Biography
Joan Bennett (27 February 1910 – 7 December 1990) was an American actress. She appeared in more than seventy films from the silent era into the sound period, as well as on stage and television. Her early screen roles included Lady Clarissa Pevensey in Disraeli (1929).
Bennett came from a theatrical family as the daughter of actor Richard Bennett and sister of actresses Constance Bennett and Barbara Bennett. She began as a blonde ingénue before changing her hair colour to brunette, which led to prominent roles in Fritz Lang's film noirs such as The Woman in the Window (1944) and Scarlet Street (1945). Later work included the mother in Father of the Bride (1950) and Elizabeth Collins Stoddard in the television series Dark Shadows (1966–1971). Her final film role was as Madame Blanc in Suspiria (1977).
