Joan Caulfield

A former cover girl and Broadway ingenue, Joan Caulfield exhibited a modest charm in light comedy, most notably opposite William Holden in "Dear Ruth" (1947) and "Dear Wife" (1950). She conveyed refined femininity and sophistication in a dozen-plus features, mostly at Paramount, from her debut in "Miss Susie Slagle's" (1944, released 1946), to her costarring role opposite Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire in the Irving Berlin musical "Blue Skies" (1946), to her later work in B westerns. Throughout her film career, Caulfield remained active on stage, mostly in stock or touring productions of contemporary comedies. From 1950 to 1960 she was married to producer Frank Ross, who produced and directed her in "The Lady Says No" (1951), and produced "The Rains of Ranchipur" (1955), in which she played second fiddle to Lana Turner; and also Caulfield's live TV comedy series "My Favorite Husband" (1953-55), and "Sally" (1957-58).