Barbara Stanwyck Legendary American Actress

Barbara Stanwyck was an American actress of stage, film and screen, reaching the height of popularity in the mid-twentieth century. In her long career, she won three Emmy Awards, one Golden Globe Award and received four Academy Award nominations. In 1982 she was given the Academy Honorary Award for superlative creativity and unique contribution to the art of screen acting

Barbara Stanwyck was born on July 6, 1907 as Ruby Catherine Stevens. Her mother died when she was just two and she was soon abandoned by her father as well. She was raised in foster homes and by an older sister. By the age of 13 she was already working and at 15 she entered show business as a Ziegfeld girl. In 1926 she caught the attention of Willard Mack who gave her a new screen name and cast her in his play, The Noose. The play became one of the biggest hits of the season and earned Stanwyck both critical and popular attention.

Barbara Stanwyck made her debut on the silver screen with the 1927 silent film, Broadway Nights in which she landed the minor role of a fan dancer. However, she went on to hit big time in Hollywood and starred in almost hundred films. Four times she was nominated by the Academy Awards in the category of the Best Actress for her performance in films like Stella Dallas, Ball of Fire, Double Indemnity and Sorry, Wrong Number. In 1954 she appeared in the western, Cattle Queen of Montana with co-actor Ronald Reagan.

After the high point in her film career, Stanwyck moved on to television in the 1960s. From 1961 to 1962 she appeared in The Barbara Stanwyck Show which never reached top ratings but earned the star her first Emmy Award. She became one of the most popular stars on television with the western series, The Big Valley which ran from 1965 to 1969 and which brought her another Emmy. Twenty years later she got her third Award for her performance in the series, The Thornbirds. Her last starring role was in the series, The Colbys in 1985.

Barbara Stanwyck entered into a romantic relationship with Rex Cherryman, her co-actor in The Noose but the affair was cut short by the actors untimely death due to septic poisoning. Stanwyck married Francis Fay in 1928 and the couple even adopted a son, named Dion Anthony Fay. However the marriage ended in a divorce in 1935, reportedly due to Fays professional insecurities and violent outbursts against his young wife. Some film historians feel that the marriage was the basis for the subject of A Star is Born.

Barbara Stanwyck married Robert Taylor in 1939 and initially the couple seemed to enjoy their high-profile life together. But Taylors repeated infidelity caused the marriage to fall apart. The later years of her life were spent in active charity which however remained away from the limelight. In 1973 she was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. In 1987 the American Film Institute awarded her a televised AFI Life Achievement Award. She has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1751 Vine Street.Wikipedia