Jo Anne Worley

Jo Anne Worley (born on September 6, 1937) is an American actress. Her work covers television, movies, theater, game shows, talk shows, commercials, and cartoons. She is best known for her work on the comedy-variety show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.

Related Topics:
September 6 - 1937 - American - Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

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Worley was born in Lowell, Indiana, the third of five children. In 1962, her father remarried and his second union gave her two half-sisters and two half-brothers. Always remembered for her loud voice, Worley once said that when she attended church as a little girl, she never sang the hymns but would only lip-synch them for fear that she would drown out everyone else! Before graduating from high school, she was named the School Comedienne.

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Lowell, Indiana - 1962

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After graduating from high school in 1955, Worley moved to Bleauvelt, New York, where she began her professional career as a member of the Pickwick Players. This work led to a drama scholarship to Midwestern University in Wichita Falls, Texas. After studying at Midwestern for two years, she moved to Los Angeles to study at the Los Angeles City College and the Pasadena Playhouse. She was soon given her first musical role in a production of Wonderful Town. In 1961, she received her first major break when she appeared in the musical revue The Billy Barnes People; this performance soon moved to Broadway.

Related Topics:
1955 - Bleauvelt, New York - Midwestern University - Wichita Falls, Texas - Los Angeles - Los Angeles City College - Pasadena Playhouse - 1961 - Broadway

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In 1964, Worley was chosen to be a stand-in the original Broadway production of Hello Dolly! One year later, she created her own nightclub act in Greenwich Village, where she was discovered by talk-show host Merv Griffin in 1966. Impressed by Worley's talents, Griffin allowed her to be one of his primary guest stars on his show, where she made approximately 200 appearances. In 1966 she co-starred off-Broadway in The Mad Show, a musical revue based on Mad Magazine. In 1967, her stint on Griffin's show led to her discovery by George Schlatter, who soon cast her in Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.

Related Topics:
1964 - Greenwich Village - Merv Griffin - 1966 - Broadway - The Mad Show - Mad Magazine - 1967 - George Schlatter - Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

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In 1970, she left Laugh-In to pursue other projects and has made guest appearances on several TV shows, including Love, American Style, The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Andy Williams Show, and different game shows, such as Hollywood Squares. She continued working in various movies, TV shows, and theatrical performances (original productions and revivals alike) over the years; and she also became known for her work as a voice provider for several cartoons and animated movies (particularly Disney movies). In 1989, she returned to Broadway to appear in the original performance of Prince of Central Park. Her voice work includes the Disney movies Beauty and the Beast (1991), A Goofy Movie (1995), and Belle's Magical World (1998).

Related Topics:
1970 - 1989 - Prince of Central Park - Beauty and the Beast - 1991 - A Goofy Movie - 1995 - Belle's Magical World - 1998

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Worley continues to perform today in several acting circuits in New York and Los Angeles, and she has also been active at times in the lecture circuit. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Actors and Others for Animals.

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From 1975 to 2002, Worley was married to actor Roger Perry.

Related Topics:
1975 - 2002 - Roger Perry

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