Joan Banks
Joan Banks (October 30, 1918 – January 18, 1998) was an American film, television, stage, and radio actress (described as "a soapbox queen"), who often appeared in dramas with her husband, Frank Lovejoy. Early life Banks attended a school of Russian ballet as a little girl and excelled as a swimmer during high school. Her talent earned her a scholarship to the American Academy of Dramatic Art, and she attended Hunter College. Career Radio Banks first appeared on radio with Walter O'Keefe in 1936, when she was 18. At that same age, she became the first "feminine stooge" for Stoopnagle and Budd on their show. Her other roles on radio programs include: Film Banks began her Hollywood career with small roles in such films as Cry Danger (1951) and Washington Story (1952). She became better known in the 1950s and early 1960s for her many appearances as a supporting actress in films such as My Pal Gus. Television On March 25, 1958, Banks co-starred with husband Lovejoy in an episode of his Meet McGraw program. In 1972, Banks appeared in the CBS movie Return to Peyton Place. She made five appearances on Perry Mason, including four roles as the murderer: