Joan Valerie (born Helen Vlahakis;[2] July 15, 1911 – January 30, 1983) was an American actress, who appeared mainly in B movies in the late 1930s and 1940s.
Early years
Born in Sparta, Wisconsin,[3] Valerie was the daughter of Michael Vlahakis.[4]
In 1932, Vlahakis was runner-up for the title of "Miss Wisconsin."[9]
In 1934, Vlahakis was selected from a group of 44 women as Morningside College's "most beautiful girl,"[10] Miss Morningside.[3]
Film
Valerie initially changed her name to "Helen Valkis" for acting purposes.[2] She was discovered by Darryl F. Zanuck on stage at the Pasadena Playhouse.
In 1928, she 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.[11]
Warners dropped her option after one year. In 1938 she freelanced, landing a role in a Gene Autry western and a lead in a low-budget animal adventure (for which she used the pseudonym Helen Hughes). That same year Twentieth Century-Fox chief Darryl F. Zanuck saw her in a play and offered her a contact. Under the new name Joan Valerie, she was featured in many of Fox's "A" and "B" pictures, including the Charlie Chan and Michael Shayne mysteries.
Fox curtailed most of its "B" productions in 1942 and released Joan Valerie. She accepted two assignments at RKO, and then withdrew from the screen temporarily. She resumed her movie career in 1947, freelancing again, and retired in 1953.
Personal life
She was married to Paris Methusis[14] and, in 1940,[15] to Grant Richards.[14] 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."[15] She also had a son, George.[16]
