Joan Rhodes
actor
- April 13, 1921 · London
- May 30, 2010 · London
- 89 years
About Joan Rhodes
Joan Rhodes, 89, British actress and entertainer.
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Full Biography
|Joan Rhodes (13 April 1921 – 30 May 2010) was a British performer, wrestler, stuntwoman and strongwoman. Born into poverty in London, she and her siblings were deserted by their parents. Following unhappy spells in the workhouse and with an aunt, she left home at 14. After sleeping rough in Brewer Street in Soho, she joined a travelling fair, where she got the idea for her act after seeing a professional strongman at work.
With Bob Hope
She began as a variety and cabaret performer during the 1950s and '60s. Her popularity increased due to her early appearances on television shows in the US and UK, including Ed Sullivan's The Toast of the Town (1955) and the Bob Hope Christmas Show. It was in the latter that, on stage in Iceland on 27 December 1955, Rhodes lifted, then accidentally dropped, Bob Hope, while entertaining troops for the USO.
Stunts
As a stunt performer, she worked on films, including Fanny by Gaslight (1944). She appeared as herself performing some of her strength feats in the Vernon Sewell-directed crime caper Johnny, You're Wanted (1956). She also appeared in Burke & Hare (1972), The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976) and The Elephant Man (1980).
Autobiography
Her autobiography, Coming on Strong, was published in 2007. In her later years, she ran a small café in Crouch Hill just down the road from the Mountview Theatre School (now moved) and she was popular with its students.
Death
Joan Rhodes died on 30 May 2010, aged 89. On 11 June 2010, BBC Radio 4 in its Last Word programme, covered her life with anecdotes from Roy Hudd, who had known her well.
Legacy
During a fifth season episode of the BBC TV programme The Repair Shop that aired 13 December 2019, Triona Palmer, a friend of Joan Rhodes, brought in one of Rhodes's sequined stage costumes to be restored by embroidery specialist Sara Dennis.
Rhodes was the subject of BBC Radio 4's Great Lives, first broadcast on 24 May 2022
Filmography
- Burke & Hare (1972) - Hairy Mary
- The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976) - Daphne
- The Elephant Man (1980) - Cook
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Articles & News
Reported coverage of Joan Rhodes; each link opens the original article on the publisher's own site.
Books & Media
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Rhodes
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- September 29, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Joan Rhodes's archived record and the sources above.
1.On what date was Joan Rhodes born?
- A.13 December 2019
- B.13 April 1921correct
- C.27 December 1955
- D.30 May 2010
Joan Rhodes was born on 13 April 1921 in London.
Source: biographical introduction
2.At what age did Joan Rhodes leave home?
- A.10
- B.21
- C.18
- D.14correct
Joan Rhodes left home at the age of 14 after unhappy spells in the workhouse and with an aunt.
Source: early life section
3.Where did Joan Rhodes sleep rough after leaving home?
- A.Mountview Theatre School
- B.Iceland
- C.Brewer Street in Sohocorrect
- D.Crouch Hill
After leaving home at 14, Joan Rhodes slept rough in Brewer Street in Soho.
Source: early life section
4.What inspired the professional act created by Joan Rhodes?
- A.A television stunt coordinator
- B.A professional strongmancorrect
- C.A circus tightrope walker
- D.A cabaret magician
Joan Rhodes got the idea for her act after seeing a professional strongman at work while she was with a travelling fair.
Source: early life section
5.Which television program featured Joan Rhodes in 1955?
- A.The Repair Shop
- B.Last Word
- C.Great Lives
- D.The Toast of the Towncorrect
Joan Rhodes appeared on Ed Sullivan's The Toast of the Town in 1955.
Source: with Bob Hope section
6.Where did Joan Rhodes lift and accidentally drop Bob Hope?
- A.Crouch Hill
- B.Soho
- C.London
- D.Icelandcorrect
While entertaining troops for the USO on stage in Iceland, Joan Rhodes lifted and then dropped Bob Hope.
Source: with Bob Hope section
7.In which 1944 film did Joan Rhodes work as a stunt performer?
- A.Johnny, You're Wanted
- B.The Elephant Man
- C.Fanny by Gaslightcorrect
- D.Burke & Hare
Joan Rhodes worked as a stunt performer on the film Fanny by Gaslight in 1944.
Source: stunts section
8.What character did Joan Rhodes play in the film Burke & Hare?
- A.Hairy Marycorrect
- B.Cook
- C.Herself
- D.Daphne
Joan Rhodes was credited with the role of Hairy Mary in the 1972 film Burke & Hare.
Source: filmography section
9.In what year was Joan Rhodes's autobiography, Coming on Strong, published?
- A.2010
- B.1980
- C.2019
- D.2007correct
Joan Rhodes's autobiography titled Coming on Strong was published in 2007.
Source: autobiography section
10.What business did Joan Rhodes run in her later years?
- A.A costume shop
- B.A travelling fair
- C.A theatre school
- D.A small cafécorrect
In her later years, Joan Rhodes ran a small café in Crouch Hill.
Source: autobiography section
11.How old was Joan Rhodes when she died on 30 May 2010?
- A.89correct
- B.94
- C.76
- D.82
Joan Rhodes died on 30 May 2010 at the age of 89.
Source: death section
12.Who shared anecdotes about Joan Rhodes on BBC Radio 4's Last Word program?
- A.Sara Dennis
- B.Triona Palmer
- C.Roy Huddcorrect
- D.Bob Hope
Roy Hudd, who had known Joan Rhodes well, shared anecdotes about her life on the BBC Radio 4 Last Word program.
Source: death section
13.What item of Joan Rhodes was featured on the TV show The Repair Shop?
- A.A photograph from Iceland
- B.An autobiography manuscript
- C.A sequined stage costumecorrect
- D.A personal workhouse record
Triona Palmer brought one of Joan Rhodes's sequined stage costumes to be restored on an episode of The Repair Shop.
Source: legacy section
14.Who restored the costume of Joan Rhodes on The Repair Shop?
- A.Triona Palmer
- B.Sara Denniscorrect
- C.Roy Hudd
- D.Ed Sullivan
Embroidery specialist Sara Dennis restored the sequined stage costume of Joan Rhodes on The Repair Shop.
Source: legacy section
15.Which role did Joan Rhodes play in The Pink Panther Strikes Again?
- A.Performer
- B.Hairy Mary
- C.Cook
- D.Daphnecorrect
Joan Rhodes was credited as the character Daphne in the 1976 film The Pink Panther Strikes Again.
Source: filmography section
16.What role did Joan Rhodes play in the film The Elephant Man?
- A.Stuntwoman
- B.Daphne
- C.Cookcorrect
- D.Hairy Mary
Joan Rhodes played the role of Cook in the 1980 film The Elephant Man.
Source: filmography section
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