Barbara Rush facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Barbara Rush
Barbara Rush as part of the Peyton Place cast, 1968–1969
Born	(1927-01-04)January 4, 1927 Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Died	March 31, 2024(2024-03-31) (aged 97)
Education	University of California, Santa Barbara (1948)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1950–2007, 2017
Spouse(s)	Jeffrey Hunter ​ ​ (m. 1950; div. 1955)​ Warren Cowan ​ ​ (m. 1959; div. 1969)​ Jim Gruzalski ​ ​ (m. 1970; div. 1973)​
Children	2, including Claudia Cowan
Relatives	Carolyn Hennesy (niece)
Awards	1954 Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Female 1970 Sarah Siddons Award

Barbara Rush (born January 4, 1927 – died March 31, 2024) was an American actress. She was known for her many roles in movies and TV shows. In 1954, she won a Golden Globe Award. This award was for being the "most promising new female actress." She earned it for her role in the science-fiction film It Came from Outer Space.

Later in her career, Barbara Rush became a regular on the TV series Peyton Place. She also appeared in many TV movies and miniseries. You might have seen her in the soap opera All My Children or the family drama 7th Heaven. She also starred in popular films like The Young Philadelphians and Robin and the 7 Hoods.

Early Life and School

Barbara Rush was born in Denver, Colorado, on January 4, 1927. Her dad, Roy, was a lawyer. She grew up in Santa Barbara, California.

She went to the University of California, Santa Barbara. She finished her studies there in 1948. Her acting journey actually began in the university's theater program.

Her Acting Career

Before becoming a movie star, Barbara Rush acted on stage. She performed at places like the Lobero Theatre and the Pasadena Playhouse. Then, she signed a contract with Paramount Pictures.

First Movies and Awards

Her first movie was The Goldbergs in 1950. In 1951, she was in the science-fiction film When Worlds Collide. She also starred in Flaming Feather in 1952.

In 1954, she won the Golden Globe Award. This was for her amazing acting in It Came from Outer Space. The award was for "Most Promising Newcomer – Female."

Famous Film Roles

Barbara Rush played important roles in many movies. In the 1956 drama Bigger Than Life, she was the wife of James Mason's character. She also played the love interest of Dean Martin in the war movie The Young Lions. She starred alongside Paul Newman in The Young Philadelphians.

She often played strong, wealthy women. Sometimes, she even played a villain! For example, she was in the gangster musical Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964). In the 1967 Western Hombre, she played a rich wife who gets taken hostage. She also played Nora Clavicle in the TV series Batman.

Stage and Television Work

Acting on stage was always important to Barbara Rush. In 1970, she won the Sarah Siddons Award. This was for her great performance in the play Forty Carats. She even brought her own one-woman play, A Woman of Independent Means, to Broadway in 1984.

She started working in television in the 1950s. She became a regular on Peyton Place. She also appeared in the soap opera All My Children. In 1976, she played Ann Sommers, the mother of Jaime Sommers, in The Bionic Woman.

Later, she joined the cast of the soap opera Flamingo Road. In 1998, she was in an episode of The Outer Limits. She also toured in the play Steel Magnolias in 1989. From 1997 to 2007, she had a recurring role as Grandma Ruth Camden on 7th Heaven.

Personal Life

Barbara Rush was married three times. Her first husband was actor Jeffrey Hunter. They were married from 1950 to 1955. She then married publicist Warren Cowan in 1959. They divorced in 1969. Her third marriage was to sculptor Jim Gruzalski in 1970. They divorced in 1973.

She had two children: Christopher Hunter and Claudia Cowan. Claudia is a journalist for Fox News. Barbara Rush was also the aunt of actress Carolyn Hennesy.

From 1997 until her death, Barbara Rush lived in Beverly Hills, California. She passed away on March 31, 2024, at the age of 97.

Movies She Was In

TV Shows She Was In

See also

In Spanish: Barbara Rush para niños