Joan Valerie
| Joan Valerie | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Helen Vlahakis July 15, 1911 Rhinelander, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | January 30, 1983 (aged 71) Long Beach, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | film actress |
| Years active | 1935-1953 |
Joan Valerie (July 15, 1911 in Rhinelander, Wisconsin - January 30, 1983 in Long Beach, California) was a Greek-American actress, who appeared mainly in B movies in the late 1930s and 1940s.
Born Helen Vlahakis, in Sparta, Wisconsin, she initially changed her name to Helen Valkis for acting purposes. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Vlahakis, with a sister, Catherine, and brothers Peter, William, Ted and Chris.
Vlahakis was a 1931 graduate of Rhinelander High School. She participated in local play productions in her hometown and was active in theatrical productions at Morningside College.
In 1934, Vlahakis was selected from a group of 44 women as Morningside College's "most beautiful girl," Miss Morningside.
In 1928, Valerie (then known as Helen Vlahakis), was the leading lady in Yukon Trails, a Rex Pictures production that was filmed in Valerie's hometown, Rhinelander, Wisconsin, with an all-local cast.
Vlahakis' performance as the lead in Edward Elsner's Not So Long Ago in Hollywood led to two film studios' giving her tryouts, one of which resulted in a small part in Reckless (1935). After signing a contract (as Helen Valkis) with the Independent Productions film company in 1935, she received a long-term contract from Warner Bros. in 1936.
She was discovered by Darryl F. Zanuck on stage at the Pasadena Playhouse. Films include Confession, The Prince and the Pauper, Day-Time Wife, Sergeant Murphy, and Rio Rita.
She was married to Paris Methusis and, in 1940, to Grant Richards. She and Richards, with whom she had a daughter, Jo-Ellen Rose, were divorced September 9, 1942. A newspaper report said that Valerie "sued under her true name of Helen Jaffe." She also had a son, George.
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