Joan Agnes Theresa Sadie Brodel (January 26, 1925 – October 12, 2015), known by her stage name Joan Leslie, was an American actress, dancer and vaudevillian who appeared in such films during the Hollywood Golden Age such as High Sierra, Sergeant York and Yankee Doodle Dandy.

Biography

In March 1950, she married William Caldwell, an obstetrician. Their identical twin daughters, Patrice and Ellen, were born on January 7, 1951. Both daughters eventually became teachers.

Leslie was in the business of designing clothes, with her own eponymous brand. William died in 2000. A year later, she founded the Dr. William G. and Joan L. Caldwell Chair in Gynecologic Oncology for the University of Louisville. Leslie was an adopted alumna of the university for over 32 years.
She was involved with charity work for the St. Anne's Maternity Home for more than 50 years.

In 1999, she was one of the 250 actresses nominated for the American Film Institute's selection of the 25 greatest female screen legends to have debuted before 1950. On August 12, 2006, she received a Golden Boot Award for her contributions to Western television shows and movies. On October 8, 1960, Joan Leslie received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1560 Vine Street.

Leslie died on October 12, 2015, in Los Angeles, California. She was 90.

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