Barbara Babcock

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Barbara Babcock
Barbara Babcock.jpg
Babcock in 1968
Born (1937-02-27) February 27, 1937 (age 87) [1]
Fort Riley, Kansas, US
Education Wellesley College
University of Lausanne
University of Milan
OccupationActress
Years active1956–2004
Spouse Jay Sheffield (1962-1968)
Awards Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series ( Hill Street Blues , 1981)

Barbara Babcock (born February 27, 1937) is an American actress. She began her career on television in mid-1950s with guest-starring appearances in more than 60 television series through her career. She made several appearances on Star Trek: The Original Series , Mannix and Murder, She Wrote and had a recurring role in the CBS prime time soap opera, Dallas from 1978 to 1982.

Contents

In 1981, Babcock received Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Grace Gardner in the NBC police drama series, Hill Street Blues (1981–87). She later starred in a number of short-lived television series, most notable The Law & Harry McGraw (1987–88). From 1993 to 1998, Babcock starred as Dorothy Jennings in the CBS Western series, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman , for which she was nominated for an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1995. Babcock also appeared in films Day of the Evil Gun (1968), Heaven with a Gun (1969), Chosen Survivors (1974), The Black Marble (1980), The Lords of Discipline (1983), Far and Away (1992) and Space Cowboys (2000).

Early life

Born in Fort Riley, Kansas, [1] Babcock spent a large part of her childhood in Tokyo, Japan, where her father, U.S. Army Gen. Conrad Stanton Babcock, Jr., was stationed. [2] She learned to speak Japanese before English.

Babcock studied at University of Lausanne in Switzerland and in Italy at the University of Milan. [2] She also attended Miss Porter's School and graduated from Wellesley College, [3] where she was a classmate of Ali MacGraw.

Career

Babcock with Avery Schreiber (right) and Jack Burns in Love, American Style (1973) Avery Schreiber Barbara Babcock Jack Burns Love American Style.jpeg
Babcock with Avery Schreiber (right) and Jack Burns in Love, American Style (1973)

Babcock made her television debut appearing in an episode of anthology series The United States Steel Hour in 1956. The following years she made many guest-starring appearances on television, notable in The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis as a cousin to the rich boy nemesis of the title character. [1] She made appearances on The Lieutenant ; The Munsters ; The Green Hornet ; The Lucy Show ; Judd, for the Defense and Mission: Impossible . From 1967 to 1969 she appeared in several episodes of the original series of Star Trek , although much of her work on the show consisted of uncredited voice roles. She also appeared in three episodes of Hogan's Heroes from 1967 to 1970.

In 1968, she made her big screen debut on the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Western film Day of the Evil Gun starring Glenn Ford, followed by role in the Heaven with a Gun (1969) also with Glenn Ford. She appeared in a number of made-for-television movies and miniseries in 1970s, including The Last Child (1971), Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A. (1977), The Survival of Dana (1979) and Salem's Lot (1979). She had supporting roles in films Bang the Drum Slowly (1973), Chosen Survivors (1974), The Black Marble (1980), Back Roads (1981), The Lords of Discipline (1983), and That Was Then... This Is Now (1985), Heart of Dixie (1989) and Happy Together (1989). She also made appearances on The F.B.I. ; Cannon ; Love, American Style ; Medical Center ; Starsky & Hutch and The Rockford Files ; and four appearances on Mannix . She had regular role on the CBS daytime soap opera Search for Tomorrow in 1976 and from 1978 to 1982 had a recurring role of Liz Craig in the CBS prime time soap opera, Dallas .

In 1981, Babcock received critical acclaim for playing Grace Gardner in the NBC police drama series Hill Street Blues . [1] She won the 1981 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her work on Hill Street Blues. [4] She appeared in 17 episodes from 1981 to 1987. After her break with show, Babcock went to star in a made-for-television movies Quarterback Princess (1983), Attack on Fear (1984) and News at Eleven (1986). She starred in the short-lived CBS drama series The Four Seasons in 1984, based on 1981 film The Four Seasons . [1] She also starred in the short-lived sitcom Mr. Sunshine in 1986, and the detective series The Law & Harry McGraw from 1987 to 1988. [5] During 1980s, Babcock also guest-starred on Cheers , Hotel , Remington Steele , and starred in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents — receiving the 1987 CableACE Award for Outstanding Actress in a Dramatic Series. She made five appearances on Murder, She Wrote from 1985 to 1993, and also appeared on The Golden Girls , Empty Nest , China Beach , Wings , and Sisters . She played the mother of Nicole Kidman's character in the 1992 Western film Far and Away .

From 1993 to 1998, Babcock played the role of Dorothy Jennings in the CBS Western series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman , for which she was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1993. (However, the Emmy Awards website lists the nomination for 1995.) [4] She was voted one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World by People in 1994. [6] She reprised her role in the 1998 made-for-television movie Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Movie. In 1999 she played the leading role in A Vow to Cherish opposite Ken Howard. [7] In 2000, Babcock made her final big screen appearance in the science fiction film Space Cowboys with Clint Eastwood and James Garner. She also made guest appearances on The Pretender , Chicago Hope , Frasier , and Judging Amy . From 2001 to 2002, she played the role of the mother of Dana Delany's character in the Fox drama series, Pasadena . In 2002, she appeared in a made-for-television comedy Home Alone 4 . [8]

Personal life

In 2004, Babcock was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and resided in Carmel, California. [9]

In 1982, Babcock and actress Susan Bjurman received U.S. patent 4,344,446 for a combination solid stick scalp cleanser and hair shampoo-conditioner gel that they developed. [10]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRole
1968 Day of the Evil Gun Angie Warfield
1969 Heaven with a Gun Mrs. Andrews
1971 The Last Child Shelley Drumm
1973 Bang the Drum Slowly Team Owner
1974 Chosen Survivors Dr. Lenore Chrisman
1977 Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A. Rachel Sullivan
1978Operating RoomJean Lawrence
1979Survival of DanaLorna Sims
1980 The Black Marble Madeline Whitfield
1981 Back Roads Rickey's Mom
1982Memories Never DieLouise Lowry
1983 Quarterback Princess Judy Maida
The Lords of Discipline Abigail St. Croix
1984 Attack on Fear Jane Dutton
1985 That Was Then... This Is Now Mrs. Douglas
1986News at ElevenJoanna Steckler
1989 Happy Together Ruth Carpenter
Heart of Dixie Coralee Claibourne
1990 A Family for Joe Miss Quinn Collins
1992 Far and Away Nora Christie
1993Fugitive Nights: Danger in the DesertRhonda Devon
1996 A Mother's Instinct Mrs. Mitchell
1997Childhood Sweetheart?Rose Carlson
1999A Vow to CherishEllen Brighton
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Movie Dorothy Jennings
2000 Space Cowboys Barbara Corvin
2002 Home Alone 4 Molly

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1961 NBC Sunday Showcase Annie Lee1 episode
1963 The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis Pamela Osborne1 episode
1963 Combat! Bar Patron At The SavoyUncredited
1965 The Munsters Miss Guthrie1 episode
1966–1967 The Green Hornet Elaine Carey2 episodes
1967 The Lucy Show English Teacher1 episode
1968 Mission: Impossible Major Maria Felder1 episode
1967–1968 Star Trek Mea 3 / Philana / Voice-Over Work"A Taste of Armageddon" and
S3:E10, "Plato's Stepchildren",
plus 4 other episodes
1969 Family Affair Pamela1 episode
1967–1970 Hogan's Heroes Mama Bear / Maria Schmidt3 episodes
1971 Night Gallery Flora Alden1 episode
1972 The F.B.I. Mary Hale1 episode
1972 Banyon Caroline Wheeler1 episode
1968–1973 Mannix Ellen West4 episodes
1973 Cannon Ruth GardnerThe Good Samaritan
1973 Love, American Style Anna Scott1 episode
Shaft Jane Cunningham1 episode
1975 The Streets of San Francisco Judy Tyrell1 episode
1976 Starsky & Hutch Ellen Forbes1 episode
1977 McMillan & Wife Lydia Corman1 episode
Quincy, M.E. Melissa Asten1 episode
The Rockford Files Karen Hall1 episode
1978 Logan's Run Marianne1 episode
1979 Salem's Lot June PetrieTelevision miniseries
1980 Benson Lily Maxwell1 episode
1981 Taxi Karen1 episode
Flo Louise Browning1 episode
1978–1982 Dallas Liz Craig16 episodes
1983 Cheers Lana Marshall1 episode
1984The Four SeasonsLorraine Elliot13 episodes
1984 Steambath Wanda BlakelyEpisode: "Madison Avenue Madness"
1985 Hotel Monica Shawcross1 episode
1986 Mr. Sunshine Mrs. June Swinford11 episodes
1981–1982, 1984, 1986, 1987 Hill Street Blues Grace Gardner16 episodes
Primetime Emmy Award
for Outstanding Lead Actress
in a Drama Series (1981)
1987 The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents Cissie Enright1 episode
CableACE Award for
Outstanding Actress in
a Dramatic Series (1988)
Remington Steele Marisa Peters2 episodes
1987–1988 The Law & Harry McGraw Ellie Maginnis16 episodes
1989–1990 Empty Nest Paula Conroy2 episodes
1990 The Golden Girls Charmaine Hollingsworth1 episode
China Beach Lieutenant Colonel Libby Heiss1 episode
1991 Wings Mae Hackett1 episode
1985–1993 Murder, She Wrote Various roles5 episodes
1993–1998 Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Dorothy Jennings100 episodes
Nominated—
Primetime Emmy Award
for Outstanding Supporting Actress
in a Drama Series (1995)
1998 Chicago Hope Beverly Kronk2 episodes
2000 The Pretender Edna Raines2 episodes
2001 Frasier Penelope Janvier1 episode
2001–2002 Pasadena Lillian Greeley8 episodes
2002–2004 Judging Amy Diane McCarty2 episodes

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Barbara Babcock". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved September 14, 2024.[ dead link ]
  2. 1 2 "Barbara Babcock 'intriguing'". The Gettysburg Times. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. April 17, 1982. p. 16. Retrieved February 21, 2016– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. ↑ "State Secrets". The Kokomo Tribune. Indiana, Kokomo. The Kokomo Tribune. November 13, 1987. p. 24. Retrieved February 23, 2016– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  4. 1 2 "Awards Search: Barbara Babcock". Television Academy. Archived from the original on March 22, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Barbara Babcock - Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos - AllMovie". AllMovie.[ dead link ]
  6. ↑ "Barbara Babcock".[ dead link ]
  7. ↑ "A Vow to Cherish - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. January 9, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Home Alone 4 - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. November 30, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Carmel Through the Eyes of Barbara Babcock – Carmel Magazine". carmelmagazine.com.
  10. ↑ Buck, Jerry (April 16, 1982). "There's more than Grace". Spokane Chronicle. Washington, Spokane. Associated Press. p. 39. Retrieved September 18, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
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