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Barbara Stanwyck

American actress (1907–1990)

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Barbara Stanwyck was an American actress who had a long career in film and television from the 1920s through the 1980s. She is remembered as one of Hollywood's most respected and versatile performers, known for her work across multiple genres and her influence on the entertainment industry during a transformative era.

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Person · Open Library

Born: 1907
Died: 1990
Works: 1

Top works

Arms and the girl

via Open Library + Wikidata

Film & TV

Acting · Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Barbara Stanwyck (July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress. A film and television star, she was known during her 60-year career as a consummate and versatile professional with a strong screen presence and was a favorite of directors including Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang, and Frank Capra. After a short stint as a stage actress, she made 85 films in 38 years in Hollywood, before…

Known for

Citizen Jane Fonda2020
Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood — Various Roles (archive footage)2008
Warner at War — (archive footage)2008
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema — Self (archive footage)2007
Bad Girls Behind Bars — Nan Taylor (archive footage)2005
Complicated Women — Self (archive footage)2003

Article

Barbara Stanwyck (/ˈstænwɪk/; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career, she was known for her strong, realistic screen presence and versatility. She was a favorite of directors, including Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang, and Frank Capra, and made 86 films in 38 years before turning to television. She received numerous accolades, including three Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award, and was nominated for four Academy Awards.

Orphaned at the age of four and partially raised in foster homes, she always worked. One of her directors, Jacques Tourneur, said of her, "She only lives for two things, and both of them are work." She made her debut on stage in the chorus as a Ziegfeld girl in 1923 at age 16, and within a few years was acting in plays. Her first lead role, which was in the hit Burlesque (1927), established her as a Broadway star. In 1929, she transitioned from the stage to the film industry, and began acting in talking pictures, the first of which was George Archainbaud's The Locked Door, where her naturalistic acting style and unaffected vocal delivery were instantly evident. Frank Capra chose her for his romantic drama Ladies of Leisure (1930), and Stanwyck later became a favorite of Capra’s, leading to another three collaborations. This led to additional leading roles which raised her profile, such as Night Nurse (1931), Baby Face (1933), the controversial The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933), and Gambling Lady (1934).