Joan Wheeler

Joan Wheeler Ankrum (January 8, 1913 Palo Alto, California – December 20, 2001 Los Angeles, California) was an American film actress of the 1930s and founder of the Ankrum Gallery on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles. She was the wife of actor Morris Ankrum.

Early life and career

Ankrum was born Joan Natalia Wheeler on January 8, 1913 in Palo Alto, California to Raymond Bert (1888–1980) and Margaret Lucille (Ozier) Wheeler (1888–1956), who had met and eloped while attending Stanford University. Ankrum was 1 of 4 children, having one older sister and two younger brothers.

Joan got her start in acting with Pasadena Playhouse, where she met her husband Morris. They were married on August 16, 1935 in Benbow, California, and had 2 sons, David and Cary. (This marriage would end in divorce many years later due to Morris' possessive attitude toward her).

Broadway roles

• Growing Pains (1933) as Prudence
• Strangers at Home (1934) as Jean Crosby
• Western Waters (1937) as Penelope

Selected filmography

• Madame Du Barry as Florette, Young Girl at Dear Park
• Desirable as Barbara, 'Babs'
• The Merry Frinks as Lucille Frink... aka Happy Family (UK)
• Smarty as Mrs. Bonnie Durham... aka Hit Me Again (UK)
• Twenty Million Sweethearts as Marge, the Receptionist

Later life

She later founded the Ankrum Gallery, an art gallery for Morris Ankrum's deaf nephew, Morris Broderson. She was also married to actor William Challee later in life, in 1984. She lived out most of her later life in the Los Angeles, California area where she died on December 20, 2001.

References

External links

• Joan Wheeler at the Internet Movie Database
• Joan Wheeler at the Internet Broadway Database
• Wedgespeaks - Morris Broderson bio