Joan Crinshaw, the mistress of Al Harris who is first mentioned in the episode Thanksgiving '91. She was portrayed by Kay Arnold.
About Joan[]
Joan is first mentioned after Roseanne and Jackie learn about her from their mother, Beverly, who had already found out about her husbands affair, and eventually kicks both Al and Joan out of her life. Beverly then begins collecting her divorce settlement and trying to spend time and money on her children and grandchildren. Roseanne and Jackie decide to find Joan and stop by her apartment in Kansas City during one of Jackie's long hauls as a truck driver.
Upon meeting her, they forgot what they would want to say to her, and try to leave before confronting her. They decided that Joan was (in a different way) just as much as a victim as anybody else in their situation. Joan ends up catching them before they leave and they have a brief confrontation.
She appeared again visiting Lanford for Al's funeral after he passed away of a heart attack while out on the road working.
She expressed complete ignorance about Roseanne and Jackie's childhood. She knew nothing of the abuse they suffered and even went as far as to say that Al lived the rest of his life believing that he was a devoted father who spoiled his daughters. She continued by saying that Al lived his life believing that his daughters loved him. When Roseanne finally realized how much Joan did not know about her childhood, she leaves in tears. Joan quickly realized for herself that things are not as rosy as it seemed.
Joan and Beverly finally meet at Al's funeral. She bluntly tells Joan what she thought of her and the affair. She then offers to transfer her shared burial plot with Al to Joan instead.
Behind the Scenes[]
Actress Kay Arnold was the aunt of actor Tom Arnold, who played Arnie Thomas.
Kay had only one other role in her career, in a movie entitled Carpool from 1996, also featuring Tom Arnold. However, by this time Tom and Roseanne separated.
Kay Arnold died in 2014.