Ah-ha! You're an alert reader - congrats! I used to
list Winnipeg as her birthplace since that is what every other
site listed. But, then I read her
father's autobiography
and I paid close attention to the dates and times he mentions. In
the year Joanna was born her father's book clearly shows he
and the family were living and working in Toronto. I still
wasn't sure, since the family could have gone to Winnipeg at
the time Joanna was born (family holiday perhaps), but then
I found
this.
The link takes you to a cast-listing
for a show that Joanna was briefly in that lists Toronto
as her birthplace. This source is from very early in her
career, when she needed more specifics to add to her
credentials. Now her bios always just say something like
"Canadian born..."
I also found another reference. There is a NY Times
interview from Feb 23, 1986 by Alvin Klein titled "Theater:
Joanna Gleason: At 35, A Character Actress Emerges" that was
done during reharsals for Social Security. This interview
lists Joanna as having been born in Toronto.
Joanna's father, however, was born in Winnipeg.
First off, you have to understand that I'm not into the "main
stream" as far as desires, hobbies, interests, or goals. I don't
go with the flow just for the sake of it. Add in that I have found
Joanna
to be a rare combination of great intelligence, classic beauty, and
endless talent, and you have a reason to like someone. Even like
them to the point of trying to get the word out to others about
just how interesting she is.
Besdies, why not Joanna?
I never made one, but the great folks over at
Norbert Leo Butz Online.com
made one to link to here, and it is amazing! First, go check them out,
and then you can find their
banner
(direct link to their site's photo), or I coppied a
mirror to
this site to avoid leeching bandwith from them.
You don't have to use a banner. You don't even have to link here.
But you do have to pay taxes - I can't help you there.
Hadn't really thought about those. I doubt there would be sufficient interest in a just-Joanna "theme," but maybe someone out there would do one with Into The Woods or Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. As for a background, even I don't think I'd use one and I'm the guy who took the time to write this site so I never saw a need to put something together.
I apreciate any help you may offer me for this site, but please
don't get upset if I decide not to use your submission.
UPDATE: An alert reader sent me this link with several pictures (ITW and just Joanna from ITW) that could be used as backgrounds.
I try to keep posts about what's new, with new links or new pictures I find, to the message group so we can all discuss things. That way I don't have to worry about keeping a newsgroup updated AND keep a website up to date as links grow and die.
That was just a temporary page in commemoration of her departing the cast. I took it down as a few days later, but if you are still interested in viewing it, check it out here.
There once was (and sadly, still is) a group on another provider for dicussing Joanna news. This group is linked to from all over and could have really been something of some value, however it was not moderated at all, and the people in charge didn't seem to care. Thus, it got run over by SPAM'ers and it really brought the whole thing down. To keep that from happening again I made a new group requiring you to "join," and in fact it was the creation of that group that inspired me to make this site from the single page it started out as ages ago.
While I'd like to think I am, it would only be by default. Besdides, I also think I can spell, and you see how well thats wrkoing out fro me. To my knowledge, there is no official fan club. If Joanna were to bless one individual to run such an activity then I would feel that they hold the title and I would follow their lead. Recently a reader of this site met Joanna and mentioned that they spoke to the president of her fan-club (meaning me). Joanna replied, "Oh, you know my mother?" That still cracks me up.
Joanna seems to be a very shy person. I know that she has
done stage door at a few showings of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,
but I heard she wouldn't allow photos. She was at the cast
album signing and I heard several people got to shake her hand
and wish her well. I've also spoken to several people who ran
into her in passing, or in the lobby of a smaller show she was
in years ago, and she seemed very nice and friendly. Bottom
line, as with any person, treat her with respect, and understand
she has bad days, too. She doesn't have to talk to fans or sign
things, so
don't feel bad if she doesn't go overboard like other people
do with fans.
Recently, there was a
thread
started on broadwayworld.com asking if Joanna was rude or something.
Several people chimed in there with various views.
Do you have lots of pretty pictures of Joanna or [insert name of relative] ?????.
I am very worried about posting images as this site is not officially Joanna's site. I have lots and lots of photos of her, and I am trying to focus on pictures that I have taken, or of roles where there are no real sales potential (ie, I don't want to intrude on anyone's ability to make money, certainly not Joanna's). If you have anything I never turn away submissions, and if you are the owner and permit my posting I will gladly provide credit and my deepest thanks. If you are the original content owner of a photo used or displayed on this site, and wish credit or removal, please contact me so I can assist you. I'm trying to make everyone happy here, and honestly, the pictures seem to draw a lot of traffic/attention.
What was your favorite Joanna-role?
Gosh, I don't know. I really liked Joanna's goofy character on Love and War. That was a really good show. Her character and acting qualities in Into the Woods are perhaps her best known work to date, and for good reason: she did a fantastic job. But, just like making a site for a less famous actress, I just can't go with her most famous role here, either.
Didn't I see Joanna in Troop Beverly Hills?
No. And this is a common one I don't quite understand. Joanna is not Mary Gross, and I don't see why people keep confusing the two.
Wasn't she in Not Another Teen Movie?
No. This is a combination of misinformation. First, this movie stars Paul Gleason, the actor who is not related to Joanna. Second, there is a Joanna-actress in this movie, but her name is JoAnna Garcia. And finally, there is at least one website that lists a bio for Joanna Gleason and lists this movie among her roles.
I HATED [insert name of a character]!
Really? She always had such nice things to say about you.
Joanna is right handed.
In an interview for Playbill magazine back around the time that Nick and Nora was about to enter previews Joanna listed her height at 5 feet, 8 inches. She also added that her "fighting weight" is about 118 pounds.
In a recent online interview Joanna did not list a middle name, however other reports I have read indicated a middle initial of M. I'll update if I can learn more.
No. I am not.
Well, can you write to her for me?
I do not have any communication with Joanna Gleason. I wrote to her once, and she didn't write back. I also stood in line at the theater behind her husband, and I didn't say a word. I will not be pushy with her or her family. If she wishes contact, she is welcomed to, but I won't force it and I ask that you don't either. I have, on the other hand, heard from her former neighbor. He found the site and wrote to me trying to get ahold of Chris. Apparently they played basketball together a lot. Obviously I couldn't help him, either.
So... if you like Joanna so much, you must be a stalker
No, sorry. I'm not stalking her. I just think she's really neat and since there was no one else keeping a record of all of her work in one place, I just wrote this site to fill the void. I expect everyone to be decent and respect each others privacy with an adult maturity level.
Well, then you must think she's hot.
While I do think she's a beautiful woman, I'm not attracted to her if that's what you mean. Plus, she's married, and she's old enough to be my mom. Literally, I'm very close to her son's age. I'll leave feelings of attraction to her more obsessed fans.
I'm not actually into theater all that much. I like a few select things a lot (mostly Joanna things), and the rest is just "eh" to me. I'm also not gay, but thanks for asking.
Sorry to disappoint you.
Yeah, I heard that, too. And since I read it on the Internet then it must be true, right?
Yes. I've thought about it, and I just renewed the domain
for another 5 years and I think it's time. But, we don't
always get what we want, do we?
My contact info is all over this site, and Joanna has had
opportunity to discuss. I'm not going to force her to do
anything. If she wants to, it is entirely up to her.
I have submitted requests at some sites to suggest that they link here, just to get the word out. On sites such as IMDB where I submitted the site, I listed this page as a "Fan Page," not the official site. I cannot control that others have listed this site as official. I also cannot control that this has happened on some adult-themed sites. Please don't get offended with me for what someone else did, and remember that I can't control what other sites do. If in doubt, just ask me, rather than complaining about me to others about things beyond my control.
I'm not actually an actor either [not much of a writer, either, if you read the junk on this page - ed.]. I suggest reading the classics, see lots of great movies, and study. I also suggest an acting program or workshop (Joanna has done several of these), just avoid something that tells you they will give you a free book by L.Ron Hubbard.
Wow, where to begin on that one. Not only are you stealing a photo of Joanna, or an original photo that I created, but you were stealing it right from my site, leeching bandwidth in the process. I control the contents that are loaded for a certain file, not you. When I find people who are stealing from here I attempt to contact them. Most have been from LiveJournal or other such places. Most of the time they graciously take down the photo, but sometimes they get very mean or never return my contacts. What I do then is get this site transitioned to a new copy of that pic and alter the contents of the old one - usually to what I feel the theif wouldn't enjoy. Bottom line: if you got offended that what you stole wasn't what you thought it was, maybe you need to look at the problem a little differently.
Don't forget - I also racked up a lot of credit card debt in your name, and I killed Archduke Ferdinand.
Maybe it got lost, maybe I'm away on a long vacation, maybe I'm being sued and are unable to write as I have to work 3 jobs to cover the legal fees, or maybe your message was just confused for another message about magic premium cream. Honestly, sometimes I think that my email server has a bad case of alzheimer's and forgets to send me the mail. You can always try again.
I don't actually sell anything here - that's completely the opposite of this site. There's stuff that Joanna has been in that I'd like to get copies of, and I'd be willing to trade for what I have already, provided I'm not copying a real movie (like my ITW on DVD). Also, I don't know of Joanna doing any commentary for a movie, and furthermore why are you buying a fullscreen version of anything?
You'd be surprised how often I get this one ;-)
