Joanna Moore was an actress known for her work in American films and television, particularly for her role as ‘Peggy “Peg” McMillan’ on the sitcom ‘The Andy Griffith Show.’ A victory in a beauty contest opened the doors for her in Hollywood. A producer from ‘Universal Studios’ discovered her, which launched her acting career. Her career flourished during the 1960s, a period when she appeared in guest roles on hit TV shows like ‘Bewitched,’ ‘Perry Mason,’ and ‘Alfred Hitchcock Presents.’ It was also during this time that she starred in four episodes of ‘The Andy Griffith Show.’ Among her notable films are ‘Walk on the Wild Side’ and ‘Son of Flubber.’ Following her divorce from Ryan O’Neal in the late 1960s, her life took a downward turn. Her struggles with severe drug and alcohol problems not only resulted in her losing custody of her children with O’Neal but also contributed to the decline of her acting career. Ultimately, she distanced herself from Hollywood and remained out of the spotlight for many years until she was later seen in the Palm Springs area, where she became involved in small theater projects. Moore passed away at the age of 63 due to lung cancer.
Childhood & Early Life of Joanna Moore
Joanna Moore was born as Dorothy Joanne Cook on November 10, 1934, in Parrott, Georgia, USA, to Dorothy Martha (née English) and Henry Anderson Cook III. She was the older of their two daughters.
In 1941, she experienced a tragic loss when her mother and younger sister died in a car accident, followed by her father who passed away from injuries sustained in the same incident a year later. Orphaned at a young age, Moore was initially brought up by her grandmother. However, after her grandmother was no longer able to care for her, Moore was adopted by a wealthy family, and her name was changed from “Dorothy” to “Joanna.”
In 1951, still in her teenage years, she wed Willis Moore but soon divorced him. After her divorce, she attended Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia, where she won a beauty contest that eventually led her to Hollywood. She began her acting career after a producer from Universal Studios discovered her at a cocktail party.
Career of Joanna Moore
Moore made her television debut as ‘Stephanie’ in an episode of the anthology series ‘Lux Video Theatre’ titled ‘Jezebel.’ A year later, she secured the leading role of ‘Penny Spencer’ in the ‘CinemaScope’ film noir project ‘Appointment with a Shadow,’ marking her big screen debut.
She then had single-episode appearances in series such as ‘Goodyear Theater’ (1957), ‘Harbormaster’ (1957), ‘Bachelor Father’ (1958), and ‘The Rifleman’ (1959). Throughout the late 1950s, she guest-starred in shows like ‘Perry Mason’ (where she played the title role in one episode), ‘Riverboat,’ ‘The Real McCoys,’ and ‘The Rough Riders.’
Before the end of the decade, she also featured in several films. She was cast as ‘Marcia Linnekar’ in the 1958 American film noir ‘Touch of Evil’ starring Orson Welles. Additionally, she appeared as ‘Madeline Howard’ in the 1958 black-and-white science fiction/horror movie ‘Monster on the Campus.’ She portrayed ‘Little Brandy’ in the 1958 American ‘Eastmancolor’ Western film ‘Ride a Crooked Trail.’
During the 1950s and 1960s, she appeared in TV series including ‘Gunsmoke,’ ‘The Rifleman,’ ‘The F.B.I.,’ ‘The Fugitive,’ and ‘Route 66.’ She was offered a contract by renowned English film director and producer Alfred Hitchcock. She made several appearances in his anthology series ‘Alfred Hitchcock Presents,’ although the contract was eventually terminated.
The peak of her career occurred in the 1960s. During this period, she guest-starred in numerous prominent TV series such as ‘Empire,’ ‘77 Sunset Strip,’ ‘The Untouchables,’ ‘The Rebel,’ ‘The Iron Horse,’ ‘Cowboy in Africa,’ ‘Daniel Boone,’ and ‘My Three Sons.’
One of her most significant roles was that of ‘Peggy “Peg” McMillan,’ who was ‘Sheriff Taylor’s love interest, in four episodes of the ‘CBS’ sitcom ‘The Andy Griffith Show,’ aired from 1962 to 1963.
The American drama film ‘Walk on the Wild Side,’ released in 1962 and featuring Laurence Harvey, Jane Fonda, and Capucine, saw Moore take on the role of ‘Miss Precious.’ That same year, she also appeared in the musical ‘Follow That Dream,’ which starred Elvis Presley.
In 1964, she was featured in the ‘Emmy Award’-winning American anthology series ‘Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre.’
The 1966 American Western film ‘Nevada Smith,’ with Steve McQueen, included Moore in an uncredited role as ‘Angie Coe,’ the widow of ‘Jesse Coe.’ Some of her other notable films from the 1960s include ‘Son of Flubber’ (1963), ‘The Man from Galveston’ (1963), ‘Countdown’ (1968), and ‘Never a Dull Moment’ (1968).
During the 1970s, she continued to make single-episode appearances on television in series like ‘The Name of the Game’ (1970), ‘The Waltons’ (1974), and ‘Kung Fu’ (1975). She also guest-starred in shows such as ‘Petrocelli,’ ‘McCloud,’ ‘The Governor & J.J.,’ and ‘Nanny and the Professor.’ She starred as ‘Miriam Wages’ in the American action film ‘J.C.,’ which premiered on April 1, 1972.
Moore portrayed ‘Mrs. Channing’ in the commercially successful American ‘Technicolor’ film ‘The Hindenburg,’ which was released on December 25, 1975. The film, based on the disaster of the German airship ‘Hindenburg,’ starred George C. Scott, Anne Bancroft, and William Atherton.
Her popularity began to decline in the late 1970s due to personal struggles. In the 1980s, she appeared in a few projects, including the made-for-TV comedy-drama film ‘Scout’s Honor’ and the 1986 Australian action-thriller ‘Run Chrissie Run!’
Family & Personal Life of Joanna Moore
Moore tied the knot with American actor Don Oreck on February 29, 1956, but they divorced in 1957.
In 1962, Moore had surgery to address her hearing loss, which was a result of otosclerosis.
At the height of her career, the blonde beauty got married for a third time to American actor and former boxer Ryan O’Neal on April 3, 1963. They welcomed two children, Tatum O’Neal, born in 1963, and Griffin O’Neal, born in 1964, both of whom went on to pursue acting careers.
However, Moore and O’Neal separated in early 1966, which deeply affected her. Though she continued to act, she fell into depression and began using drugs and alcohol, eventually becoming an addict. This had a detrimental impact on both her personal and professional life.
Her divorce from O’Neal was finalized on February 27, 1967. In 1970, Moore sought psychiatric care at ‘Camarillo State Hospital.’ In 1971, she was arrested for drunk driving after having an altercation with O’Neal during a visit to his Malibu home with their children. Following this incident, she lost custody of her kids.
Moore married once more, this time to roofing contractor Gary L Reeves, on February 13, 1975. This marriage also ended in divorce in 1977.
Her daughter Tatum eventually made a name for herself in acting and won an ‘Academy Award’ at the young age of 10. She was among the highest-paid child stars of her era and provided financial support to Moore from the late 1970s. Despite Moore undergoing treatment, she was unable to achieve a full recovery and was arrested five additional times for driving under the influence in the 1980s.
In 1996, Moore was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away on November 22 the following year, with Tatum by her side. Initially, she was buried at ‘Hillside Memorial Park’ in Redlands, California, but later her remains were relocated to ‘Oak Grove Cemetery’ in Americus, Georgia, by her family.
In 2015, ‘Our Town,’ a roman à clef based on Moore’s life, was published. It was authored by Kevin McEnroe, her grandson and Tatum’s son with John McEnroe.
Net worth of Joanna Moore
The estimated net worth of Joanna Moore is about $10 million.