Biographical Checklist

• Published in: Canadian Theatre Review
• Main Author: Joudry, Patricia
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: University of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress) 1979
• Subjects: Visual Arts and Performing Arts; Spirit River
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.3138/ctr.23.007; https://ctr.utpjournals.press/doi/pdf/10.3138/ctr.23.007

Born in Spirit River, Alberta, October 18, 1921. Moves with her family to Montreal in 1925. Writes and acts in her own plays while attending high school as well as acting for Dorothy Davis’ Children’s Theatre. After small acting roles on CBC radio in Montreal, moves to Toronto in 1940 and begins acting and play writing for the CBC in Toronto. Authors and stars in the situation comedy series ‘Penny’s Diary’ from 1940-1943. Receives a starting $25,000 annual salary to co-author ‘The Aldrich Family’ in New York from 1945-1949. Returns to Canada in 1949 and resumes acting and playwriting for CBC radio. Authors and stars in situation comedy series ‘Affectionately, Jenny’ in 1951 and 1952. Has six one-hour radio dramas produced on CBC Stage series from 1951-1956 and five one-hour television dramas from 1953-1961. Stage play Teach Me How to Cry successfully produced off-Broadway in 1955. Universal-International Studios purchases movie rights for $25,000. Play wins $100 D.D.F. best play award in 1956. Shares the ‘Woman of the Year’ award with Gabrielle Roy as Canada’s outstanding woman in literature and art in 1957.