- Born
- Birth nameElaine Joyce Pinchot
- Elaine Joyce was the lead in the Broadway musical "Sugar" from 1972 to closing with Tony Roberts and Robert Morse. A mainstay on TV game shows in the early 1970s, often appearing with her first husband, Bobby Van.
The marriage of Bobby and Elaine ran a difficult course - an announcement was made On October 30, 1967 (Daily News, Oct. 30, 1967) that they had wed, but they had not. Then in November, a blurb in a Hollywood column (The El Dorado Times, Nov 29, 1967) stated that Bobby said he and Joyce planned to marry on December 2, 1967, but her brother, Frank Pinchot had chosen that date to marry his wife, so they would choose another date). In February of 1968, it was announced they would marry in Los Angeles on March 21. Bobby and Elaine were married in Las Vegas on May 1, 1968 (Clark County marriage license and New Castle News, Pennsylvania, May 13, 1968).
One week later, Van filed for an annulment (Los Angeles Times, May 7, 1968 and Independent Long Beach, May 7, 1968) stating "fraud, non-consummation and that the "24 year old actress told him she wanted to have children but this was only to induce him into marriage". An article states that Bobby said that Elaine felt "so unhappy and insecure (about marrying), that it's the only way." (New Castle News, Pennsylvania, May 13, 1968) (She would later state on Tattletales that she "tried to run away"). There is a preliminary divorce filed in 1968 for Elaine Joyce and Bobby Van in the CA Divorce index. Elaine is listed as Elaine J Pinchot, year of birth 1943. It appears that it was never finalized, and they went on to have a 12 year marriage.
Married John Levoff in 1985. They divorced in 1992.
In 1999, she married playwright Neil Simon until his death in 2018.
Has two children: Taylor Joyce Van (with Bobby Van, 1967) and Michael Francis Levoff (with John Levoff) in 1986.- IMDb Mini Biography By: bjb
- SpousesNeil Simon(September 11, 1999 - August 26, 2018) (his death)John Levoff(September 1, 1985 - May 1992) (divorced, 1 child)Bobby Van(May 1, 1968 - July 31, 1980) (his death, 1 child)
- ChildrenTaylor Joyce VanMichael Francis LevoffBryn Lander Simon
- ParentsFrank PinchotIliclina (Nagy) Pinchot
- RelativesDanny Simon(Sibling)Michael Simon(Niece or Nephew)Valerie Simon(Niece or Nephew)
- Second wife/widow of Bobby Van.
- Fourth wife/widow of Neil Simon.
- Bubbly, shapely American actress and TV personality who pulled the "dumb blond" act in the '70s. Starred with Robert Morse and Tony Roberts in "Sugar," the Broadway musical version of the cinema classic Some Like It Hot (1959) in the Marilyn Monroe role. Active on game shows.
- She made her film debut in 1961 as an extra in West Side Story and made uncredited appearances in several musical films, including The Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie, and Funny Girl before being cast in Such Good Friends and How to Frame a Figg in 1971.
- In May 1982, Joyce performed at the Alhambra Dinner Theatre in Jacksonville, Florida. Reclusive author J. D. Salinger attended the opening night of the production to see Joyce and accompany her after the show. She told a reporter that it was the first time the two had met, but they had a romantic relationship for several years.
- Bobby and I were married for 12 years, together for 14 years. I was telling someone the other day, Bobby and I would have been married forever. There was no question about it, and it figures he had to die on me. I mean, it's ridiculous. The one couple...and there are so few of us, of the couples who work in this town...I always felt like we were on a date when we went out. I don't know why, it was just like that. [The Palm Beach Post, Sunday December 6, 1982, The 'Blond of the Year' Rooting for 'Mr. Merlin"]
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