Barbara Britton
| Barbara Britton | |
 Britton in 1953 | |
| Background information | |
| Born as: | Barbara Maurine Brantingham |
| Born | Sep 26, 1920 Long Beach, California, U.S. |
| Died | Jan 17, 1980 - at age 60 Manhattan, New York, U.S. pancreatic cancer |
| Spouse(s): | Dr. Eugene Czukor (1945 - ) |
| Children: | 3 |
| Occupation: | Actress, Mayor of Hollywood (1952) |
Barbara Britton (born Barbara Maurine Brantingham; ✦September 26, 1920 – †January 17, 1980) was an American film and television actress. She is best known for her Western film roles opposite Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea, and Gene Autry and for her two-year tenure as inquisitive amateur sleuth Pam North on the television and radio series Mr. and Mrs. North.
Early Life
Britton was born on September 26, 1920, in Long Beach, California. Her involvement with stage productions began at the age of 14. She attended Polytechnic High School and Long Beach City College, where she majored in speech with the intention of becoming a speech and drama teacher. While in school, she developed an interest in acting and participated in local stage productions.
Career
In 1941, while appearing in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade, a photo of Britton appeared on the front page of a local newspaper. A talent scout noticed her, and she was soon signed to a contract with Paramount Pictures. (Another source says that a talent scout spotted her as the lead in the production of The Old Maid at her college, and "three weeks later she was signed by Paramount Pictures as a stock player.")
Film
That same year, she appeared in her first two films: the William Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy) Western Secret of the Wastelands and Louisiana Purchase, starring Bob Hope. Her first major film appearance was in a small role in the John Wayne film Reap the Wild Wind (1942). In 1944, she delivered a highly impactful performance alongside Ray Milland in Till We Meet Again (1944).
During the 1940s, Britton starred in three films for which she is most recognized today, two of which co-starred Randolph Scott. The first was Captain Kidd (1945) with Scott, followed by The Virginian (1946) opposite Joel McCrea. The third was the Randolph Scott film Gunfighters (1947). She partnered with Scott again in the 1948 Western Albuquerque, and that same year, she starred opposite Gene Autry in Loaded Pistols. In total, she starred in or appeared in 26 films during that decade.
Television
Britton starred in the 1950s television show Mr. and Mrs. North, a Thin Man-like mystery show, with Richard Denning and Francis De Sales. She was probably best known for being the spokeswoman for Revlon products in the 1950s and 1960s, appearing in advertisements and commercials that included live spots on The $64,000 Question. She also portrayed Laura Petrie in Carl Reiner's Head of the Family, the 1959 pilot for the later Dick Van Dyke Show.
One of Britton's last roles was on the daytime television soap opera One Life to Live in 1979.
Magazines
Over a 24-month span, Britton's picture appeared on more than 100 magazine covers, including those of Ladies Home Journal, Woman's Home Companion, and McCall's. In 1949, a newspaper article reported, "Today, Barbara Britton's picture has appeared on more national magazine covers than any other motion picture actress in the world."
- Barbara Britton gallery
Personal life
In 1944, Britton reportedly suffered from nervous exhaustion due to overwork and was advised to seek the help of physician and psychoanalyst Dr. Eugene J. Czukor. Britton and Czukor, who was 22 years her senior, were married on April 2, 1945. At one time, the couple had a home on Victoria Drive in Laguna Beach, California. They moved to Manhattan in 1957. For many years, Britton and her husband lived in a sprawling, red-shingled farmhouse in Bethel, Connecticut. Sharing their love of antiques, they opened a shop in an early American barn in the antique-gallery enclave of Woodbury, Connecticut. They had two children, Ted and Christina. Their marriage lasted for 34 years until Britton's death. She died of pancreatic cancer at her Manhattan apartment on January 17, 1980, at the age of 59.
Britton was a Republican and campaigned for Dwight D. Eisenhower in both 1952 and 1956.
Honors and awards
In 1948, Britton was given a key to the City of Long Beach, California. On February 8, 1960, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for television; her star is located at 1719 Vine Street.
Filmography
- Wikipedia article: Barbara Britton Filmography
External links
- More information is available at [ Wikipedia:Barbara_Britton ]
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