Joan van Ark was born on June 16, 1943, in New York City, far from the world of entertainment. Her life took a significant turn during her teenage years while acting in Denver, where she met actress Julie Harris, who would greatly influence her career. Julie encouraged Joan to apply to the prestigious Yale Drama School and even helped her secure a scholarship, making Joan the second woman ever to enroll there.
Joan recalled: “Harris wrote to the dean and asked him to meet me. Long story short, my parents drove me to New Haven, Connecticut, where the dean awarded me a scholarship. It felt destined”. After honing her skills in theater, Joan shifted her focus to television, where she starred in shows like Temperature’s Rising, Spider-Woman, Days of Our Lives, and even made a guest appearance on Bonanza. However, it was her role as Valene Ewing on Dallas in 1978 that propelled her to stardom.
Her success on Dallas led to her starring in its spin-off, Knots Landing, which was actually developed before Dallas. Initially, Joan was set to join the Knots Landing cast, but she ended up reprising her role on Dallas first. It was her husband, newscaster John Marshall, who encouraged her to accept the role despite her busy schedule. When it was announced that Julie Harris would play Val’s mother, Joan was thrilled. “I couldn’t believe they had picked her to be my mother”, she recalled in a 1984 interview.
After 13 seasons and 327 episodes on Knots Landing, Joan left the show just before its final season. While many speculated that her departure contributed to the show’s cancellation, she was ready for new challenges. “I loved my time on that show”, she stated, expressing gratitude to the show’s creator, David Jacobs, and her co-star, Ted Shackelford, who she considered family.
Joan and John, who met in high school, have been happily married for over 58 years and share a daughter, Vanessa Marshall, who works in the entertainment industry. Now at 81, Joan has a net worth of $10 million and remains stunning. She was last spotted five years ago, casually paying for parking in workout attire.
Her most recent appearance was in the 2017 television film Psycho Wedding Crasher. After a remarkable 50-year career in entertainment, Joan van Ark is now a life member of The Actor’s Studio, solidifying her legacy as an icon.
The Girl In The Pic Became A Famous TV Host And Suffered a Mini-Stroke During Her Show: A Star Who Married Her Husband Twice!
Famous TV personality Judy Sheindlin has had a distinguished career in and out of the courtroom. She is best known for her participation on the popular show “Judge Judy.” She recently celebrated her birthday while thinking back on a previous health scare that happened while filming her show.
On October 12, 1942, Judy was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish parents Ethel and Murray. Her father’s dentistry profession and her mother’s position as office manager influenced her early life. After graduating from James Madison High School in 1960, she moved on to American University in Washington, D.C., where she earned her degree in 1963.
Judy’s legal career took her to American University’s Washington College of Law, where, out of 126 students, she was the only female student. She later graduated from New York Law School with a law degree, and in 1965 she passed the New York bar test.
Judy began her career as a corporate attorney for a cosmetics company, but she left because she was unhappy. She finally went on to serve as a prosecutor in 1972. Her breakthrough came in 1993 thanks to a profile in The Los Angeles Times and an appearance on “60 Minutes.”
Following her 25-year tenure as a judge, Judy retired in 1996 and made the switch to television. She debuted the “Judge Judy” program in September of the same year, quickly gaining notoriety for her no-nonsense approach to the law.
Judy had a troubling health incident on set in March 2011, which turned out to be a mini-stroke. She was reluctant to seek medical attention at first, but her seasoned coworkers persuaded her to do so. She was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with a potential transient ischemia stroke, which was evident in her double vision and delayed speech earlier in the day.
After a spectacular 25 seasons, “Judge Judy” came to an end in 2021. Judy was one of the highest-paid TV hosts, taking in $47 million a season. At the age of 81, Judy started a new endeavor called “Judy Justice,” which is presently in its second season.
She has been married three times in her life. Jerry Sheindlin is her current spouse; they met at a pub in an eventful meeting. The couple’s first meeting resulted in a long-lasting relationship that saw them get married, get divorced, get married again, and remain together for more than three decades.
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