Joey Heatherton, born Davenie Johanna Heatherton on September 14, 1944, remains one of America’s most distinctive entertainment personalities despite her reduced visibility in recent decades. Once a celebrated sex symbol of the 1960s and 1970s, she built a career spanning acting, dancing, and singing across television, film, and stage.
Recent reports from early 2025 indicate the now 80-year-old entertainer has embraced a private lifestyle, a stark contrast to her previous high-profile status. Her journey from child performer to Hollywood star, and the subsequent challenges she faced, offers a fascinating glimpse into the entertainment industry of that era.
Joey Heatherton grew up immersed in show business from an early age in Rockville Centre, Long Island, New York. Her father, Ray Heatherton (1909-1997), was a renowned Broadway star who later became famous as “The Merry Mailman” on children’s television throughout the greater New York area.
Her mother, also named Davenie, worked as a dancer who met Ray when both were performing in “Babes in Arms.” This artistic heritage provided Joey with early exposure to performance arts that would shape her future career trajectory and artistic sensibilities.
Early Training and Education
Joey attended Saint Agnes Academy, a Catholic grade and high school, where she received her foundational education while developing her performing talents. Her formal training began remarkably early, as she started studying ballet at the age of six under legendary choreographer George Balanchine.
Her dance education included four years of study under Balanchine, providing her with exceptional technical training that would later distinguish her performances on stage and screen. Beyond ballet, she expanded her artistic education to include modern jazz dance, voice training, and dramatic studies.
This comprehensive artistic education prepared her for the versatile career that would follow. Her early dedication to mastering multiple performance disciplines reflected an ambition and work ethic that characterized her approach to entertainment throughout her career.
Rise to Fame
Joey Heatherton began her professional journey as a child actress, first appearing on her father’s children’s show “The Merry Mailman.” Her formal stage debut came in 1959 when she joined the ensemble of the original Broadway production of “The Sound of Music” as an understudy.
That same year, she achieved her first sustained national exposure as a semi-regular on “The Perry Como Show,” where she played an exuberant teenager with a perpetual crush on Perry Como. This charming recurring role endeared her to American television audiences and established her as a promising young talent.
Her natural charisma and energy on camera made her particularly suited to the variety show format. Television would become a significant platform for her throughout the 1960s, showcasing her dancing abilities and stage presence to millions of viewers across America.
Television Stardom and Musical Career
By the mid-1960s, Heatherton had become a fixture on American television, particularly on variety shows. She appeared extensively on “The Dean Martin Show,” with Dean Martin inviting her to perform numerous times starting with the premiere episode on September 16, 1965.
From June to September 1968, she co-hosted Martin’s summer substitute musical comedy hour, “Dean Martin Presents the Golddiggers,” alongside Frank Sinatra Jr. Her regular appearances on other popular variety programs included “The Andy Williams Show,” “The Hollywood Palace,” and “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
Parallel to her television work, Heatherton pursued a recording career. Her singles “Hullaballoo” (1965) and “When You Call Me Baby” (1966) have since become sought-after collectors’ items among Northern Soul enthusiasts, changing hands for significant sums.
Her most significant musical success came with the Ferlin Husky song “Gone,” which became a “Top 40” pop hit in 1972. Though her recording career never reached the heights of her television fame, it showcased her versatility as an entertainer.
Film Career and Acting Range
In the early 1960s, Heatherton transitioned to dramatic acting in television and film, showcasing her versatility beyond the song-and-dance persona. She appeared in respected television dramas including “The Virginian” (1962), “The Doctors and the Nurses” (1962), and “Route 66” (1960).
Her film debut came with “Twilight of Honor” (1963), where she starred alongside Richard Chamberlain and Nick Adams. This was followed by roles in “Where Love Has Gone” (1964) with Bette Davis and Susan Hayward, and “My Blood Runs Cold” (1965) opposite Troy Donahue.
In these films, she often portrayed troubled, vulnerable, and neurotic young women. Her performance in “Twilight of Honor” earned her a nomination for a New Star of the Year – Actress Golden Globe Award in 1963, suggesting her potential for a significant dramatic film career.
Later film appearances included “Bluebeard” (1972) with Richard Burton and “The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington” (1977), though these did not achieve the critical or commercial success of her earlier work. Her most notable later film appearance came in John Waters’ cult classic “Cry-Baby” (1990) alongside Johnny Depp.
Personal Challenges and Career Decline
Joey Heatherton’s personal life became the subject of intense public scrutiny in the early 1970s, beginning with her marriage to NFL player Lance Rentzel in April 1969. The union ended in divorce in 1972 following a scandal when Rentzel was arrested for indecent exposure.
This high-profile case and subsequent divorce played out dramatically in the tabloids, creating significant personal distress for Heatherton. The timing of this personal crisis coincided with shifting audience tastes and industry changes, compounding the challenges she faced in maintaining her career.
The 1970s brought a radical change in entertainment trends that contributed to Heatherton’s diminishing popularity. Hollywood and television producers found it increasingly difficult to create suitable vehicles for her particular blend of talents as the decade progressed.
During this period, Heatherton also reportedly struggled with substance issues and health challenges that further complicated her attempts to regain professional momentum. These personal struggles remained largely private at the time but have since been acknowledged as factors in her career trajectory.
Later Career and Recent Activities
After appearing in “The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington” in 1977, Heatherton’s screen appearances became increasingly rare. In April 1997, at the age of 53, she appeared in a Playboy magazine pictorial, an attempt to reintroduce herself to the public.
Throughout her later career, Heatherton occasionally made headlines for legal issues rather than artistic achievements. A notable example was a 1989 court case in which she was ordered to pay $20,500 to a clerk who had sued the entertainer for $6 million related to an alleged assault.
As of March 2025, recent reports indicate that the now 80-year-old Heatherton has embraced a private lifestyle far removed from her previous public image. According to a March 2025 article, she was photographed doing garden work at her Los Angeles home, described as looking quite different from her appearance during her heyday.
This rare glimpse into her current life suggests a significant transformation from her public persona of decades past. It indicates a preference for privacy and simplicity in her later years, away from the entertainment industry that once defined her.
Cultural Legacy and Impact
Despite the challenges of her later career, Joey Heatherton’s cultural impact remains significant, particularly as a defining figure of 1960s and 1970s American entertainment. Her distinctive performance style, combining sensual dance moves with a wholesome appeal, influenced subsequent generations of performers.
Her performances on USO tours with Bob Hope throughout the Vietnam War era made her an iconic figure for a generation of American service members. This cemented her place in the collective memory of that period and contributed to her cultural significance.
In recent decades, there has been renewed interest in various aspects of Heatherton’s work among collectors and cultural historians. Her musical recordings have become highly sought after in the UK among Northern Soul collectors, while her television performances have found new audiences online.
Entertainment historians view Heatherton’s career as emblematic of broader industry dynamics that affected many performers, particularly women, during the transitional period of the late 1960s and 1970s. Her story illustrates how the entertainment industry often failed to provide sustainable career paths for performers as they matured or as audience tastes evolved.
Joey Heatherton’s Enduring Appeal
Joey Heatherton’s multifaceted career represents a distinctive chapter in American entertainment history. From child performer to television and film star to her navigation of career challenges, her journey reflects broader patterns in the entertainment industry while remaining uniquely her own.
As cultural historians continue to reassess the contributions of performers from her era, Heatherton’s work across television, film, music, and dance stands as a testament to her versatility and distinctive appeal. She captivated American audiences during a transformative period in popular culture and remains a fascinating figure for those interested in entertainment history.
Conclusion
Joey Heatherton’s career shines as a time capsule of 1960s-70s American entertainment. Her journey from child performer to multimedia star captures the highs and lows faced by female performers of her era. Despite career setbacks and personal struggles, her impact lives on through her dance performances, film roles, and musical recordings.
Now 80 and embracing privacy, Heatherton’s legacy continues through renewed interest in her work. Her versatility across television, film, music, and dance speaks to her remarkable talent. For fans and entertainment historians alike, she remains a captivating figure who contributed significantly to American pop culture during a transformative period.
