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Barbara Lawrence

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Actress

The Resume

    (February 24, 1930-November 13, 2013)
    Born in Carnegie, Oklahoma
    Birth name was Barbara Jo Lawrence
    Named Little Miss Hollywood of 1942, leading to a professional modeling career
    Answered a 20th Century Fox casting call for showgirls in 1944
    Subsequently was cast as a chorus girl in Betty Grable's 'Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe' (1945)
    Portrayed herself in the Bette Davis movie, 'The Star' (1952)
    Also acted in 'Margie,' 'Captain from Castile,' 'You Were Meant for Me,' 'Give My Regards to Broadway,' 'A Letter to Three Wives,' 'The Street with No Name,' 'Thieves' Highway,' 'Peggy,' 'Here Come the Nelsons,' 'Arena,' 'Her Twelve Men,' 'Kronos,' and 'Oklahoma!'
    Retired from acting in 1962, eventually selling real estate

Why she might be annoying:

    She became a model at the age of 5.
    Her death went unreported for over two months.
    She is confused with Barbara Lang. Or Payton. Or Nichols (too many blondes named Barbara).
    Along with June Haver, she was groomed as 20th Century Fox's presumptive successor to Betty Grable.
    That is, until the studio discovered that they had signed a 14-year-old girl to be paraded around in feathers, pearls, and evening gowns.
    At which point they folded up faster than a three card monte dealer being chased by the transit police, relegating her to sister/friend-of-daughter/'other women' roles, unsure of what else to do with her.
    By the time she was of-age, Marilyn Monroe had become the inheritor of Grable's 'top blonde bombshell' slot, resulting in her migrating to MGM as their potential answer to Monroe.
    She sealed her fate by committing the unpardonable sin for any aspiring starlet - playing an existing movie star in a supporting role (haunting Bette Davis' 'washed up movie star' character as 'herself').
    She and Gig Young took part in one of the ill-fated 3-D fiascos of the 1950s, 'Arena' (projects that wouldn't be successful for another 50 years).

Why she might not be annoying:

    She guest starred on several episodes of Perry Mason before her retirement.
    She was a triple threat who was equally adept at high drama and satirical comedy.
    At the age of only 18, she had a sharp enough sense of timing to make the most out of a small role in the inimitable wit Preston Sturges' 'Unfaithfully Yours.'
    She was a classmate of Peggy Ann Garner, Roddy McDowall, Elizabeth Taylor, and Darryl Hickman.
    Her failure to attain stardom has been called one of the most puzzling malfunctions of the studio system.
    Part of the problem allegedly stemmed from her being deemed 'too tall' to be a credible leading lady.
    It is widely believed that she was misused by the studios - her thick voice and range of expressions were better suited for comedy (drawing comparisons to a young Lucille Ball).
    She had a memorable role in 'Oklahoma!' getting into a knockdown catfight with Gloria Grahame's 'Ado Annie' character (whom she physically resembled to a degree).
    She was working as June Haver's wardrobe stand-in for 'Margie' when Haver backed out of the film. Darryl Zanuck was reportedly so impressed by what he saw that he gave her the role, instead (as Jeanne Crain's sexy small-town siren rival).
    She attained a late cult following among sci-fi enthusiasts for her work in 'Kronos, Destroyer of the Universe,' alongside George 'Jetson' O'Hanlon.
    She was stabbed by an unknown assailant who was never apprehended. The wound was so deep that she required treatment at the Santa Monica Emergency Hospital (1948).

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 35 Votes: 25.71% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 5 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 6 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 22 Votes: 36.36% Annoying