Joanna Holland Biography

Joanna Holland was born Johanna C. Ulrich in 1940. She was raised in New York, along with her brother Peter. At the age of 20, Joanna got married to famous backgammon player Tim Holland. During their marriage of six years, Joanna and Tim were blessed with a son named Joe Holland. Joanna and Tim got divorced in 1966; she started modeling to provide for herself and her son. During her career as a model, Joanna worked with popular fashion designers. It was her modeling career that introduced her to famous television host Johnny Carson. But before meeting Johnny, Joanna was in relationship with the then chairman of ‘The Hertz Corporation.’ She also dated other successful men before starting a relationship with Johnny Carson.

Joanna met Johnny at the famous restaurant, ‘21 Club,’ where Johnny was dining with famous fashion designer Molly Parnis. At the 10th anniversary party of ‘The Tonight Show,’ which was being hosted by Johnny Carson, Johnny shocked his friends and associates by announcing that he and Joanna tied the knot in Santa Monica earlier that day. Soon after the public announcement, Johnny’s lawyer came up with a prenuptial agreement, which was intended to protect Johnny’s assets should the marriage end in divorce. Though Joanna was willing to sign the agreement, Johnny asked his lawyer to destroy the document citing sentimental reasons. After being married for 10 years, Joanna decided to end her marriage with Johnny and filed for divorce on March 8, 1983. The case was settled two years later and Joanna ended up receiving Johnny’s property and $20 million in cash.

In 1985, Joanna helped Michaele Vollbracht financially to launch his own fashion line. Most of the funds used to launch the company came from the money received as part of the divorce settlement with Johhny. She later became the vice president of the company. She also served as the board member of ‘Women's Guild Cedars-Sinai’ and was part of the executive committee of Santa Monica’s ‘Rape Treatment Center.’ Joanna’s other humanitarian works include her work as the president of ‘Share Happily and Reap Endlessly,’ an organization that once raised $750,000 to help the mentally challenged.

Joanna was very close to her mother Linda. Joanna’s son Joe Holland, who was born on July 21, 1961, went on to become an actor and director. Joe Holland passed away on May 4, 1994, in Los Angeles, California.

Joanna was involved in many relationships during her modeling days. One of her ex-boyfriends had once claimed that he had spent a large amount of money on furnishing her apartment. He even went on to sue her in an attempt to get the money back. Joanna then hired Johnny’s lawyer Henry Bushkin to defend her in the case. During her difficult days, Joanna found comfort in her friends, Cristina DeLorean and Judy Bushkin. While Cristina is a former fashion model, Judy was Henry Bushkin’s ex-wife.