Who was Joan Evans? Veteran American Actress Dead at 89

Esteemed actress Joan Evans, born to screenwriters and christened as the goddaughter of the iconic Joan Crawford, has passed away at the age of 89.

Her son, John Weatherly, confirmed her passing on October 21 in Henderson, Nevada, to The Hollywood Reporter.

Notable for her role in the Charles Lederer’s “On the Loose” (1951), Evans depicted the struggles of a teenager, with the script penned by her parents, Dale Eunson and Katherine Albert. Her versatility shone through as she played Irene Dunne’s offspring in “It Grows on Trees” (1952) and later joined the U.S. Navy alongside Esther Williams in “Skirts Ahoy!” (1952).

In “Roseanna McCoy” (1949), Evans played opposite Granger, crafting a tale inspired by the historic Hatfields and McCoys feud. Their collaboration continued with “Our Very Own” and “Edge of Doom” (both from 1950) – the latter being a dark film noir by Mark Robson.

Teaming up with Audie Murphy, she starred in “Column South” (1953) directed by the eventual “Tonight Show” director Fred De Cordova, and “No Name on the Bullet” (1959) by Jack Arnold.

Joan Katherine Eunson, named in honor of Crawford, was born on July 18, 1934, in New York. Her mother, initially a Hollywood journalist and publicist at MGM – where Crawford rose to stardom, later penned numerous articles about the starlet for Photoplay magazine. “They were best friends,” Evans remarked in a 2013 chat with Foster Hirsch.

Evans’ journey into the limelight began on stage, and at the tender age of 14, she was cast in “Roseanna McCoy” by producer Samuel Goldwyn. This came after her signing in 1948 and the subsequent replacement of Cathy O’Donnell due to studio dynamics. A harrowing incident occurred during reshoots for the film: Evans was grievously injured when a firearm carried by Granger misfired near Columbia, California. The accident necessitated immediate surgery and hospitalization.