Biography for
Barbara Rush More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

Mini Biography

The epitome of poise, charm, style and grace, beautiful brunette Barbara Rush was born in Denver, Colorado in 1927 and enrolled at the University of California before working with the University Players and taking acting classes at the Pasadena Playhouse. It didn't take long for talent scouts to spot her and, following a play performance, Paramount quickly signed her up in 1950, making her debut with The Goldbergs (1950). Just prior to this, she had met fellow actor Jeffrey Hunter, an incredibly handsome newcomer who would later become a "beefcake" bobbysoxer idol over at Fox. The two fell in love quickly and married in December of 1950. Soon, they were on their way to becoming one of Hollywood's most beautiful and photogenic young couples. Their son Christopher was born in 1952.

While at Paramount, she was decorative in such assembly-line fare as When Worlds Collide (1951), Quebec (1951), The First Legion (1951), Flaming Feather (1952) and Prince of Pirates (1953). Universal picked up her option where she continued to provide love interest angles amid the action and derring-do with It Came from Outer Space (1953), Taza, Son of Cochise (1954) and The Black Shield of Falworth (1954). She finally got her break with the second lead femme role in the popular Jane Wyman tearjerker Magnificent Obsession (1954), the movie that certified Rock Hudson as a top star. From there, Barbara's own star began to ascend in more quality pictures. She co-starred opposite some of Hollywood's top leading males in such glossy dramas as Bigger Than Life (1956) starring James Mason, No Down Payment (1957) with ex-husband Jeffrey Hunter (they had divorced in 1955), The Young Lions (1958) starring Montgomery Clift, Marlon Brando and Dean Martin, The Young Philadelphians (1959) alongside Paul Newman, The Bramble Bush (1960) with Richard Burton and Strangers When We Meet (1960) with Kirk Douglas. In most cases, she played brittle wives, conniving "other women" or socialite girlfriend types.

Despite the "A" list movies Barbara was piling up, the one single role that could put her over the top never showed its face. By the early 60s, her film career started to decline. She married publicist Warren Cowan in 1959 and bore a second child, Claudia Cowan, in 1964. TV became a viable source of income for Barbara, appearing in scores of guest parts on the more popular shows of the time ("Peyton Place" (1964), "Medical Center" (1969), "Ironside" (1967)) while co-starring in standard mini-movie dramas. She even had a bit of fun playing a "guest villainess" on the "Batman" (1966) series as temptress "Nora Clavicle". The stage also became a strong focus for Barbara, earning the Sarah Siddons Award for her starring role in "Forty Carats". She made her Broadway debut in the one-woman 1980s showcase "A Woman of Independent Means", which also subsequently earned her the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award during its tour. Other showcases included "Private Lives", "Same Time, Next Year", "The Night of the Iguana" and "Steel Magnolias". The still-beautiful Ms. Rush occasionally graces the big and small screen these days, more recently in a recurring role on TV's "7th Heaven" (1996).

Spouse

Trivia

Aunt of actress Carolyn Hennesy.

Children: Christopher Hunter, Claudia Cowan.

Son is Christopher Hunter, born 8/29/52.

Measurements: 34-22-34 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)

Is mentioned in the 1974 movie Shampoo (1975), when hairdresser Warren Beatty says "I do Barbara Rush's hair".

Daughter Claudia Cowan is a journalist for Fox News.

Was separated from second husband Warren Cowan in 1969 at the time she learned of first husband Jeffrey Hunter's sudden death following brain surgery after falling down a flight of stairs.

Sister-in-law of Dale Hennesy

Along with Leonard Nimoy, David McCallum, Cliff Robertson and Peter Breck, she is one of only five actors to appear in both "The Outer Limits" (1963) and the revival "The Outer Limits" (1995) and the only woman to do so.

Personal Quotes

I can safely say that every movie role I was ever offered that had any real quality went to someone else.

Browse biographies section by name

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z