Harmon, best known for driving George Kennedy and the rest of the COOL HAND LUKE chain gang crazy while washing a car, celebrates her 84th birthday on May 1st, 2024.
Joy also got wet in 1965's VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS
Harmon, who was runner-up for Miss Connecticut, first made her mark as a contestant on Groucho Marx's YOU BET YOUR LIFE. She later became a regular on TELL IT TO GROUCHO.
Many TV appearances followed for the blonde, tan, shapely Harmon: a couple of guest spots on THE MONKEES as well as such shows as THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, BURKE'S LAW, GIDGET, BATMAN, BEWITCHED, GOMER PYLE U.S.M.C., THAT GIRL, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, THE ODD COUPLE, LOVE AMERICAN STYLE, and more.
With Mickey Dolenz on
THE MONKEES
With Roger Smith on
MISTER ROBERTS
Harmon had a lead role in the low budget comedy ONE WAY WAHINE and played her largest role (pun intended) in the Bert Gordon camp classic VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS opposite a young Beau Bridges.
Harmon played small roles in such films as ANGEL IN MY POCKET, MAD DOG COLL, UNDER THE YUM YUM TREE, LET'S ROCK, ROUSTABOUT, YOUNG DILLINGER, THE LOVED ONE, A GUIDE FOR THE MARRIED MAN, and THE MAN IN THE GREY FLANNEL SUIT.
But Harmon's 3 and half minute, seductive car washing scene in COOL HAND LUKE is what immortalized her in cinema history forever.
Did you know...?
She appeared on Broadway in 1958's MAKE A MILLION.
Harmon married film editor/producer Jeff Gourson (TRON, BIG TOP PEE-WEE, ANGER MANAGEMENT, TEQUILA AND BONETTI) in 1968 and retired from acting to raise a family--they had 3 kids. They divorced in 2001.
After retiring from acting, Harmon started Aunt Joy's Cakes in the kitchen of her California home.
Her children now run the expanded wholesale bakery in Burbank.
The business is a leading supplier of cakes and cookies to the studios in the L.A. area.
http://youtu.be/wnY_Jb9bmCg Joy gets the COOL HAND LUKE gang lathered up
What makes Kennedy and company's acting even more impressive is that they never saw Joy Harmon wash the car!
Harmon's scene was shot on a separate days with just the crew. The chain gang reaction shots were done while they watched a local high school girl (bundled up in an overcoat because of the frigid temps) washing the car!
http://youtu.be/zy40TT_i7us Trippy dance scene from VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS
http://youtu.be/ptjfxalPvj8 Joy on THE MONKEES Look for a young Rip Taylor!
http://youtu.be/FVvIiUYMcww Joy as Miss Galaxy on BATMAN
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