January 31, 1922: Actress Joanne Dru Born in Logan

Movie and television actress Joanne Dru was born in Logan on January 31, 1922. Originally named Joan Lacock, her father was a pharmacist in Logan.

The family moved to Huntington, where Dru’s brother, Ralph Pierre Lacock, was born. He later changed his name to Peter Marshall and was the longtime host of the Hollywood Squares game show.

After their father’s death, the family moved to Wheeling. Dru attended Wheeling High School but, before graduating, relocated to New York, where she worked as a model and cover girl. After marrying singer and actor Dick Haymes in 1941, she moved to Hollywood and appeared in more than 40 movies, including the classic Westerns Red River and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, both starring John Wayne. She also had a standout performance in the film All the King’s Men. As television became more popular, she appeared in a number of series, including Guestward Ho! and Playhouse 90.

After her divorce from Dick Haymes, Dru married actor-director John Ireland and later C. V. Wood, who developed Disneyland. Joanne Dru died in Los Angeles in 1996 at age 74.