# Barbara Darrow > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Barbara_Darrow > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Barbara_Darrow.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Darrow > Source revision: 1343451563 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American actress (1931–2018)}} {{Use American English|date=September 2021}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox person | name = Barbara Darrow | image = Barbara Darrow 1958.jpg | caption = Darrow in 1958 | birth_date = {{Birth date|1931|11|18|mf=yes}} | birth_place = [Hollywood, California](/source/Hollywood%2C_California), U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|08|26|1931|11|18|mf=yes}} | death_place = [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles), [California](/source/California), U.S. | resting_place = [Forest Lawn Memorial Park](/source/Forest_Lawn_Memorial_Park_(Glendale)), [Glendale, California](/source/Glendale%2C_California) | other_names = | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1950–1977 | spouse = {{marriage|[Thomas D. Tannenbaum](/source/Thomas_D._Tannenbaum)|1956|2001|reason=d.}} | children = 3 | relatives = [John Darrow](/source/John_Darrow) (uncle) | website = }} '''Barbara Darrow''' (November 18, 1931 - August 26, 2018){{Citation needed |date=October 2020}} was an American [motion picture](/source/film) and television [actress](/source/actress). She died on August 26 2018 of a heart attack at 86. ==Early years== Darrow was born in [Hollywood, California](/source/Hollywood%2C_California), to George H. Wittlinger,{{cite news |title=Daughter of Gardener Has Film Pact Approved |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27375817/barbara_darrow/ |accessdate=19 January 2019 |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=September 1, 1950 |location=California, Los Angeles |page=9|via = [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)}} a motion-picture landscape artist, and Alice Simpson Wittlinger,{{cite news |title=Film Pay Hike Approved for Drama Student |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27376160/barbara_darrow/ |accessdate=19 January 2019 |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=August 22, 1951 |location=California, Los Angeles |page=Part 2, p 1|via = [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)}} a former silent-screen actress.[http://www.glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com/show.php?id=60 Barbara Darrow] at Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen, retrieved January 28, 2012 She graduated from Hollywood High School.{{cite news |last1=Hopper |first1=Hedda |title=Dan Duryea to Star in Al Jennings Role |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27375502/the_los_angeles_times/ |accessdate=19 January 2019 |work=The Los Angeles Times |agency=Chicago Tribune-New York News Syndicate, Inc. |date=March 29, 1950 |location=California, Los Angeles |page=Part III, p 6|via = [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)}} ==Career== Darrow's work as a model led to her receiving offers of film contracts. On August 31, 1950, a judge approved her seven-year contract with [RKO Studios](/source/RKO_Studios). She made mostly [B-movie](/source/B-movie)s in the 1950s, including ''The Monster That Challenged The World'' and ''[Queen of Outer Space](/source/Queen_of_Outer_Space)''. She replaced [Marla English](/source/Marla_English) opposite [Spencer Tracy](/source/Spencer_Tracy) in ''[The Mountain](/source/The_Mountain_(1956_film))'', after English had an adverse reaction to a [smallpox](/source/smallpox) [vaccine](/source/vaccine).{{cite news |title=Marla English: She chose love |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27413007/marla_english/ |accessdate=20 January 2019 |work=Arizona Daily Star |agency=Parade |date=September 19, 1955 |location=Arizona, Tucson |page=27|via = [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)}} By 1955, she was one of only three actors under contract to RKO.{{Citation needed |date=December 2021}} On television, Darrow portrayed Nurse Forester in the NBC medical drama ''[Doctors' Hospital](/source/Doctors'_Hospital)''.{{cite book|last1=Terrace|first1=Vincent|title=Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010|date=2011|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=978-0-7864-6477-7|page=272|edition=2nd}} She also made several appearances in one or two episodes of popular television shows in the 1950s. Some of these include ''[The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show](/source/The_George_Burns_and_Gracie_Allen_Show)'', ''[Bachelor Father](/source/Bachelor_Father_(U.S._TV_series))'', ''[The Bob Cummings Show](/source/The_Bob_Cummings_Show)'', ''[M Squad](/source/M_Squad)'', and ''[Peter Gunn](/source/Peter_Gunn)''. ==Personal life== On September 28, 1956, Darrow married [Thomas David Tannenbaum](/source/Thomas_D._Tannenbaum), son of David Tannenbaum (mayor of [Beverly Hills](/source/Beverly_Hills%2C_California) for two terms in 1952 and 1956), and remained married until his death on December 1, 2001. A talent agent at MGM, he became the founding president of [Viacom](/source/Viacom_(2005%E2%80%93present)).{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2001/scene/people-news/tom-tannenbaum-1117856687/|title=Tom Tannenbaum|first1=Eileen|last1=Kowalski|date=December 4, 2001|publisher=}} They had three children. Her youngest daughter Audrey married [Bobby Darin](/source/Bobby_Darin) and [Sandra Dee](/source/Sandra_Dee)'s only child, Dodd Darin.{{cite news |last1=Cerio |first1=Gregory |title=This Boys' Life |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20104376,00.html |access-date=December 15, 2021 |work=People |date=November 14, 1994 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055551/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20104376,00.html |archive-date=March 4, 2016}} Her son Eric Tannenbaum became president of [Columbia TriStar Television](/source/Columbia_TriStar_Television) at age 33;{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-10-07-mn-51456-story.html|title=TV's Rising Moguls: Young and Restless|first1=SALLIE|last1=HOFMEISTER|first2=BRIAN|last2=LOWRY|date=October 7, 1996|publisher=|via=LA Times}} he later executive produced ''[Two and a Half Men](/source/Two_and_a_Half_Men)''. Darrow's uncle is [John Darrow](/source/John_Darrow), a silent-film star turned successful agent, from whom she borrowed her stage name. Her older sister Madelyn Darrow became a model, and married tennis player [Pancho Gonzales](/source/Pancho_Gonzales).{{Cite book|author=Samuel Claesson|author-link=|title=Glamour: Models, Mannequins, and Pinups of the 1950s|page=142|publisher=Sequoia Press|date=January 31, 2025|isbn=9798350736847}} ==Filmography== ===Movies=== {{div col|colwidth=26em}} *''[Tall Story](/source/Tall_Story)'' - Frieda Jensen (1960)[http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/barbara-darrow/207660 Barbara Darrow] at TVguide, retrieved January 28, 2012 *''[Queen of Outer Space](/source/Queen_of_Outer_Space)'' - Kaeel (1958) *''[The Monster That Challenged the World](/source/The_Monster_That_Challenged_the_World)'' - Jody Sims (1957) *''[The Mountain](/source/The_Mountain_(1956_film))'' - Simone (1956) *''[The Best Things in Life Are Free](/source/The_Best_Things_in_Life_Are_Free_(film))'' - Brenda (uncredited, 1956) *''Diane'' - Lady in Waiting (uncredited, 1956) *''[Susan Slept Here](/source/Susan_Slept_Here)'' - Miss Jennings (1954)''[https://web.archive.org/web/20110923175107/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/1064/Susan-Slept-Here/ Susan Slept Here]'' at TCM Movie Database *''[The French Line](/source/The_French_Line)'' - Donna Adams (1953) *''[Grounds for Marriage](/source/Grounds_for_Marriage)'' - Pretty Girl (uncredited, 1951) *''[A Life of Her Own](/source/A_Life_of_Her_Own)'' (uncredited, 1950) {{div col end}} ===Television=== {{div col|colwidth=26em}} *''[Switch](/source/Switch_(American_TV_series))'' - Nurse, Willie (2 episodes, 1977) *''Doctors Hospital'' - Nurse Forester (1975) *''[Mission: Impossible](/source/Mission%3A_Impossible_(1966_TV_series))'' - Proprietress (1972) *''[Love, American Style](/source/Love%2C_American_Style)'' - Helen, Elizabeth (2 segments, 1970–1971) *''[Alcoa Theatre](/source/Alcoa_Theatre)'' - ''The Silent Kill'', Linda Hollander (1960) *''[Tightrope](/source/Tightrope_(TV_series))'' - Lois (1 episode, 1959) *''[Markham](/source/Markham_(TV_series))'' - Helen Dunhill (1 episode, 1959) *''Adventure Showcase'' - Linda Hollander (1 episode, 1959) *''[Colt .45](/source/Colt_.45_(TV_series))'' - Nita (1 episode, 1959) *''[M Squad](/source/M_Squad)'' - Shelly Dana (1 episode, 1959) *''[Peter Gunn](/source/Peter_Gunn)'' - Virginia Pelgram (1 episode, 1959) *''[The Bob Cummings Show](/source/The_Bob_Cummings_Show)'' - Betty Jean, Lola (2 episodes, 1958–1959) *''[Goodyear Theatre](/source/Goodyear_Theatre)'' - Oma Jean (1 episode, 1958) *''[Bachelor Father](/source/Bachelor_Father_(U.S._TV_series))'' - Carol Spencer (1 episode, 1958) *''[Mike Hammer](/source/Mickey_Spillane's_Mike_Hammer_(1958_TV_series))'' - Sharon O'Closky (1 episode, 1958) *''[The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show](/source/The_George_Burns_and_Gracie_Allen_Show)'' - Barbara Parker, Peggy, Sylvia (3 episodes, 1957–1958) *''G.E. True Theater'' - Rita (1 episode, 1957) {{div col end}} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{IMDb name}} * {{Rotten Tomatoes}} {{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Darrow, Barbara}} Category:1931 births Category:2018 deaths Category:20th-century American actresses Category:Actresses from Los Angeles Category:American film actresses Category:American television actresses Category:RKO Pictures contract players Category:21st-century American women Category:Actors from Hollywood, Los Angeles --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Barbara Darrow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Darrow) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Darrow?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.