Jump to content

Joan Lazer

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Teblick (talk | contribs) at 14:49, 29 October 2024 (Early years). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.


Joan Lazer (1936 or 1937[1] - January 3, 2015) was an American child actress who worked primarily in radio.

Early years

Lazer was born in Tel Aviv and moved to New York when she was 2 years old.[2] She began taking lessons in a singing and dancing school in Forest Hills, Long Island, New York, when she was 5. Her appearance at age 6 on the children's radio program Coast to Coast on a Bus led to her desire to be a professional entertainer. Although that appearance was scheduled to be her only time on the show, she ended up singing on it once a week for two years.[3]

Lazer studied at the Professional Children's School[4] and the Lodge Professional School.[5] She also had a music teacher for lessons in piano and voice.[6] She went on to study at Actors Studio, Columbia University, and New York University.[7]

Career

After being trained on how to read scripts, Lazer began auditioning for parts in dramatic radio programs. Her first audition led to a part on My True Story, and roles on other programs followed.[3] During her first 18 months in radio she appeared on programs more than 300 times.[6]

The table below shows some of the roles that Lazer had in radio.

Partial List of Joan Lazer's Roles on Radio
Program Character
Example Example
Rosemary Jessie[8]
Valiant Lady Pixie Jeffreys[4]
Young Doctor Malone Jill[9]

Lazer made recordings for children. They included "Puss In Boots" and "Who's Who at the Zoo".[6] On the latter recording, Lazer "carries the narrative assignment, taking her moppet listeners on a tour of a large and thriving zoo filled with erudite animals who give brief musical lessons in natural history."[10]

On Broadway Lazer portrayed Rosie Goldberg in Me and Molly (1948).[11]

Television programs on which Lazer appeared included Treasury Men in Action[12] and Stage 13.[13]

Personal life and death

Lazer died on January 3, 2015,[14] after having cancer for seven years.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b "Reed, Joan Lazer". The Palm Beach Post. January 7, 2015. p. B 4. Retrieved October 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "(untitled brief)" (PDF). Radio and Television Mirror. November 1948. p. 68. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Daly, Sheila John. "Tops Among Teens". Chicago Sunday Tribune. p. Grafic Magazine - page 2. Retrieved October 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b "Start 'em Young ..." (PDF). Radio Mirror. April 1946. p. 51. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  5. ^ Warren, Wendy (June 25, 1949). "Luncheon Scoops". The Daily Advertiser. Louisiana, Lafayette. p. 11. Retrieved October 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b c "Little Miss Radio". Detroit Free Press. April 6, 1947. p. Parade - page 20. Retrieved October 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Information Booth". TV Radio Mirror. July 1956. pp. 25, 27. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  8. ^ "Rosemary" (PDF). Radio Best. October 1949. p. 17. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  9. ^ "The Woman Listner". The Daily Clintonian. June 15, 1948. p. 6. Retrieved October 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "(untitled brief)" (PDF). Radio Mirror. January 1948. p. 10. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  11. ^ "Joan Lazer". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  12. ^ "Thursday June 21 (Continued)". Ross Reports. June 15, 1951. p. 8. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  13. ^ "Wednesday June 14". Ross Reports. June 10, 1950. p. 6. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  14. ^ "Joan Lazer". Broadway World. Retrieved October 28, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)