Brenda Joyce as Jane in Tarzan movies
#1
Brenda Joyce as Jane in Tarzan movies
Hi all, I've recently been watching the Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan movies and just came to the 12th and final one. These last ones have featured Brenda Joyce as Jane and have seen that she plays the part in the first post-Weissmuller movie TARZAN'S MAGIC FOUNTAIN, which starred Lex Barker as the big T.
However Brenda Joyce didn't return for any more. Given that Barker played the character in a further four Tarzan movies, does anyone here know why Joyce didn't come back?
However Brenda Joyce didn't return for any more. Given that Barker played the character in a further four Tarzan movies, does anyone here know why Joyce didn't come back?
Last edited by sharktrager; 04-28-14 at 07:16 AM. Reason: Added image
#4
Re: Brenda Joyce as Jane in Tarzan movies
Next time you have a question like this, look up the performer on IMDB. Here's what the Bio section says about the latter part of Joyce's career and it should answer your question:
The studio didn't take kindly to her impulsive 1941 marriage to army husband Owen Ward and supposedly punished her by relegating her to "B" films. Three children were the result of this first marriage -- Pam, Timothy and Beth. Brenda eventually lost interest in her career, but was coaxed back to the film set when brunette Maureen O'Sullivan left the Tarzan series and Johnny Weissmuller approved the athletic beauty as his new blonde swinging mate. Beginning a four-year excursion with the film Tarzan and the Amazons (1945), Brenda continued on as Jane after Weissmuller left (actor Lex Barker took over), but finally decided enough was enough. Brenda left after her fifth movie, Tarzan's Magic Fountain (1949), and just walked away -- never to return.
Following her movie career, Brenda moved to the Washington D.C. area and worked with the Refugee Services for nearly 10 years in which she helped displaced persons find employment and places to live. This line of work eventually had her relocate to the Carmel, California area and she worked with Catholic Resettlement in Seaside, California (near Monterey). Besieged by personal and health problems in later years, she endured a painful divorce from Ward in 1960 after 19 years of marriage. She was then married and divorced twice more. Suffering from dementia in her twilight years, she stayed with her children at various stages until she was forced to be institutionalized in a nursing home in Santa Monica, California. Brenda died there of complications from pneumonia in 2007.
Following her movie career, Brenda moved to the Washington D.C. area and worked with the Refugee Services for nearly 10 years in which she helped displaced persons find employment and places to live. This line of work eventually had her relocate to the Carmel, California area and she worked with Catholic Resettlement in Seaside, California (near Monterey). Besieged by personal and health problems in later years, she endured a painful divorce from Ward in 1960 after 19 years of marriage. She was then married and divorced twice more. Suffering from dementia in her twilight years, she stayed with her children at various stages until she was forced to be institutionalized in a nursing home in Santa Monica, California. Brenda died there of complications from pneumonia in 2007.
#5
Re: Brenda Joyce as Jane in Tarzan movies
Thanks for the info, it's really interesting.
However I was under the impression that I was somewhere where I could discuss movies and related topics. Surely I can have such a discussion here?
However I was under the impression that I was somewhere where I could discuss movies and related topics. Surely I can have such a discussion here?
#7
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Re: Brenda Joyce as Jane in Tarzan movies
I thought the discussion was interesting since I'm not familiar with Joyce or the Tarzan movies--need to watch those someday.
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Re: Brenda Joyce as Jane in Tarzan movies
I have both Weismuller sets--don't think I've watched that last one, though. These are fun movies, although they did get a bit more low-budget and sillier as the series went on.
#9
Re: Brenda Joyce as Jane in Tarzan movies
Yeah, I tried to avoid that "Google is your friend" thing that people usually give when I ask a question that could easily be answered by a Google search. But IMDB is often quite helpful in areas like this and I try to urge people to use it rather than Wiki for film/actor-related questions. I didn't know why Ms. Joyce had left the business, so I couldn't tell you without first searching on IMDB myself (and satisfying my own curiosity). I can tell you, though, that a lot of actresses I like left the business once the studios started dropping contract players. Many of them simply got married and had children and decided to devote themselves to that. Not everyone can be as driven as, say, Bette Davis or Joan Crawford.
Last edited by Ash Ketchum; 04-28-14 at 12:52 PM.
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Re: Brenda Joyce as Jane in Tarzan movies
...but I'm interested in seeing some of the later b-movies with Weissmuller. Some of the best Sherlock Holmes movies are the ones from the 40s with Basil Rathbone, after Universal slashed the budgets and put Holmes in the modern day to avoid paying for period sets and costumes. Working in low-budget schlock often brings out the best in filmmakers.
#11
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#12
Re: Brenda Joyce as Jane in Tarzan movies
I've only got the first set...
...but I'm interested in seeing some of the later b-movies with Weissmuller. Some of the best Sherlock Holmes movies are the ones from the 40s with Basil Rathbone, after Universal slashed the budgets and put Holmes in the modern day to avoid paying for period sets and costumes. Working in low-budget schlock often brings out the best in filmmakers.
...but I'm interested in seeing some of the later b-movies with Weissmuller. Some of the best Sherlock Holmes movies are the ones from the 40s with Basil Rathbone, after Universal slashed the budgets and put Holmes in the modern day to avoid paying for period sets and costumes. Working in low-budget schlock often brings out the best in filmmakers.
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Re: Brenda Joyce as Jane in Tarzan movies
Good Morning,
If you like Brenda Joyce, "Whispering Ghosts", "Pillow of Death" and, "Strange Confession" are a few of her better non-Tarzan films (IMO).
If you like Brenda Joyce, "Whispering Ghosts", "Pillow of Death" and, "Strange Confession" are a few of her better non-Tarzan films (IMO).
#16
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Re: Brenda Joyce as Jane in Tarzan movies
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/KNJ1B_2b17s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
#17
Re: Brenda Joyce as Jane in Tarzan movies
Breaking News: The Brenda Joyce cult lives...on DVD Talk...Film at Eleven.
(Some of us, of course, have moved on...
...to Brenda Song!)
(Some of us, of course, have moved on...
...to Brenda Song!)