Joan Lorring

Joan Lorring (April 17, 1926 – May 30, 2014) was an actress and singer known for her work in film and theatre. For her role as Bessy Watty in The Corn is Green (1945), Lorring was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Lorring also originated the role of Marie Buckholder in Come Back, Little Sheba on Broadway in 1950, for which she won a Donaldson Award (an early version of the Tony Award).

Lorring was born Madeline Ellis (though her name has been given variously as Mary Magdalene Ellis, Magdalen Ellis and Ann Ellis) in Hong Kong, the daughter of Ania Ellis (1904-1995), a Russian Jewish immigrant. They fled Hong Kong in 1938 following the Japanese invasion in 1937 at the start of World War II, traveling by boat to Honolulu, and then landing in San Francisco. Soon after, they moved to Los Angeles, and Mary (known by her nickname "Dellie") began working as a child actress in radio and film - she was credited as "Dellie Ellis" in her eponymous role in A Date With Judy (1941-1942). Eventually she adopted Joan Lorring as her stage name.

She was married to doctor Martin Sonenberg (1920-2011). The couple had two daughters, Santha and Andrea.

Lorring began her career as a child actress on the radio. Her performances include Alma Horrell in the Suspense episode The Great Horrell with an airdate of August 22, 1946; and The Farmer Takes a Wife.

Lorring made her Broadway debut in 1950, originating the role of Marie Buckholder opposite Shirley Booth in Come Back Little Sheba. Terry Moore would later play Marie in the 1952 film version. For this role Lorring won a Donaldson Award for Most Outstanding Female Debut in the 1949-1950 Broadway season. This success led to her performing in the 1951 Broadway production of the Lillian Hellman play The Autumn Garden. In 1954, she performed in the play Dead Pidgeons and her last Broadway appearance was in 1957, originating the role of The Young Woman, opposite Kim Stanley as The Woman, in A Clearing in the Woods by Arthur Laurents.

In 1970, Lorring performed in an Off-Broadway production of Awake and Sing! as Bessie Berger.

Joan Lorring (far right) and cast on the set of Norby

Lorring made her film debut at age 18 in Song of Russia (1944). Her second film was the Oscar-nominated drama The Bridge of San Luis Rey.

For her third film role as Bessy Watty in 1945's The Corn is Green opposite Bette Davis as Miss Moffat, Lorring (at age 19), was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Thelma Schnee had originated the role of Bessy on Broadway opposite Ethel Barrymore in 1940.

Lorring next had supporting roles in the 1946 dramas Three Strangers, and The Verdict, in which she plays Lottie Rawson and performs the memorable song Give Me A Little Bit. In 1947, she appeared in The Other Love, a drama that stars Barbara Stanwyck, and in The Lost Moment which stars Susan Hayward. In 1948 she played a supporting role in Good Sam, which stars Gary Cooper as was directed by Leo McCarey.

In the early 50s, Lorring began appearing often on television. In 1955 she performed in thirteen episodes of the television series Norby as Helen Norby. The show lasted one season. Also in 1956, she reprised her award-winning role as Bessy in The Corn is Green on television opposite Eva Le Gallienne as Miss Moffat. She appeared on one episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, (The Older Sister, 1956) about Lizzie Borden, in which she portrayed her sister Emma.

Lorring performed infrequently in the 60s and 70s focusing on her family life. Her last film role came in 1974 with The Midnight Man and her last television roles were guest-starring for several episodes as Anna Pavel in Ryan's Hope and finally a 1980 episode of The Love Boat.

Lorring enjoyed a quiet retirement through the 80s and 90s. She lived until May 30, 2014, when she died in Sleepy Hollow, New York at age 88 from natural causes. Lorring was not included in the In-Memoriam segment at the 87th Academy Awards.