Home Forums Blogs Articles Photos Videos Contact FAQ

Barbara Stanwyck

Barbara Stanwyck: Encyclopedia - Barbara Stanwyck

Barbara Stanwyck (July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American film and television actress. Born Ruby Katherine Stevens in New York City to Byron Stevens (the son of English immigrants) and Catherine McGee (whose parents were Irish). Her mother died when she was four, not long before her father abandoned the family. She was raised by an elder sister but began working at age 1 ...

Including:

Barbara Stanwyck - Filmography

Barbara Stanwyck, Barbara Stanwyck - Filmography, Other notable figures in Western films

Barbara Stanwyck: Encyclopedia - Barbara Stanwyck

Barbara Stanwyck

Barbara Stanwyck (July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American film and television actress.

Born Ruby Katherine Stevens in New York City to Byron Stevens (the son of English immigrants) and Catherine McGee (whose parents were Irish). Her mother died when she was four, not long before her father abandoned the family. She was raised by an elder sister but began working at age 13, and was a Broadway chorine in 1922 at the age of 15.

A friend introduced her to Willard Mack in 1926 who was casting his play The Noose. Asked to audition, she was cast on the spot. Willard thought a great deal of Ruby and believed that to change her image she needed a first class name, one that would stand out. He happened to notice a playbill for a play then running called "Barbara Frietchie" in which an actress named Joan Stanwyck appeared. He used this to come with "Barbara Stanwyck" as Ruby's new stage name. She was an instant hit and he even re-wrote the script to give her a bigger part.

Her first husband was established actor Frank Fay, and they were married from 1928 – 1936. On December 5, 1932 they adopted a son, Dion, from whom Stanwyck was later estranged. Fay's successful career on Broadway did not translate to the big screen, whereas Stanwyck achieved Hollywood stardom fairly rapidly. Also, Fay reportedly did not shy away from physical confrontations with his young wife, especially when he was inebriated. Some film historians claim that the Fay-Stanwyck marriage was the basis for A Star is Born. Her younger brother, Byron Stevens, became an actor in Hollywood, probably with his sister's connections, but he never found real fame.

Stanwyck starred in almost a hundred films during her career and received four nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress: Stella Dallas (1937), Ball of Fire (1941), Double Indemnity (1944), and Sorry, Wrong Number (1948). She received an Academy Honorary Award "for superlative creativity and unique contribution to the art of screen acting" in 1982. In her later years, she also starred in television, notably in the 1960s Western series, The Big Valley. Her last starring role was in 1985, in The Colbys.

Stanwyck was rumoured to have been a lesbian, and to have gone to great length to protect her privacy. Towards the end of her life she was one of Boze Hadleigh's interviewees in his seminal book (10) Hollywood Lesbians, although according to Hadleigh, she threw him out of her house before the interview was concluded for his increasing "impertinence". The book was released in 1996 after all 10 actresses/interviewees had died. Posthumously, her relationships with "good friend" and companion, Helen Ferguson, and fellow star and friend, Joan Crawford, were discussed publically. By Hadleigh's account her second husband, the younger actor Robert Taylor, was bisexual, and their marriage was probably arranged with the help of the studio for the primary sake of convenience. Taylor was rumored to have had several affairs during the marriage, including one with Ava Gardner. Stanwyck was rumored to have attempted suicide when she learned of Taylor's fling with Lana Turner. She ultimately filed for divorce in 1950 when a starlet made her romance with Taylor public.

She and Taylor enjoyed their time together outdoors during the early years of their marriage, and were the proud owners of many acres of prime West Los Angeles property. Their large ranch and home in the Mandeville Canyon section of Brentwood, Los Angeles, California is still to this day referred to by locals as the old "Robert Taylor ranch". After her divorce from Taylor, Stanwyck had several discreet romances including one which was revealed many years later by actor Robert Wagner, 23 years her junior.

Beloved by her directors and most of her co-workers for her lack of vanity and unprententiousness on film sets, Barbara Stanwyck was not without flaws. She was considerably less friendly with her younger female co-stars than the male ones, and was notorious for holding grudges against those whom she believed crossed her (like Bette Davis, with whom she appeared in a movie in 1932). Stanwyck's good qualities, however, outweighed the bad, and she was much loved for her professionalism, lack of hypocrisy, and easy-to-get-along-with attitude on set.

Her retirement years were active with charity work which were done completely out of the limelight. She died at age 82 of congestive heart disease at her home in Santa Monica, California in 1990.

For her contributions to the motion picture industry, Barbara Stanwyck has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1751 Vine Street.

In 1973, she was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.