Background
She was born Enid Joyce Howarth in Sydney, youngest of three daughters of businessman Moffatt Howarth and his wife Mary Ellen (née Dumbrell).
She was born Enid Joyce Howarth in Sydney, youngest of three daughters of businessman Moffatt Howarth and his wife Mary Ellen (née Dumbrell).
She was also known in Australia as "Joy." She attended Ascham School and a finishing school before developing a career on stage as Jocelyn Howarth, in Australia and New Zealand with J. C. Williamson Limited.
Cinesound put her under an 18-month contract and paid for her to tour Australia as their rising star. Ken Hall claimed Howarth"s first screen test showed "light and shade, good diction, no accent and (that) she undoubtedly could act with no sign of the self-consciousness which almost always characterised the amateur." In late 1933, Smith"s Weekly raved enthusiastically about the young actress. "Young Joy Howarth who leapt into publicity when she became the Squatter"s Daughter a few months ago, is just the big hit nowadays.." In April 1936 she sailed for the United States and Hollywood.
After six months of unsuccessful effort, including a near fatal incident with a gas stove in her flat, she signed a contract with Radio-Keith-Orpheum Pictures, taking the leading female roles as Constance Worth, in China Passage and Windjammer.
The change of name was related to her first role with established Hollywood actor Vinton Hayworth. After Windjammer, Radio-Keith-Orpheum offered her no more films.
Her next role was in Willis Kent"s 1938 exploitation quickie, The Wages of Sin, playing a young woman lured into prostitution. Foreign the next twelve years she appeared in a mix of leading, supporting and uncredited roles in B films.
In mid 1939 she returned to act on stage in Australia, but went back to the United States. before the end of the year.
In 1941 she appeared in an uncredited minor role in Alfred Hitchock"s Suspicion, and in the same year, a leading role in the gangster B film Borrowed Hero. Her last film was a minor role in the 1949 Johnny Mack Brown western Western Renegades. Throughout her career and as late as 1961, publicity in Australia repeatedly suggested she was on the verge of signing a major studio contract again.
This did not eventuate.