Joan Caulfield

Joan Caulfield
September 1941 McCall's Magazine cover image of Joan Caulfield
Born	Beatrice Joan Caulfield (1922-06-01)June 1, 1922 West Orange, New Jersey, United States
Died	June 18, 1991(1991-06-18) (aged 69) Los Angeles, California, USA
Years active	1946–1987
Spouse(s)	Dr. Robert Peterson (1960–1966) (divorced) son Frank Ross (1950–1960) (divorced) son

Beatrice Joan Caulfield (June 1, 1922 – June 18, 1991) was an American actress and former fashion model. After being discovered by Broadway producers, she began a stage career in 1943 that eventually led to signing as an actress with Paramount Pictures.

Born Beatrice Joan Caulfield while her family resided in East Orange, New Jersey, she moved to West Orange during childhood but continued attending Miss Beard's School in Orange, New Jersey. During her teenage years, the family moved to New York City where Joan eventually attended Columbia University.

Caulfield was the niece of Genevieve Caulfield, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963 for her work with blind children.

While at Columbia, Caulfield was active in many plays presented by the university's drama group. She also ventured into being a model with the Harry Conover Agency and "became a favorite with top-drawer fashion magazines," with her pictures appearing in many national magazines, including being on the cover of Life magazine's May 11, 1942, issue.

Caulfield appeared on Broadway in Beat the Band in 1942. She had a great success portraying the troublesome teenager Corliss Archer in the 1943 hit comedy play Kiss and Tell. After a year in the role she left the production to pursue offers from Hollywood and she was replaced by her sister Betty Caulfield.

"For several years she was among Paramount's top stars, radiating delicate femininity and demure beauty but rarely much else." One of Caulfield's most memorable film roles was when she was loaned out to Warner Bros. to appear in The Unsuspected (1947) alongside Claude Rains and Audrey Totter.