AKA: Joan De Beauvoir de Havilland, Joan St John, Joan Burfield
Nationality: British
Birthdate: 10/22/1917
Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
biography
The younger sister of actress Olivia de Havilland, Joan Fontaine was a British actress known for her exceptionally poised performances in Hollywood films of the 1940s and 1950s, including Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rebecca” (1940), which earned her an Academy Award, and “Suspicion” (1941), as well as collaborations with Orson Welles in “Jane Eyre” (1944) and “Othello” (1952). Her career trajectory took her from romantic female leads in “The Constant Nymph” (1943) to formidable older women in “Serenade” (1953) and “Island in the Sun” (1957) before winding down in the late sixties. Fontaine later
Returned to Japan at age 15, attending the American school of Tokyo; had falling out with father after about a year (date approximate)
Back in California, introduced to May Robson, making her stage debut as the ingenue in "Kind Lady" in support of Robson
Signed to a movie contract after her appearance in "Call It a Day" with Violet Hemming and Conway Tearle; when Hollywood bought the rights to the play, her role went to older sister Olivia de Havilland in the film
1935
Film debut in "No More Ladies", billed as Joan Burfield
