Biography

Joan Dowling had a passion for acting and as an aspiring young actress she would take roles in plays, pantomimes and other works simply to be on the stage. Her first recognized role was at the tender age of 14 and she signed her first film contract at 17. She had natural talent and did not have any coaching, voice or other lessons before being discovered. She was well known for her roles in Ealing Studios productions and met her husband, Harry Fowler, on the set of the 1947 Ealing comedy Hue and Cry (1947). Sadly, Joan's life did not have a happy ending and she committed suicide in 1954 - a mere 26 years old.
- IMDb mini biography by: Nigel Kendrick

Joan Dowling was born on January 6, 1928 in London, England. Her mother was unmarried and Joan never knew her father. She was primarily raised by her grandmother. Joan dreamed of becoming an actress but she was too poor to afford acting lessons. Despite her lack of training she began auditioning and made her stage debut when she was just fourteen years old. She got rave reviews for her performance in the play "No Room at the Inn". A talent scout saw her and offered her a long-term movie contract. Joan's first film role was in 1947 comedy "Hue and Cry". On the set she met actor Harry Fowler. They fell in love and were married on September 15, 1951. Joan continued to get small roles in films like "Landfall" and "Pool of London". She also worked on the radio and appeared in several more plays. In 1952 she starred in a London stage production of "Robinson Crusoe". She was heartbroken after she discovered her husband was having an affair. On March 31, 1954 the twenty-six=year old actress committed suicide. She was found unconscious in the gas-filled kitchen in her West London home. Her official cause of death was suicide by asphyxiation. Joan was cremated and buried in London, England. Some of her relatives believe that her death may have been accidental. They think that she was only attempting suicide to scare her husband. Harry Fowler eventually re-married and passed away in 2012.
- IMDb mini biography by: Elizabeth Ann

Joan was raised by her single mother and her grandmother. She never knew her father.