Barbara McNair facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barbara McNair
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McNair, 1967
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| Born |
Barbara Jean McNair
March 4, 1934 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | February 4, 2007 (aged 72) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Education | UCLA (attended) American Conservatory of Music |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1956–2007 |
| Spouse(s) |
Earl Wright
(m. 1953; div. 1955)Jack Rafferty
(m. 1963; div. 1971)Rick Manzie
(m. 1972; died 1976)Ben Strahan
(m. 1979; div. 1986)Charles Blecka
(m. 2006) |
| Relatives | Curtis Knight (cousin) |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Labels |
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| Associated acts | |
Barbara Jean McNair (March 4, 1934 – February 4, 2007) was a talented American singer and actress. She had a long career that lasted over fifty years in TV, movies, and on stage.
Barbara McNair started her professional life as a singer in the late 1950s. She performed in many nightclubs. In 1958, she released her first song, "Till There Was You," which became very popular. She toured all over the world, even performing with the famous singer Nat King Cole. She also appeared in his Broadway shows in the early 1960s.
Later, in the 1970s, Barbara McNair began acting more in movies and on TV. She played Sidney Poitier's wife in the films They Call Me Mister Tibbs! (1970) and The Organization (1971). In her later years, she went back to singing in nightclubs and on cruise ships. Barbara McNair passed away on February 4, 2007, at the age of 72, after battling throat cancer.
Contents
About Barbara McNair
Her Early Life and School
Barbara McNair was born in Chicago, Illinois. Soon after she was born, her family, including her four brothers and sisters, moved to Racine, Wisconsin. Her parents encouraged her to sing, and she started performing in school plays and at church. She graduated from Washington Park High School in 1952.
After high school, Barbara studied music at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago. She also went to UCLA for a short time. She believed that to do anything important in life, you needed to go to college. But she left college after one year because she felt it wasn't helping her reach her goals in music.
Her Amazing Career
Barbara McNair got her big break by winning a TV talent show called Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. This led to her performing at famous places like The Purple Onion and the Cocoanut Grove. People described her as a beautiful woman with a warm personality and a voice that could sing soft songs or powerful gospel music.
She quickly became a popular performer and a guest on many TV variety shows. Some of these shows included The Steve Allen Show and The Hollywood Palace. She had hit songs like "You're Gonna Love My Baby" and "Bobby" with labels like Coral Records and Motown.
In the early 1960s, Barbara made several short music films for Scopitone. These were like early music videos that people could watch on coin-operated machines. In 1967, she traveled with Bob Hope to Southeast Asia to perform for U.S. troops during the Vietnam War.
Barbara's acting career began on TV shows like Dr. Kildare, I Spy, and Mission: Impossible. She became well-known in movies after appearing in If He Hollers, Let Him Go! (1968). She also acted alongside Mary Tyler Moore in Change of Habit (1969), which was Elvis Presley's last movie. She played Sidney Poitier's wife in They Call Me Mister Tibbs! (1970) and The Organization (1971).
On Broadway, Barbara McNair starred in plays like The Body Beautiful (1958) and No Strings (1962). She also appeared in a new version of The Pajama Game (1973). In 1969, she hosted her own TV show called The Barbara McNair Show. This made her one of the first black women to host her own musical variety show. The show ran for three seasons and featured many famous guests like Tony Bennett and Sonny and Cher.
Barbara was a top performer at Las Vegas hotels like the Sahara. She also appeared on TV game shows such as Hollywood Squares and The Match Game. She was a special guest on talk shows hosted by Johnny Carson and Merv Griffin. Her recordings include albums like The Livin' End and The Real Barbara McNair.
Her Personal Life
Barbara McNair was married five times but did not have any children. Her first husband was Earl Wright, from 1953 to 1955. She was then married to Jack Rafferty from 1963 to 1971. In 1972, she married Rick Manzie, and they stayed together until he passed away in 1976. Later, she married Ben Strahan in 1979, and they divorced in 1986. Her last marriage was to Charles Blecka in 2006, and they were married when she died. Barbara McNair was also the cousin of musician Curtis Knight.
Later Years and Passing
In her 70s, Barbara McNair lived in the Los Angeles area. She stayed active by playing tennis and skiing, and she still performed sometimes. She passed away on February 4, 2007, in Los Angeles, California, after a seven-year battle with throat cancer.
Movies She Was In
- Spencer's Mountain (1963) – Graduation Singer
- If He Hollers, Let Him Go! (1968) – Lily
- Stiletto (1969) – Ahn Dessie
- Venus in Furs (1969) – Rita
- The Lonely Profession (1969) – Donna Travers
- Change of Habit (1969) – Sister Irene
- They Call Me Mister Tibbs! (1970) – Valerie Tibbs
- The Organization (1971) – Valerie Tibbs
- McMillan & Wife (1974) – Lee Richards
- Fatal Charm (1990 film) – English Teacher
- Neon Signs (1996) – Grace (her last movie role)
Her Music Albums
- Front Row Center (1959)
- Love Talk (1960)
- The Livin' End (1964)
- I Enjoy Being A Girl (1966)
- Here I Am (1966)
- The Real Barbara McNair (1969)
- More Today Than Yesterday (1969)
- Here's To Life (2006)
Images for kids
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McNair, 1967
See also
In Spanish: Barbara McNair para niños
