Joan Staley obit

R.I.P. Joan Staley, co-star of Don Knotts and classic Batman villain

The former Playboy Playmate appeared on Perry Mason and 77 Sunset Strip before becoming Bob Barker's agent.

She was not on the list.



In many ways, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken was a spin-off of The Andy Griffith Show. Beyond the headlining star Don Knotts, many familiar Mayberry faces appeared in the film. Hal Smith, best known as Otis Campbell, pops up as another town drunk. Mayberry elders Burt Mustin and Hope Summers both have roles in the movie, too. It may have been Knotts' first major blockbuster after leaving The Andy Griffith Show, but essentially it repurposed the plot of "The Haunted House," the hilarious Halloween episode from season four.

Knotts had a new co-star, however. Joan Staley, a onetime 1958 Playboy Playmate, portrayed the love interest of "Mr. Chicken," Alma.

She may not have come from Mayberry, but Staley was certainly recognizable to anyone who watched great television. The former child violinist grew up in Los Angeles, landing film roles as an adolescent. She appeared on Perry Mason four times between 1958 and 1962, playing four different roles.

Staley found a recurring role on 77 Sunset Strip, where she played Hannah, the secretary of Stuart Bailey (Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.). Immediately following that gig, she landed a starring spot on Broadside, a military sitcom loosely spun off from McHale's Navy.

Living in Memphis for a spell, Staley also had a couple of ties to Elvis Presley. She was working as a legal secretary and married to a local director. She met the King himself.

"So me and my first husband, who was a cameraman for a local television station, got to meet Elvis," Staley said in a 2016 interview with The College Crowd Digs Me blog. "It was in 1956. And we became casual friends with Elvis. We were invited to some of the celebrations at Sun Records."

Staley would end up singing backup on some Sun Records releases.

And, she would end up on the big screen alongside Elvis himself, as a character in his 1964 movie Roustabout.

Following her two major cinematic roles, Staley had another notable job on the small screen. In the fall of 1966, she became the Batman villain Okie Annie, sidekick to the wicked cowboy Shame. In one memorable scene, Okie Annie helps Bruce Wayne buy lingerie for Aunt Harriet.

Staley did not have many screen appearances following that, a handful including Adam-12. Instead, she worked behind the camera, forming a talent agency with her second husband, Dale Sheets. The two ran International Ventures Inc. and represented clients as diverse as Bob Barker and Mel Tormé.

On November 24, Staley died due to heart failure, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She was 79.

Her filmogrpahy:

Actress (67 credits)

 1982 Dallas (TV Series)

- Mama Dearest (1982)

 1969-1972 Adam-12 (TV Series)

Jenny / Agnes Wellman

- Airdrop (1972) ... Jenny

- Log 92: Tell Him He Pushed a Little Too Hard (1969) ... Agnes Wellman

 1967 Ironside (TV Series)

Millie O'Neil

- Girl in the Night (1967) ... Millie O'Neil

 1967 Mission: Impossible (TV Series)

Ginny

- The Council: Part 2 (1967) ... Ginny

- The Council: Part 1 (1967) ... Ginny

 1967 Pistols 'n' Petticoats (TV Series)

Cynthia

- Harold's Double (1967) ... Cynthia

 1967 Rango (TV Series)

Lilly

- Gunfight at the K.O. Saloon (1967) ... Lilly

 1966 The Clumbsys (TV Movie)

 1966 Batman (TV Series)

Okie Annie

- It's How You Play the Game (1966) ... Okie Annie

- Come Back, Shame (1966) ... Okie Annie

 1966 The Jean Arthur Show (TV Series)

Ruby LaRue

- A Slight Case of Music (1966) ... Ruby LaRue

 1966 Gunpoint

Uvalde

 1966 The Munsters (TV Series)

Clara Mason

- Cyrano De Munster (1966) ... Clara Mason

 1966 The Ghost and Mr. Chicken

Alma Parker

 1966 McHale's Navy (TV Series)

Sally Murdock

- The Wacky WAC (1966) ... Sally Murdock

 1965 The Virginian (TV Series)

Maggie

- Beyond the Border (1965) ... Maggie

 1965 Laredo (TV Series)

Laurie Martin

- Anybody Here Seen Billy? (1965) ... Laurie Martin

 1963-1965 Burke's Law (TV Series)

Chrissie Keller / Traffic Girl / Laura

- Nightmare in the Sun (1965) ... Chrissie Keller

- Who Killed Don Pablo? (1964) ... Traffic Girl

- Who Killed Wade Walker? (1963) ... Laura

 1964-1965 Kraft Suspense Theatre (TV Series)

Marla / Beth / prostitute addict

- Kill Me on July 20th (1965) ... Marla

- Charlie, He Couldn't Kill a Fly (1964) ... Beth / prostitute addict

 1964-1965 Broadside (TV Series)

Roberta Love

- Operation Clip-Joint (1965) ... Roberta Love

- Miss Ranakai (1965) ... Roberta Love

- Once Upon an Island (1965) ... Roberta Love

- Witchcraft a Go-Go (1965) ... Roberta Love

- Anne Morgan's Home Movies (1965) ... Roberta Love

 1964 Roustabout

Marge

 1964 Kisses for My President

Blonde (uncredited)

 1964 Kissin' Cousins

Jonesy (uncredited)

 1964 The Jack Benny Program (TV Series)

Interior Decorator

- Jack Redecorates His House (1964) ... Interior Decorator

 1959-1964 77 Sunset Strip (TV Series)

Hannah / Miss Stanley / Stewardess

- Queen of the Cats (1964) ... Hannah

- Dead as in 'Dude' (1964) ... Hannah

- The Target (1964) ... Hannah

- Not Such a Simple Knot (1964) ... Hannah

- Alimony League (1964) ... Hannah

Show all 10 episodes

 1964 The New Phil Silvers Show (TV Series)

Darlene

- Beauty and the Least (1964) ... Darlene

 1963 The Joey Bishop Show (TV Series)

Private Nurse

- Ellie Gives Joey First Aid (1963) ... Private Nurse

 1963 Wagon Train (TV Series)

Polly Ann Hill

- The Sam Pulaski Story (1963) ... Polly Ann Hill

 1963 A New Kind of Love

Danish Stewardess

 1963 Johnny Cool

Suzy

 1963 Wives and Lovers

Blonde at Party (uncredited)

 1961-1963 The Real McCoys (TV Series)

Trudi / Jeannie

- The Partners (1963) ... Trudi

- The Swedish Girl (1961) ... Jeannie

 1963 Stoney Burke (TV Series)

Gita

- Kelly's Place (1963) ... Gita

 1961-1963 The Dick Powell Theatre (TV Series)

Kathy Quire / Ann Farmer

- Colossus (1963) ... Kathy Quire

- Who Killed Julie Greer? (1961) ... Ann Farmer

 1962-1963 Alcoa Premiere (TV Series)

Claire / June / Cora Pierson

- Five, Six, Pick Up Sticks (1963) ... Claire

- Whatever Happened to Miss Illinois? (1962) ... June

- All My Clients Are Innocent (1962) ... Cora Pierson

 1962 The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (TV Series)

Joan / Joan Carlyle

- An Old Friend of June's (1962) ... Joan

- Client's Daughter (1962) ... Joan Carlyle

 1958-1962 Perry Mason (TV Series)

Sally O'Hara - Secretary / Gina Gilbert / Judith Ford / ...

- The Case of the Double-Entry Mind (1962) ... Sally O'Hara - Secretary

- The Case of the Lonely Eloper (1962) ... Gina Gilbert

- The Case of the Gallant Grafter (1960) ... Judith Ford

- The Case of the Corresponding Corpse (1958) ... Roberta Walker

 1962 The Lively Ones (TV Series)

Tiger

- Episode #1.7 (1962) ... Tiger

- Episode #1.5 (1962) ... Tiger

- Episode #1.2 (1962) ... Tiger

- Episode #1.1 (1962) ... Tiger

 1962 The Beachcomber (TV Series)

Linda

- Honest Larceny (1962) ... Linda

 1959-1962 Hawaiian Eye (TV Series)

Sue Alden / Sandra / Kiana / ...

- Location Shooting (1962) ... Sue Alden

- Girl on a String (1960) ... Sandra

- Sea Fire (1960) ... Kiana

- A Dime a Dozen (1959) ... Blonde on the beach (uncredited)

 1962 87th Precinct (TV Series)

Monica

- Girl in the Case (1962) ... Monica

 1962 Cape Fear

Waitress

 1962 Tales of Wells Fargo (TV Series)

Clarissa

- To Kill a Town (1962) ... Clarissa

 1961 The Untouchables (TV Series)

Marcia Stone

- Hammerlock (1961) ... Marcia Stone

 1961 Valley of the Dragons

Deena

 1961 The Dick Van Dyke Show (TV Series)

Valerie Blake

- Jealousy! (1961) ... Valerie Blake

 1960-1961 Bonanza (TV Series)

Blonde Girl / Dixie

- The Burma Rarity (1961) ... Blonde Girl

- The Stranger (1960) ... Dixie

 1961 Frontier Circus (TV Series)

Anna-Marie

- Lippizan (1961) ... Anna-Marie

 1961 The New Breed (TV Series)

Sophie

- Death of a Ghost (1961) ... Sophie

 1961 Breakfast at Tiffany's

Blonde in Low-Cut Cream Dress (uncredited)

 1961 The Lawless Years (TV Series)

Daphne / Kiki

- The Miles Miller Story (1961) ... Daphne

- Louy K: Part 4 Heydays of the Organization (1961) ... Kiki

 1961 The Asphalt Jungle (TV Series)

Alice

- The Professor (1961) ... Alice

 1961 The Ladies Man

Working Girl

 1961 Bringing Up Buddy (TV Series)

Kathy

- The Aunts Have a Baby (1961) ... Kathy

 1961 Gun Fight

Nora Blaine

 1961 Dondi

Sally

 1961 All in a Night's Work

Blonde (uncredited)

 1960-1961 The Tab Hunter Show (TV Series)

Elaine / Secretary / Blonde

- Me and My Shadow (1961) ... Elaine

- How to Lose a Girl (1960) ... Secretary

- One Blonde Too Many (1960) ... Blonde

 1961 Checkmate (TV Series)

Gloria

- A Matter of Conscience (1961) ... Gloria

 1960 Shotgun Slade (TV Series)

- The Lady and the Piano (1960)

 1960 The Detectives (TV Series)

Stewardess

- Shuttle (1960) ... Stewardess

 1960 Midnight Lace

Malcolm's Date at Opera (uncredited)

 1960 Ocean's 11

Helen (uncredited)

 1960 Bells Are Ringing

Blonde in Susanswerphone Ad (uncredited)

 1960 Not for Hire (TV Series)

Jill

- Line of Duty (1960) ... Jill

 1960 Bourbon Street Beat (TV Series)

Blonde Interviewed by Kenny

- Swamp Fire (1960) ... Blonde Interviewed by Kenny (uncredited)

 1960 Maverick (TV Series)

Saloon Girl on stairs

- The Misfortune Teller (1960) ... Saloon Girl on stairs (uncredited)

 1959 Laramie (TV Series)

Saloon Girl

- The Iron Captain (1959) ... Saloon Girl (uncredited)

 1948 The Emperor Waltz

Child Violinist (uncredited)