Debra C. Hartwich

Debra Colleen Hartwich (born October 22, 1930) is a Canadian-American actress, best known for her role as Joan Blackhurst on the RKO Network soap opera One Family (1969–present). Having played Blackhurst since the show's beginning, her name appears on the list of longest-serving soap opera actors in the United States.

Early life
Debra Colleen Hartwich was born on October 22, 1930 in,. Her father, Benjamin Hartwich, worked as a plumber for the, while her mother, Francine Hartwich (née Bellingham), was a school teacher. She is of German descent on her father's side and of English, Cree, French and Irish descent on her mother's side.

At age 12, Hartwich and her parents moved to, where she attended.

Career
Hartwich began her acting career in 1953 on Canadian television. In 1958, she moved to to pursue a career on Broadway.

One Family
Since 1969, Hartwich has played Joan Blackhurst on the daytime soap opera One Family. Since the 2013 death of Peter Blackhurst Sr. following the real-life passing of his actor Thomas van Beek, Joan has been the only remaining original character of the series.

For many years, the story of Joan Blackhurst's bitter, long-term rivalry with Francine Pernette (originally portrayed by Dorothy Franklin-Johnson, and in the character's later years by Kathleen Sandridge) of the Pernette family was a mainstay of the show.

Personal life
Hartwich married contemporary Christian music pioneer Tom Bacque in 1978. They live in, while also maintaining a home in where they stay during the One Family production periods.

In 2009, Hartwich became a naturalized citizen of the United States in a ceremony held in.