Biography: The epitome of poise, charm, style and grace, beautiful brunette Barbara Rush was born in Denver, Colorado in 1927 and enrolled at the University of California before working with the University Players and taking acting classes at the Pasadena Playhouse. It didn't take long for talent scouts to spot her and, following a play performance, Paramount quickly signed her up in 1950, making her debut w ... show all The epitome of poise, charm, style and grace, beautiful brunette Barbara Rush was born in Denver, Colorado in 1927 and enrolled at the University of California before working with the University Players and taking acting classes at the Pasadena Playhouse. It didn't take long for talent scouts to spot her and, following a play performance, Paramount quickly signed her up in 1950, making her debut with The Goldbergs (1951). Prior to this she met fellow actor Jeffrey Hunter, an incredibly handsome newcomer who would later become a "beefcake" bobbysoxer idol. The two fell in love quickly and married in December of 1950, soon on their way to becoming one of Hollywood's most beautiful young couples. Their son Christopher was born in 1952. Barbara started off in routine starlet roles in such second-string action fare as When Worlds Collide (1951) and The First Legion (1951). Universal picked up her option and she finally got her break in the second lead femme role in the popular Jane Wyman tearjerker Magnificent Obsession (1954), the movie that made Rock Hudson a huge star. From there Barbara's own star began to ascend co-starring opposite Hollywood's top males in such glossy dramas as Bigger Than Life (1956) with James Mason, No Down Payment (1957) with ex-husband Jeff Hunter (they had divorced in 1955), The Young Lions (1958) starring Montgomery Clift and Marlon Brando, The Young Philadelphians (1959) alongside Paul Newman, The Bramble Bush (1960) starring Richard Burton, and Strangers When Me Meet (1960) with Kirk Douglas. In most of these she played brittle wives, conniving 'other women' or socialite girlfriends. However, despite the "A" list movies she was piling up, that one juicy role to put her over the top never came her way and by the early 60s her film career took a major decline. She married publicist Warren Cowan in 1959 and bore a second child, Claudia, in 1964. TV became a viable source of income for Barbara in the mid-60s appearing in guest parts on the more popular shows of the time and in standard mini-movie stories. She even had a bit of fun playing a 'guest villainess' on the "Batman" series as temptress Nora Clavicle. The stage also became a strong focus for Barbara, earning the Sarah Siddons Award for her starring role in "Forty Carats" and making her Broadway debut in the one-woman 80s showcase "A Woman of Independent Means," which also won her the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award during its tour. The still-beautiful Ms. Rush occasionally graces the big and small screen these days, more recently in a recurring role on TV's "7th Heaven." hide |
