Column by DeAnn Lubell / Profile photo by Andrew Alpem
Coachella Valley resident, Joyce Bulifant, an acclaimed actress, screen writer, and biographical writer, has joined the team of local writers who call themselves Writers of Wit & Wisdom/All About books.
Joyce’s intriguing book, My Four Hollywood Husbands, is a fascinating read about her life experiences with these four men.
“Joyce has lived ‘the Hollywood life for nearly seven decades’,” as stated on her Amazon site, “and through it, experienced what few outside the entertainment world can imagine. While following the path of her own successful career, Joyce managed to navigate the choppy waters of husbands’ alcoholism, codependency and an extended family of four marriages. James MacArthur played Danno on Hawaii Five-0. Edward Mallory was Dr. Bill Horton in Days of Our Lives. William Asher was the famous director-writer-producer of I Love Lucy, Bewitched and the Beach Party movies. Roger Perry starred in Star Trek and over 300 TV shows and films. He has also composed music for Barbra Streisand and Bing Crosby. Along the way Joyce managed to command the spotlight for her own accomplishments. As Gavin MacLeod’s wife Marie on The Mary Tyler More Show, a concerned mother in the movie Airplane, dancing with Fred Astaire, and her reoccurring role on The Match Game.”
Joyce says that the inspiration for the book was written in the hopes that others, like herself, who are codependent and involved in relationships with persons who have the disease of alcoholism will learn that one can love and move on to have a happy life.
Under contract at Universal she guest starred on The Virginian, Destry Rides Again, Thriller and many others. Among her many TV credits, she has starred on Perry Mason, Gunsmoke, My Three Sons, Just Shoot Me and Weird Science. She has also performed in many theatres across the United States.
Among her writing credits are two one woman shows My Life Upon the Wicked Stage and Remembering Helen Hayes with Love, which she has performed in various theatres. She wrote a musical, The Grande Ole Dame, with her husband, Roger Perry. She produced, wrote, and directed two musicals. Gifts of Greatness starred Julie Harris, Patti Duke, Ed Asner, Danny Thomas, Stephen Cannel and the Lennon Sisters. Different Heros Different Dreams starred, Tony Danza, Helen Hayes, Judy Collins, Barbara Eden, and Jack Warden, among others.
Miss Bulifant is the executive vice president of The Dyslexia Foundation. She has served on many boards and founded an Advocacy Center in Colorado for abused children.
Her greatest joy is her family and working with children.
You can find My Four Hollywood Husbands on Amazon Books.
