Jo Anne Worley
JoAnne Worley (born September 6, 1937) is an American actress, comedian, and singer. Her work covers television, films, theater, game shows, talk shows, commercials, and cartoons. Worley is widely known for her work on the comedy-variety show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.
JoAnne Worley
Early life and education[edit]
Worley was born on September 6, 1937, in Lowell, Indiana,[1] the third child of Rose Irene (née Gardner) and Joseph Lauraine Worley. In 1962, her parents divorced and her father remarried, having four children with his second wife, Nancy.[1]
Always known for her loud voice, Worley once said that when she attended church as a little girl, she never sang the hymns but would only lip sync them for fear that she would drown out everyone else. Before graduating from high school, she was named school comedienne.[1]
After graduating from high school in 1955, Worley moved to Blauvelt, New York, where she began her professional career as a member of the Pickwick Players.[2] This led to a drama scholarship to Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.[3]
Personal life[edit]
Worley is an animal lover. For more than 40 years she has been involved with the organization Actors and Others for Animals, founded in 1971, which funds spay-and-neuter programs, and provides veterinary financial assistance to pet guardians in Southern California.[18][19][20] She served on a voluntary basis on the board of directors for several years before becoming vice president, and since 2007, has served as president of the organization.[19][21]