Joan Copeland, a longtime fixture of the New York stage who was the younger sister of playwright Arthur Miller (1915-2005), died early Tuesday, January 4, at 99.
Born June 1, 1922 — exactly four years before her future sister-in-law Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) — Copeland's theater credits included Detective Story (1949), Not for Children (1951), Handful of Fire (1958), Tovarich (1963), Something More! (1964), The Price (1968), Coco (1969), Two by Two (1970), Checking It Out (1976) 45 Seconds to Broadway (2002) and Wit & Wisdom (2003).
She was most fondly remembered for Pal Joey (1976) and The American Clock (1980), winning a Drama Desk Award for the latter.
She also worked extensively off-Broadway, including winning an Obie Award in 1991 for The American Plan.
Copeland made her TV debut on a 1950 episode of Suspense. She wound up appearing on a number of soap operas — most prominently over 400 episodes of Search for Tomorrow as Andrea Whiting (1967-1972) — including The Edge of Night (1959), Love of Life (1960-1963), How to Survive a Marriage (1974-1975), As the World Turns (1966 & 1982), Loving (1990) and One Life to Live (1995).
She worked sporadically in film, including The Goddess (1958), Middle of the Night (1959), Roseland (1977), It's My Turn (1980), A Little Sex (1982), Happy New Year (1987), Her Alibi (1989), Jungle 2 Jungle (1997), The Peacemaker (1997), The Object of My Affection (1998) and The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009). She did voice work in Brother Bear (2003).
Copeland was preceded in death by her husband George Kupchik, who died in 1989. She is survived by her son with him, Eric.
Copeland spoke at the Lambs Club in 2015 about her brother Arthur and her favorite brother, Kermit:
