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Barbara Stanwyck Biography
Most of America's audiences see Barbara Stanwyck as the matriarch of the family known as the Barkley's on TV's western, THE BIG VALLEY, where she played Victoria. Later she starred on the hit drama, DYNASTY. But for millions of other fans, she had a movie career that spanned from 1927 until 1964, and then was on television until 1986. It was a film career that lasted for 59 years. She was born, Ruby Stevens, on July 16, 1907, in Brooklyn, New York. She went to work at the local telephone company for $14 dollars a week, but she had the urge to somehow enter show business. Dreams, that was all it was. 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. This was so much better than the wages she was getting from the phone company. She was 17 and she was going to make the most out of the opportunity that had been given her. In 1928, Barbara moved to Hollywood where she was to start out 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 diverse genres such as the melodrama FORBIDDEN in 1932 and STELLA DALLAS in 1937. along with one of her best films, DOUBLE INDEMNITY in 1944. The latter starred Fred MacMurray as you have never seen him before. She excelled in comedies such as REMEMBER THE NIGHT in 1940 and THE LADY EVE in 1941. One of her first westerns was UNION PACIFIC in 1939 and finally her most memorable role in TV's BIG VALLEY. In 1983, she played in the ABC hit mini-series THE THORN BIRDS which did much to keep her in the eye of the public. She turned out an outstanding performance as Mary Carson. Barbara was nominated for four Academy Awards, though she never won. The roles she was nominated for were all roles in which Barbara turned in magnificent performances, but the "powers that be" always awarded the Oscar to someone else. She 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. In 1982, Barbara 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. Biography by Denny Jackson Spouse Trivia
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