Overview

Michele Carey (born Michele Lee Henson; February 26, 1943 – November 21, 2018) was an American actress who worked primarily in motion pictures during the 1960s and 1970s. She is best known for her performance as Josephine "Joey" MacDonald in the 1966 western El Dorado, a prominent studio picture of its era. Carey's screen presence and contemporary style made her a recognizable figure in a number of mainstream features of that period.

Early life and entry into acting

Carey was born in Annapolis, Maryland, and later moved to pursue opportunities in entertainment. Her early years are often noted as a transition from small-town origins to the Hollywood film industry. The move into acting during the mid-1960s placed her among a generation of performers who combined cinema and popular culture at a moment of stylistic change in American film.

Career and notable roles

Carey worked steadily in feature films through the late 1960s and into the 1970s. Her best-known role, Josephine "Joey" MacDonald in El Dorado, paired her opposite leading stars of the western genre and remains her most frequently cited screen credit. She also appeared in a variety of other studio and independent pictures, adapting to both dramatic and comedic material across different film types during that era.

Selected filmography

  • El Dorado (1966) — breakout film role
  • Live a Little, Love a Little (1968)
  • The Sweet Ride (1968)
  • Dirty Dingus Magee (1970)

Later life and legacy

After a career that was most active in the 1960s and 1970s, Carey lived away from the Hollywood spotlight in later decades. She passed away in Newport Beach, California, on November 21, 2018, at the age of 75. Obituaries and film histories continue to reference her role in El Dorado when noting her contribution to mid‑20th century American cinema. Her birthplace, Annapolis, and the city of her death, Newport Beach, are frequently mentioned in biographical summaries.

Notable facts

  • Carey's screen career is concentrated in the late 1960s, a period of stylistic transition in Hollywood.
  • Her role in El Dorado remains the most enduring association for contemporary audiences and film reference works.