Barbara Parkins

{{short description|Canadian actress}} {{Infobox person | name = Barbara Parkins | image = Barbara Parkins Valley of the Dolls.jpg | caption = Kevin Norte and Parkins at a benefit reading of ''Valley of the Dolls'' in Hollywood in 2006 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1942|5|22}} | birth_place = Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | death_date = | death_place = | years_active = 1961–1998 | occupation = {{hlist|Actress|singer|dancer|photographer|artist}} | spouse = 1 (divorced) | children = 1 | website = {{URL|barbaraparkins.com}} }}

'''Barbara Parkins''' (born May 22, 1942)<ref name=TCM>{{cite web |title=Barbara Parkins |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/147845%7C17811/Barbara-Parkins#overview |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022034350/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/147845%7C17811/Barbara-Parkins/#overview |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 22, 2012 |website=Turner Classic Movies |publisher=Turner Classic Movies |access-date=15 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Barbara Parkins |url=https://www.girl.com.au/celebrities/barbara-parkins.htm |website=girl.com.au |publisher=Girl.com.au, a Trillion Company |access-date=15 September 2024}}</ref><ref name=TVG>{{cite web |title=Barbara Parkins |url=https://www.tvinsider.com/people/barbara-parkins/ |website=tvinsider.com |publisher=NTVB Media, Inc / TV Guide |access-date=15 September 2024}}</ref> is a Canadian-American former actress, singer, dancer and photographer.

==Early life== Parkins was born in Vancouver, British Columbia.<ref name=TCM/><ref name=TVG/> At the age of 16, she and her adoptive mother moved to Los Angeles, where she enrolled at Hollywood High School and studied acting, tap, ballet and fencing at the Falcon School, where her mother played the piano.<ref>Spaner, David. ''Dreaming in The Rain'' (2003). Arsenal Pulp Press, {{ISBN|1-55152-129-6}}, p. 5</ref>

Parkins worked as an usher in a cinema to pay for drama lessons.<ref name="usher">"Actress Barbara Parkins Once Ushered at Movies" by Bob Thomas, ''Nashua Telegraph'', December 22, 1965, p. 9</ref>

==Professional life== Parkins began her career as a backup singer and dancer in the nightclub acts of stars like comedian George Burns.<ref>{{cite web |title=Parkins, Barbara 1942– |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/parkins-barbara-1942 |website=encyclopedia.com |publisher=Encyclopedia.com |access-date=15 September 2024}}</ref> She made her film debut in the 1961 low-budget crime caper ''20,000 Eyes'', and guest-starred in television series such as ''Leave It to Beaver'', ''The Untouchables'', ''Perry Mason'' and ''The Wide Country''.

thumb|Parkins in a promotional photo for ''Peyton Place'' Parkins was involved in two of the most highly publicized projects of the 1960s, the ABC primetime serial ''Peyton Place'', and the film adaptation of Jacqueline Susann's best-selling novel, ''Valley of the Dolls''.

In ''Peyton Place'', Parkins received lead billing for her role as small-town bad girl Betty Anderson. The character was scripted to die in a car crash six weeks into the season, but audience reaction to Parkins was overwhelmingly favorable and her character was kept in the story line. In a late-1965 interview, the actress said she was lucky to have the role of Anderson, calling her character the "salt and pepper in the stew".<ref name="usher" />

Parkins was the only leading cast member nominated for an award throughout the run of the series (Lee Grant and Ruth Warrick were nominated in 1966 and 1967, respectively, for supporting actress Emmy Awards, with Grant winning the award). In 1966, she was nominated for an Emmy Award as Lead Actress in a Drama Series, but lost to Barbara Stanwyck for ''The Big Valley''. Parkins said while losing the award was painful, she was glad to have lost it to Stanwyck instead of Anne Francis, who was also nominated and whose work Parkins thought was "unfeminine".<ref name="noone">"No. 1 Girl in 'Peyton Place'" by Hal Humphrey, ''The Oakland Tribune'', June 5, 1966, p. 26-EN</ref>

Following the close of ''Peyton Place'', producer Paul Monash developed a spin-off series, ''The Girl from Peyton Place'', for Parkins. However, when co-star Ryan O'Neal, who played her husband, declined to participate, the project was shelved.{{Citation needed |date=March 2024}}

In ''Valley of the Dolls'', Parkins played Anne Welles, a character based on author Susann. The Welles character was described as "the good girl with a million-dollar face and all the bad breaks".{{who|date=January 2023}} Although the film was trashed by the critics, it was a commercial success and became a cult classic. [[File:Valley of the Dolls (1967) still 1.jpg|thumb|right|Left to right: Patty Duke, Mark Robson, Lee Grant, David Weisbart, Jacqueline Susann, and Parkins on the set of ''Valley of the Dolls'' (1967)]] After visiting London in 1968 to be a bridesmaid in the wedding of ''Valley of the Dolls'' co-star Sharon Tate and director Roman Polanski,<ref>Clark, John.[https://archive.today/20120713085217/http://articles.sfgate.com/2006-06-11/entertainment/17297603_1_jacqueline-susann-neely-o-hara-dolls "Speaking Of Dvds: Barbara Parkins"], SFGate.com, June 11, 2006</ref> Parkins moved to England, where she starred in several productions, including ''Puppet on a Chain'' (1970), ''The Mephisto Waltz'' (1971), and ''Shout at the Devil'' (1976), Parkins said she moved to London because it was relaxed and simple, and she loved its traditions.<ref name="men">"Barbara Parkins talks about the men in her life" by Gene Handsaker, ''Independent'', September 8, 1970, p. 16</ref>

Parkins posed for nude pictorials in the May 1967, February 1970 and May 1976 editions of ''Playboy'' magazine.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Parkins appeared on American television in series that included ''Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill'', ''Captains and the Kings'' and ''The Testimony of Two Men,'' ''Fantasy Island'', ''The Love Boat'', ''Hotel'', and ''Vega$''. She also appeared in television films, including ''To Catch a King'', in which she portrayed the Duchess of Windsor, and opposite Sharon Stone in ''Calendar Girl Murders''.

Parkins returned to the role of Betty Anderson in ''Peyton Place: The Next Generation'' (1985), a one-shot sequel to the series.

In 1991, Parkins starred in Canadian mystery series ''Scene of the Crime''. She appeared in two Susann-inspired projects, the biography ''Scandalous Me'' and a segment of the Lifetime series ''Intimate Portrait''.

In 2006, Parkins participated with Ted Casablanca on the audio commentary for the DVD release of ''Valley of the Dolls''.

While filming ''Valley of the Dolls'', Parkins met photographer Edward Steichen, a friend of the film's cinematographer, and was influenced to begin a lifetime career in photography.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rossi |first1=Richard |title=Legendary Actress-Photographer Barbara Parkins of Valley of the Dolls |url=https://www.blogtalkradio.com/richardrossi/2019/01/19/legendary-actress-photographer-barbara-parkins-of-valley-of-the-dolls |website=BlogTalkRadio |access-date=4 June 2022}}</ref> She is also an advocate for endangered wildlife.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Barbara Parkins PHOTOGRAPHY|url=https://barbaraparkins.com/|access-date=2021-03-17|website=Barbara Parkins Photographer|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Barbara Parkins Collection at 100Prints.co.uk|url=https://www.100prints.co.uk/collections/barbara-parkins|access-date=2021-03-17|website=100Prints|language=en}}</ref>

==Filmography== ''Sources:<ref>Terrace, Vincent. ''Encyclopedia of Television Series, Pilots and Specials: 1974-1984'' (1985), Verlag für die Deutsche Wirtschaft AG. {{ISBN|0-918432-61-8}}, pp. 34, 75, 264, 409</ref><ref>[http://www.fandango.com/barbaraparkins/filmography/p55150 Parkins film listing] fandango.com, retrieved January 26, 2010</ref> ''

===Films=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Title !! Role !! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1961 || ''20,000 Eyes'' || High School Girl || |- | 1967 || ''Valley of the Dolls'' || Anne Welles || |- | 1970 || data-sort-value="Kremlin Letter, The" | ''The Kremlin Letter'' || B.A. || |- | rowspan="3" | 1971 || data-sort-value="Mephisto Waltz, The" | ''The Mephisto Waltz'' || Roxanne Delancey || |- | data-sort-value="Deadly Trap, The" | ''The Deadly Trap'' || Cynthia || |- | ''Puppet on a Chain'' || Maggie || |- | 1972 || ''Asylum'' || Bonnie || |- | 1974 || ''Christina'' || Christina/Kay || |- |1976 | ''Shout at the Devil'' || Rosa O'Flynn/Oldsmith || |- | 1979 || ''Bear Island'' || Judith Rubin || |- | 1982 || ''Breakfast in Paris'' || Jackie Wyatt || |- |1984 | ''Katy Caterpillar'' || Mother Nature || English version, voice |}

===TV series=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title !! Role !! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | rowspan="6" | 1961 | data-sort-value="Untouchables, The" | ''The Untouchables'' || uncredited || Episode: "The Lily Dallas Story" |- | data-sort-value="Tall Man, The" | ''The Tall Man'' || Sue Wiley || Episode: "Shadow of the Past" |- | ''Leave It to Beaver'' || Judy Walker || Episode: "No Time for Babysitters" |- | ''87th Precinct'' || Mary || Episode: "Lady Killer" |- | ''Wagon Train'' || Eve || Episode: "The Mark Miner Story" |- | ''General Electric Theater'' || Betty/Ruth || 2 episodes |- | rowspan="3" | 1962 | ''My Three Sons''|| Bobbie || Episode: "Coincidence" |- | ''Perry Mason''|| Paula Durham || Episode: "The Case of the Unsuitable Uncle" |- | ''Dr. Kildare''|| Annie || Episode: "The Soul Killer" |- | 1963 | ''Laramie'' || Marilee Bishop || Episode: "The Wedding Party" |- | 1962-1963 | data-sort-value="Wide Country, The" | ''The Wide Country'' || Sharon Crosley/Billie Kidwell || 2 episodes |- | 1964–1969 | ''Peyton Place'' | Betty Anderson | Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series {{small|(1966)}} |- |1971 |''A Taste of Evil'' |Susan Wilcox |Television film |- | 1972 | ''Ghost Story'' || Eileen Travis || Episode: "The New House" |- |1973 |''Snatched'' |Barbara Maxvill |Television film |- | 1974 | ''Born Free''|| Opal Vanek ||Episode: "The Devil Leopard" |- | 1974 | ''Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill'' | Leonie |6 episodes |- | rowspan="3" | 1976 |''Gibbsville''|| Jenny || Episode: "All the Young Girls" |- | ''Captains and the Kings'' | Martinique |3 episodes |- |''Law of the Land'' |Jane Adams | rowspan="5" |Television film |- | rowspan="2" | 1977 | ''Testimony of Two Men'' | Marjorie Ferrier/Hilda Eaton |- |''Young Joe, the Forgotten Kennedy'' |Vanessa Hunt |- | rowspan="2" |1978 |''Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women'' |Anna Held |- |''The Critical List'' |Angela Adams |- | rowspan="2" | 1980 | ''Vega$'' || Lani || Episode: "Aloha, You're Dead" |- | ''Fantasy Island'' || Lorna Hendricks || Episode: "The Love Doctor/Pleasure Palace/Possessed" |- | 1981 | data-sort-value="Manions of America, The" | ''The Manions of America'' | Charlotte Kent |Miniseries |- | rowspan="2" | 1983 | ''Hotel'' || Eileen Weston || Episode: "Faith, Hope & Charity" |- |''Uncommon Valor'' |Dr. Margaret Houghton | rowspan="2" |Television film |- | rowspan="2" |1984 |''To Catch a King'' |Duchess of Windsor |- |''Calendar Girl Murders'' |Cleo Banks | |- |1985 |''Peyton Place: The Next Generation'' |Betty Anderson | rowspan="2" |Television film |- |1986 |''Perry Mason: The Case of the Notorious Nun'' |Ellen Cartwright |- | 1988 | ''Jake and the Fatman'' || Candace Morgan || Episode: "But Not for Me" |- | 1989 | ''Murder, She Wrote'' || Kay Weber || Episode: "The Error of Her Ways" |- | 1991 | ''Scene of the Crime'' | Various characters |Episode: "Wild About Harry" |- | 1996 | ''Picket Fences'' || Lucy Wanamaker || Episode: "Forget Selma" |- | rowspan="2" |1998 |''Scandalous Me: The Jacqueline Susann Story'' |Annie Laurie Williams |Television film |- | ''Superman: The Animated Series'' || Mother Box || Episode: "Apokolips... Now!" |}

==Notes== {{reflist}}

==References== * Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle. ''The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present'' (2007). Random House, Inc., {{ISBN|0-345-49773-2}}, pp 220, 1077, 1201 * Newcomb, Horace. ''Encyclopedia of Television'' (2004). CRC Press. {{ISBN|1-57958-411-X}}, pp.&nbsp;1754–1756

==External links== {{Commons category|Barbara Parkins}} * {{IMDb name|0662808}} * {{Tcmdb name|Barbara-Parkins}} *Barbara Parkins Photography at [https://barbaraparkins.com/ CeLaVie] *Barbara Parkins Photography Collection at [https://www.100prints.co.uk/collections/barbara-parkins 100Prints.co.uk]

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Category:Living people Category:Actresses from Vancouver Category:American expatriates in France Category:American expatriate actresses Category:American expatriates in England Category:Canadian expatriate actresses in the United States Category:Canadian expatriates in France Category:Canadian expatriates in England Category:Canadian film actresses Category:Canadian television actresses Category:Actresses from Greater Los Angeles Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Hollywood High School alumni