BARBARA STANWYCK BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Barbara Stanwyck was born Ruby Stevens on July 16th, 1907 in Brooklyn, New York to Byron and Catherine McGee Stevens.  At the young tender age of only 4 in 1910 her mother died as a result of being knocked off a trolley by a drunk man, her father could not cope and ran away to Panama, so she was left orphaned and her older sister, Mildred, a showgirl, raised her.  Only 10 years later, at the age of fourteen she quit school and began dancing in local Cabarets.  A year later she got a job as a Ziegfled chorus girl.  Her first Broadway Debut as in "The Noose" 1926 followed by "Burlesque".  MGM requested a screen test from her, which she chose to decline, but was willing to take a supporting role in "Broadway Nights", 1927.  In 1928, she wed her first husband, Frank Fay, a actor/comedian.  

Her success continued in 1929 appearing in the drama, "The Locked Door" playing side by side with her husband, Frank Fay.  She then chose to travel to Hollywood, but after an unsuccessful attempt at Warner Brothers, she appeared in  Columbia's Low Budget "Mexicali Rose" followed in 1930 by Capra's "Ladies of Leisure".  It was this film that really took her career to the next level of stardom.  She was given a long term contract with Columbia.  Warner's was allowed to use her in a film, "Illicit" in 1931 and it was this film that became a big hit.  The public was quite intrigued by her performances and since she had quite a few successful films on her resume, she decided to sue Columbia for a higher salary.  This resulted in a deal where Columbia and Warner's could share her and she appeared in pictures such as, "Miracle Woman", "Night Nurse" starring with Ben Lyon, Clark Gable and Joan Blondell and "Forbidden".  In 1932 she also worked on films such as, "Shopworn", "Ladies They Talk About" and "Baby Face" co-starring George Brent with a small role by John Wayne.  She began to get the reputation of a 'working girl' image. 
 
In 1935, on New Year's Eve,  she ended her marriage to Frank Fay, due to his violent temper and addiction to alcohol. Her career then proceeded with her signing a contract with RKO, where she starred as Annie Oakley.  However, this contract she signed was non-exclusive, and she was allowed to enter deals with some multi pictures with Fox, "A Message to Garcia" 1936 and MGM "His Brothers Wife" co staring Robert Taylor who she later married as husband number 2. 
 
One of her first of four Academy Award Nominations was for the film "Stella Dallas" in 1937 which featured fellow actors Tim Holt, Alan Hale, Hattie McDaniel and Marjorie Main.  He earned her second nomination for her role in the comedy film, "Ball of Fire" in 1941 with Gary Cooper.  "Meet John Doe" was another 1941 film again starring Gary Cooper along with Edward Arnold, Spring Byington and Walter Brennan.  1946 brought her pairing with Kirk Douglas, Lizabeth Scott, Darryl Hickman and Van Heflin in "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers".  Perhaps her most amazing performance was in Billy Wilder's film noir classic, "Double Indemnity" starring alongside Fred MacMurray and Edward G. Robinson.  This film secured her third Oscar Nomination.  Her final nomination came from her appearance in "Sorry, Wrong Number" 1948 a suspense thriller starring with Burt Lancaster, Wendell Corey, Ann Richards, Ed Begley, Leif Erickson and William Conrad.  Her second marriage was also unsuccessful and ended in divorce in 1951. 
 
In 1952 she appeared opposite Marilyn Monroe in "Clash By Night" 1952.  Majority of her material was finding her to be type cast to playing only one type of character.  She appeared in a great disaster film in 1953 "Titanic" starring with Clifton Webb and Robert Wagner, whom she was reportedly having as tryst with.  By the late 1950's she started to let herself go....her hair began to turn Gray and she found herself cast in a series of low budget Western's, one of which was "The Violent Men" (1955) starring with Glenn Ford, Edward G. Robinson, Brian Keith, Diane Foster, May Wynn and Warner Anderson.  In 1957, she did appear in Samuel Fuller's "Forty Guns" and she did get some notice, however this was her last film for the next 5 years. 
 
The year 1960, brought a change in her career path and a move to Television.  She hosted "The Barbara Stanwyck Show" and won an Emmy for her work.  However in 1962 she did return to her initial introduction to the acting world and appeared in "A Walk On The Wild Side".  This appearance was followed by a role in, "The Night Walker". 

1964 brought about a starring role alongside Elvis Presley in "Roustabout" which also featured Leif Erickson.

Back to television she went with her long running western series "The Big Valley" co-starring as her on-screen family Lee Majors, Peter Breck, Richard Long and Linda Evans.  Here she earned another Emmy for her performances.  Upon completion of this project she made a TV movie, "The House that Would Not Die" followed by "A Taste of Evil" 1971 and "The Letters" 1973. 
 
Barbara Stanwyck received numerous awards on top of her Oscar nominations such as an honorary Oscar and The Recipient of the Lincoln Center Life Achievements Award.  She was named the 40th Greatest Movie Star of all times by Entertainment Weekly.  She was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located on 1751 Vine Street.  She was also inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1973.  She did make one more final return to television, where she headlined, "The Colby's".  A spin off of the soap opera "Dynasty".  This was her final project before retiring from her successful career. 

The American Film Institute (AFI) named Barbara Stanwyck as the 12th greatest female star of all time. 
 
Stanwyck died January 20, 1990. She had chosen not to have a funeral or be buried, instead her ashes are scattered in Lone Pine, California. She left behind 93 movie appearances and a host of television appearances.  She is a legend in Hollywood and will always be remembered as the matriarch of the family. 

Filmography

1927  Broadway Nights
1929  The Locked Door
1929  Mexicali Rose
1930  Ladies of Leisure
1931  Illicit
1931  Ten Cents a Dance
1931  Night Nurse
1931  The Miracle Woman
1932  Forbidden
1932  Shopworn
1932  So Big!
1932  The Purchase Price
1933  The Bitter Tea of General Yen
1933  Ladies They Talk About
1933  Baby Face
1933  Ever in My Heart
1934  Gambling Lady
1934  A Lost Lady
1934  The Secret Bride
1935  The Woman in Red
1935  Red Salute
1935  Annie Oakley
1936  A Message to Garcia
1936  The Bride Walks Out
1936  His Brother's Wife
1936  Banjo on My Knee
1936  The Plough and the Stars
1937  Internes Can't Take Money
1937  This Is My Affair
1937  Stella Dallas
1937  Breakfast for Two
1938  Always Goodbye
1938  The Mad Miss Manton
1939  Union Pacific
1939  Golden Boy
1940  Remember the Night
1941  The Lady Eve
1941  Meet John Doe
1941  You Belong to Me
1941  Ball of Fire
1942  The Great Man's Lady
1942  The Gay Sisters
1943  Lady of Burlesque
1943  Flesh and Fantasy
1944  Double Indemnity
1944  Hollywood Canteen
1945  Christmas in Connecticut
1946  My Reputation
1946  The Bride Wore Boots
1946  The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
1946  California
1947  The Two Mrs. Carrolls
1947  The Other Love
1947  Cry Wolf
1947  Variety Girl
1948  B.F.'s Daughter
1948  Sorry, Wrong Number
1949  The Lady Gambles
1949  East Side, West Side
1950  The File on Thelma Jordon
1950  No Man of Her Own
1950  The Furies
1950  To Please a Lady
1951  The Man with a Cloak
1952  Clash by Night
1953  Jeopardy
1953  Titanic
1953  All I Desire
1953  The Moonlighter
1953  Blowing Wild
1954  Witness to Murder
1954  Executive Suite
1954  Cattle Queen of Montana
1955  The Violent Men
1955  Escape to Burma
1956  There's Always Tomorrow
1956  The Maverick Queen
1956  These Wilder Years
1957  Crime of Passion
1957  Trooper Hook
1957  Forty Guns
1962  Walk on the Wild Side
1964  Roustabout
1964  The Night Walker
1965  Love Goddesses

1977  That's Action