Barbara Stanwyck(1907-1990)
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Today Barbara Stanwyck is remembered primarily as the matriarch of the
family known as the Barkleys on the TV western The Big Valley (1965), wherein she
played Victoria, and from the hit drama The Colbys (1985). But she was known to
millions of other fans for her movie career, which spanned the period
from 1927 until 1964, after which she appeared on television until
1986. It was a career that lasted for 59 years.
Barbara Stanwyck was born Ruby Catherine Stevens on July 16, 1907, in Brooklyn, New York, to working class parents Catherine Ann (McPhee) and Byron E. Stevens. Her father, from Massachusetts, had English ancestry, and her Canadian mother, from Nova Scotia, was of Scottish and Irish descent. Stanwyck went to work at
the local telephone company for fourteen dollars a week, but she had the urge (a
dream--that was all it was) somehow to enter show business. When not
working, she pounded the pavement in search of dancing jobs. The
persistence paid off. Barbara was hired as a chorus girl for the
princely sum of $40 a week, much better than the wages she was getting
from the phone company. She was seventeen, and was going to make the most
of the opportunity that had been given her.
In 1928 Barbara moved to Hollywood, where she was to start one of the
most lucrative careers filmdom had ever seen. She was an extremely
versatile actress who could adapt to any role. Barbara was equally at
home in all genres, from melodramas, such as Forbidden (1932) and Stella Dallas (1937), to
thrillers, such as Double Indemnity (1944), one of her best films, also starring
Fred MacMurray (as you have never seen him before). She also excelled in
comedies such as Remember the Night (1939) and The Lady Eve (1941). Another genre she excelled in was
westerns, Union Pacific (1939) being one of her first and TV's The Big Valley (1965) (her most
memorable role) being her last. In 1983, she played in the ABC hit
mini-series The Thorn Birds (1983), which did much to keep her in the eye of the
public. She turned in an outstanding performance as Mary Carson.
Barbara was considered a gem to work with for her serious but easygoing
attitude on the set. She worked hard at being an actress, and she never
allowed her star quality to go to her head. She was nominated for four
Academy Awards, though she never won. She turned in magnificent
performances for all the roles she was nominated for, but the "powers
that be" always awarded the Oscar to someone else. However, in 1982 she
was awarded an honorary Academy Award for "superlative creativity and
unique contribution to the art of screen acting." Sadly, Barbara died
on January 20, 1990, leaving 93 movies and a host of TV appearances as
her legacy to us.
family known as the Barkleys on the TV western The Big Valley (1965), wherein she
played Victoria, and from the hit drama The Colbys (1985). But she was known to
millions of other fans for her movie career, which spanned the period
from 1927 until 1964, after which she appeared on television until
1986. It was a career that lasted for 59 years.
Barbara Stanwyck was born Ruby Catherine Stevens on July 16, 1907, in Brooklyn, New York, to working class parents Catherine Ann (McPhee) and Byron E. Stevens. Her father, from Massachusetts, had English ancestry, and her Canadian mother, from Nova Scotia, was of Scottish and Irish descent. Stanwyck went to work at
the local telephone company for fourteen dollars a week, but she had the urge (a
dream--that was all it was) somehow to enter show business. When not
working, she pounded the pavement in search of dancing jobs. The
persistence paid off. Barbara was hired as a chorus girl for the
princely sum of $40 a week, much better than the wages she was getting
from the phone company. She was seventeen, and was going to make the most
of the opportunity that had been given her.
In 1928 Barbara moved to Hollywood, where she was to start one of the
most lucrative careers filmdom had ever seen. She was an extremely
versatile actress who could adapt to any role. Barbara was equally at
home in all genres, from melodramas, such as Forbidden (1932) and Stella Dallas (1937), to
thrillers, such as Double Indemnity (1944), one of her best films, also starring
Fred MacMurray (as you have never seen him before). She also excelled in
comedies such as Remember the Night (1939) and The Lady Eve (1941). Another genre she excelled in was
westerns, Union Pacific (1939) being one of her first and TV's The Big Valley (1965) (her most
memorable role) being her last. In 1983, she played in the ABC hit
mini-series The Thorn Birds (1983), which did much to keep her in the eye of the
public. She turned in an outstanding performance as Mary Carson.
Barbara was considered a gem to work with for her serious but easygoing
attitude on the set. She worked hard at being an actress, and she never
allowed her star quality to go to her head. She was nominated for four
Academy Awards, though she never won. She turned in magnificent
performances for all the roles she was nominated for, but the "powers
that be" always awarded the Oscar to someone else. However, in 1982 she
was awarded an honorary Academy Award for "superlative creativity and
unique contribution to the art of screen acting." Sadly, Barbara died
on January 20, 1990, leaving 93 movies and a host of TV appearances as
her legacy to us.