An American actress who was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 20, 1940. Staley took violin lessons at the age of three. She joined Chapman College in Los Angeles and appeared in some low-production plays, as a musician, singer and sometimes as an actor, until she caught the attention of MGM and signed a contract with them. Joan Staley is best known for her roles in: Cape Fear (1962), Roustabout (1964), and Broadside (1964-1965).