Joi Lansing Passes Away – August 1972

From the August 9, 1972 Journal

Policeman Joe McDoakes (George O'Hanlon) attempts to
give Joi a ticket in So You Want to Be a Policeman

Almost exactly ten years after the August 4, 1962 death of Marilyn Monroe, another blonde sex symbol of the big screen sadly passed away on August 7, 1972: Joi Lansing. Unlike Marilyn, who died of a drug overdose after a troubled life, Joi succumbed to cancer at the age of 43.

Above is her obituary, which appeared in the Journal on August 9, 1972 – 50 years ago today.

Joi Lansing appeared in many major films but, unlike Marilyn Monroe, did not star in them. Joi did, however, carve out a long and successful career in B-movies, movie shorts and television series. According to her Wikipedia entry, she had appeared in nearly 200 television series episodes by 1956. That's quite an achievement and a testament to her talent, which was based on much more than her intimidating beauty.

I'm a fan of Joi Lansing because she appeared in the kind of movies that I like – comedies – and was pretty funny. She made appearances in about a half-dozen of the "Joe McDoakes" comedies, including So You Want to Be a Policeman (1955) and So You Think the Grass is Greener (1956). She also turned up in a "Bowery Boys" comedy, Hot Shots (1956). 

She'll always be remembered by her fans.

Satch (Huntz Hall) meets his new secretary (Joi), in the Bowery Boys comedy Hot Shots