixon's appearance slightly resembled the well-endowed Jane Russell, and Hughes decided to capitalize on her promising looks and turn her into a big star in his films. Following the example of Russell and Janis Carter, the millionaire entered into a personal contract with Dixon.
Failed Attempt at Stardom
However, Joan Dixon seemed to have no interest in pursuing a successful acting career. Her most famous role was as Diana, a seeker of a luxurious lifestyle, in the film-noir 'Roadblock' (1951). From 1950 to 1952, she appeared in eight films, mostly westerns, but her career practically ended there. She failed to live up to Hughes' hopes of restoring the studio's former prosperity.
Controversial Marriages
In 1951, Dixon met Theodore Briskin, a cinematographer from Chicago and the former husband of actress and singer Betty Hutton. They got married on October 19, 1952, at the Flamingo Hotel's wedding chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, just two and a half weeks after their wedding, Dixon left Briskin and initiated divorce proceedings that lasted until December 1953. Despite Briskin publicly taking the blame for the divorce, the former spouses encountered each other only in court. In an absurd turn of events, Briskin filed a lawsuit against Dixon, claiming that she had tried to assault him twice.
In 1958, Dixon married again, this time to screenwriter William L. Driskill, but they divorced in 1959. Driskill had fled the family home in September 1958, stating that he could not write his new novel and live under the same roof as Dixon simultaneously. The court awarded the house to Dixon.
Later Life and Death
Although Joan Dixon had a decent singing voice, her failed acting career led her to perform as a singer in nightclubs, shuttling between Los Angeles and New York City. She made sporadic appearances on television in four episodes of popular series between 1956 and 1958. In 1958, she briefly appeared in the comedy film 'I Married a Woman.' However, after 1958, Dixon did not appear onscreen again.
Joan Dixon passed away on February 20, 1992, at the age of 61, in Los Angeles.
