Barbara Pepper
 |
Barbara Pepper | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Marion Pepper May 31, 1915 |
| Died | July 18, 1969 (aged 54) |
| Cause of death | coronary thrombosis |
| Other names | Barbara P. Enfield (married name) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1931–1969 |
| Spouse(s) | Craig Reynolds (1943–1949; his death; 2 sons) |
Barbara Pepper (May 31, 1915 – July 18, 1969) was an American stage, television, radio, and film actress. She is best known as the first "Doris Ziffel" on the sitcom Green Acres.
Early life and career
Born as Marion Pepper in New York City, the daughter of actor David Mitchell "Dave" Pepper, at age 16 she started life in show business a Goldwyn Girl, where she met lifelong friend Lucille Ball. Pepper began making movies, among her many film parts were My Fair Lady and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. She also performed radio parts. In 1943, she married actor Craig Reynolds (né Harold Hugh Enfield); the couple had two sons. After Reynolds died in 1949 in a California motorcycle accident, Pepper was left to raise their two sons alone. She never remarried. [citation needed]
After gaining weight, her roles were mostly confined to small TV character parts, including several appearances on I Love Lucy, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Petticoat Junction and The Jack Benny Program. She made four appearances on Perry Mason, including the role of Martha Dale, mother of the title character, in the 1957 episode, "The Case of the Vagabond Vixen". She may be best remembered as the first Doris Ziffel on Petticoat Junction in 1964 (although her character name on the "Genghis Keane" episode of Petticoat Junction was Ruth Ziffel) and Green Acres from 1965–1968. However, her heart ailments forced her to leave the series and she was replaced by Fran Ryan. Her final role was in 1969's Hook, Line & Sinker, in which she played Jerry Lewis's secretary.
Death
Barbara Pepper died on July 18, 1969, in Panorama City, California, aged 54, from a coronary thrombosis.
Partial filmography
- Roman Scandals (1933; uncredited)
- Kid Millions (1934; uncredited)
- Anna Karenina (1935; uncredited)
- Let 'Em Have It (1935)
- Waterfront Lady (1935)
- The Rogues Tavern (1936)
- Wanted! Jane Turner (1936)
- Too Many Wives (1937)
- Hollywood Stadium Mystery (1938)
- Wide Open Faces (1938)
- Bachelor Mother (1939)
- They Made Me a Criminal (1939)
- The Women (1939)
- The Magnificent Fraud (1939)
- Of Mice and Men (1939)
- Women in War (1940)
- The Return of Frank James (1940)
- Foreign Correspondent (1940)
- The Lady Eve (1941)
- Three Sons o' Guns (1941) Francie
- Birth of the Blues (1941)
- Star Spangled Rhythm (1943)
- The Inspector General (1949)
- The Eddie Cantor Story (1952)
- A Star Is Born (1954)
- Young at Heart (1954)
- The Walter Winchell File "Where is Louis Melk?" - Pearl Vance (1957)
- Auntie Mame (1958)
- The Music Man (1962)
- A Child is Waiting (1963)
- It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) (Scene Deleted)
- My Fair Lady (1964)
- Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)
- Hook, Line & Sinker (1969)
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