Barbara Darrow

Barbara Darrow (November 18, 1931 - August 26, 2018) was an American motion picture and television actress.

Barbara Darrow
Darrow in 1958
Born(1931-11-18)November 18, 1931
Hollywood, California, U.S.
DiedAugust 26, 2018(2018-08-26) (aged 86)
OccupationActress
Years active1950–1977
Spouse(s)Thomas D. Tannenbaum (1956–2001, his death)
Children3

Early years

Darrow was born in Hollywood, California, to George H. Wittlinger,[1] a motion picture landscape artist,[2] and Alice Simpson Wittlinger,[3] a former silent screen actress.[2] She graduated from Hollywood High School.[4]

Career

Darrow's work as a model led to her receiving offers of film contracts. On August 31, 1950, a judge approved her seven-year contract with RKO Studios.[1] She made mostly B-movie films in the 1950s, including The Monster That Challenged The World and Queen of Outer Space. She replaced Marla English opposite Spencer Tracy in The Mountain, after English had an adverse reaction to a smallpox vaccine.[5] By 1955 she was one of only three actors under contract to RKO.

On television, Darrow portrayed Nurse Forester in the NBC medical drama Doctors' Hospital.[6] She also made several appearances in one or two episodes of popular television shows in the 1950s. Some of these include The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Bachelor Father, The Bob Cummings Show, M Squad, and Peter Gunn.

Personal life

On September 28, 1956, Darrow married Thomas David Tannenbaum, son of David Tannenbaum (mayor of Beverly Hills, California for two terms; in 1952 and 1956), and remained married until his death on December 1, 2001.[2] A talent agent at MGM, he would later go on to be the founding president of Viacom.[7] They have three children.

Her youngest daughter Audrey Darin married Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee's only child, Dodd Darin.[8] Her son Eric Tannenbaum became president of Columbia TriStar Television at age 33;[9] he would go on to executive produce Two and a Half Men.

Darrow's uncle is John Darrow, a silent film star turned successful agent, from whom she borrowed her stage name. Her older sister Madelyn Darrow became a model,[2] and married tennis player Pancho Gonzales.

Filmography

Movies

Television

References
  1. "Daughter of Gardener Has Film Pact Approved". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. September 1, 1950. p. 9. Retrieved January 19, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. Barbara Darrow at Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen, retrieved January 28, 2012
  3. "Film Pay Hike Approved for Drama Student". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. August 22, 1951. p. Part 2, p 1. Retrieved January 19, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Hopper, Hedda (March 29, 1950). "Dan Duryea to Star in Al Jennings Role". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. Chicago Tribune-New York News Syndicate, Inc. p. Part III, p 6. Retrieved January 19, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Marla English: She chose love". Arizona Daily Star. Arizona, Tucson. Parade. September 19, 1955. p. 27. Retrieved January 20, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 272. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  7. Kowalski, Eileen (December 4, 2001). "Tom Tannenbaum".
  8. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20104376,00.html
  9. HOFMEISTER, SALLIE; LOWRY, BRIAN (October 7, 1996). "TV's Rising Moguls: Young and Restless" – via LA Times.
  10. Barbara Darrow at TVguide, retrieved January 28, 2012
  11. Susan Slept Here at TCM Movie Database
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