Broadway star Joan Copeland passed away at her New York City home on January 4, 2022, Variety reports. She was 99. On the anniversary of her death, we are remembering her life and the legacy she leaves behind.
Remembering Joan Copeland
Copeland was an entertainment industry icon, with multiple credits on Broadway and in Daytime soaps. Her appearances included “Search for Tomorrow,” “Love of Life,” “The Edge of the Night,” and “How to Survive a Marriage.” Her Broadway debut began in 1948 with “Sundown Beach.” She also appeared in “Detective Story,” “Coco,” and “45 Seconds From Broadway.”
Copeland had a memorable acting role as Judge Rebecca Stein on “Law & Order.” The recurring role saw her on the show from 1991 to 2001.
Copeland enjoyed a long and successful career, but her personal life was also interesting. She was born Joan Miller but used a stagename because she did not want to be associated with her brother’s fame. Her brother was the famed playwright Arthur Miller. Although she could have used his connections to help further her career, Copeland was determined to make it on her own.
“From the time I was a little girl, I had the stage bug,” she told The New York Times in 1981. “It was like a big dream, like kids who want to fly to the moon today. Perhaps I was unconsciously influenced by my brother. He had made it. I was desperate to get out of the dreariness I was living in.”
“I did not want to trade on my brother’s name,” she shared. Miller died in 2005. He was once married to Marilyn Monroe, and among the tributes to Copeland was one from the Marilyn Monroe Collection. The verified Facebook page has over 136,000 followers.
“RIP Joan Copeland, Marilyn’s former sister-in-law via her marriage to Arthur Miller. She passed away today at 99,” the message began. It went on to list Copeland’s various career achievements and film and Broadway credits.
The Beautiful Life of Joan Copeland
GettyCopeland found love and was married to George Kupchik. The pair married in 1943 and remained married until he died in 1989, BBC News reports. They had a son, Eric Kupchik. At the time of Copeland’s passing, she was survived by her son and her niece, Rebecca Miller.
Copeland and Rebecca did collaborate, with Copeland appearing in the 2009 film, “The Private Lives of Pippa Lee,” which was written and directed by Rebecca, People reports.
