The curtain has closed on the life of a classic Hollywood beauty.
Joan O’Brien, the talented actress and singer who once starred opposite Elvis Presley, Cary Grant, and John Wayne, has passed away at the age of 89 following a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Her daughter, Melissa, confirmed the heartbreaking news on May 15, though O’Brien actually died earlier this month on May 5.
Best known for her roles in Operation Petticoat and It Happened at the World’s Fair, O’Brien left an indelible mark on mid-century cinema.
She played Cary Grant’s adorably clumsy sidekick in the 1959 comedy and won hearts as the nurse who catches Elvis’s eye in the 1963 romantic musical. By the way, the film also marked Kurt Russell’s big-screen debut, he played the mischievous young boy who kicks Elvis Presley in the shins.
In the movie, Joan’s character helps treat Presley’s “injury” at the Seattle World’s Fair, only for the two to fall in love over dinner atop the Space Needle.
“She was a welcome sight in the 1950s and ’60s,” one fan posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“The singer-actress stood out opposite Cary Grant in Blake Edwards’ Operation Petticoat, @ElvisPresley in It Happened at the World’s Fair, and John Wayne in The Alamo and The Comancheros.” Another tribute simply read: “RIP Joan O’Brien 💔”
Born on Valentine’s day
Joan O’Brien was born on Valentine’s Day, 1936, in Cambridge, Massachusetts—a fitting birthday for someone who would go on to steal hearts on screen.
When she was still a young girl, her family relocated to California, where her natural talent quickly began to shine. At just eight years old, she was enrolled in dance classes
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Joan’s screen debut came in 1958’s Handle with Care, but before that, she was already a familiar face to TV audiences. At just 15 years old, she joined Hometown Jamboree, a local LA country music show hosted by Cliffie Stone. By high school graduation, she’d scored a four-year gig as a vocalist on The Bob Crosby Show.
Her film résumé was packed with hits: she starred alongside Jerry Lewis in It’s Only Money (1962), rode with Audie Murphy in Six Black Horses, and played opposite Kenneth More in We Joined the Navy. In Samar, she took on the Philippines jungle with George Montgomery.
Some dark turns
Television was no stranger to O’Brien either. She made guest appearances on everything from The Dick Van Dyke Show — where she sang and stirred up jealousy as Rob’s high school friend — to Wagon Train, Cheyenne, The Roaring 20s, The Virginian, and even The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Her appearance on The Lawrence Welk Show in 1959 as a substitute “Champagne Lady” also showcased her musical talent.
But behind the scenes, her life took some dark turns. In 1965, after a romantic relationship with U.N.C.L.E. star Robert Vaughn, O’Brien was hospitalized following what police described as a suicide attempt at his Mulholland Drive home.
Her Hollywood presence began to fade soon after. Though she returned briefly to sing with Harry James’ band, O’Brien eventually stepped away from showbiz altogether to focus on raising her children. She later worked as an executive for the Hilton Hotel chain.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Joan’s personal life included a string of marriages — to guitarist Billy Strange, NBC exec John Meyers, actor-dancer Harvey Allen, and artist Dino Kotopoulis—all of which ended in divorce. In 1979, she found lasting love with U.S. military officer Malcolm Bernard Campbell. The two were together until his death in 2004.
Joan O’Brien may have walked away from Hollywood decades ago, but the glamour she brought to the screen — and the unforgettable chemistry she shared with the kings of cinema — never faded. As one fan perfectly put it: “She’ll always be remembered for her smile, her songs, and her spot alongside legends.”
Rest in peace, Joan.
