14 Facts About Janet Carroll

Janet Carroll was an American film, stage and television character actress.

Janet Carroll is perhaps best-known for her portrayal of the oblivious mother of Joel in the 1983 film Risky Business.

Janet Carroll received formal theatrical training and began acting professionally in the late 1960s, appearing in numerous productions in local theaters.

Janet Carroll then became a regular at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri, where she acted during five seasons.

Janet Carroll began classical training at age 12 with Greta Allum in Chicago.

Janet Carroll sang as a first soprano with the Canterbury Choral Society at Carnegie Hall and other venues across New York City.

Besides Risky Business, Janet Carroll appeared in more than 20 other films over the next three decades, including Secret Admirer, The Killing Time, Memories of Me, Family Business, Talent for the Game, Destiny Turns on the Radio, Forces of Nature, The Omega Code and Enough, among others.

Janet Carroll developed her television career with recurring roles on the series Hill Street Blues, The Bronx Zoo, Murphy Brown, Melrose Place, Married.

Janet Carroll promoted brands such as Century 21, Diet Coke, Outback Steakhouse and Holiday Inn, among others, in television advertisement spots.

Janet Carroll performed in Victoria and Vancouver summer festivals in British Columbia, as well as in Monterey, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Santa Catalina Island, and New Orleans stages, along with concerts at United Service Organizations shows, the Palmer House in Chicago, the Fountainebleu in Miami Beach, the Ritz-Carlton chain, the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables and the San Antonio River Walk.

An active participant in social issues, Janet Carroll was a longstanding member of the Screen Actor's Guild and American Federation of Radio Artists and Actors Equity Association.

Janet Carroll served as the Artistic Director of The Jazz Series at Simi Valley's Cultural Arts Center.

Janet Carroll was diagnosed with brain cancer later that year and took a leave of absence.

Janet Carroll died on May 22,2012, from brain cancer at her home in Manhattan, aged 71.