Barbara Pepper

Barbara Pepper

Deceased · Born: May 31, 1915 · Died: Jul 18, 1969

Personal Details

Born May 31, 1915 New York City, New York, USA
Spouse
  • Craig Reynolds

    ( Apr 24, 1943 to Oct 22, 1949 )
  • Leon Janney

    ( Mar 26, 1937 to Dec 31, 1969 )
Parents
  • Dave Pepper
  • Harrietta S. Pepper

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Barbara Pepper (born Marion B. Pepper; May 31, 1915 – July 18, 1969) was an American stage, television, radio, and film actress. She is best known as the first "Doris Ziffel" on the sitcom Green Acres. Pepper was born in New York City, the daughter of actor David Mitchell "Dave" Pepper, and his wife, Harrietta S. Pepper. At age 16 she started life in show business with Goldwyn Girls, a musical stock company where she met lifelong friend Lucille Ball. Pepper began making movies. Among her later film parts were small roles in My Fair Lady and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. She also performed radio parts. In 1943, she married actor Craig Reynolds (né Harold Hugh Enfield), and the couple later had two sons. After Reynolds died in 1949 in a California motorcycle accident, Pepper was left to raise their children alone. She never remarried. After gaining weight, her roles were mostly confined to small character parts on television, including several appearances on I Love Lucy, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Petticoat Junction, and The Jack Benny Program. She made four appearances on Perry Mason, including the role of Martha Dale, mother of the title character, in the 1957 episode "The Case of the Vagabond Vixen". A long-time friend of Lucille Ball, Barbara was considered for the role of Ethel Mertz on "I Love Lucy," but was passed over due to the fact that she was reportedly a drinker. William Frawley ("Fred Mertz") was, likewise, reportedly, a drinker and was already cast. It was felt that having two drinkers in the cast might eventually cause difficulties so they auditioned and found Vivian Vance to play Ethel instead. She may be best remembered as the first Doris Ziffel on Petticoat Junction in 1964, although her character's name on the "Genghis Keane" episode of Petticoat Junction was Ruth Ziffel. Her role as Doris Ziffel continued on Green Acres from 1965 to 1968, until heart ailments finally forced her to leave that weekly series. Veteran actress Fran Ryan replaced her on Green Acres, which would continue to run for another three years. Her final performance was in the 1969 film Hook, Line & Sinker, in which she played Jerry Lewis's secretary.

Career

1965
Green Acres
Green Acres
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Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone as Mrs. Shanks
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Mister Ed
Mister Ed
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My Three Sons
My Three Sons
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1964
Kiss Me, Stupid
Kiss Me, Stupid as Big Bertha
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1963
The Fugitive
The Fugitive as Matty
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1962
It's Only Money
It's Only Money as Fisherwoman
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1953
I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy as Party Guest
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Inferno
Inferno as Waitress (uncredited)
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1951
I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy as Woman Shopper
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1946
Terror Trail
Terror Trail as Karen Kemp, the Louisville Lady
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1945
Murder, He Says
Murder, He Says as Bonnie Fleagle
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1944
Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid
Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid as Miss LaRue ("Wild Rose")
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1943
Girls in Chains
Girls in Chains as Barbara Pepper
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1942
One Thrilling Night
One Thrilling Night as Lettie
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1941
Three Sons o' Guns
Three Sons o' Guns as Francie LaRue
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1940
Framed
Framed as Goldie Green
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Women in War
Women in War as Millie, Irish Nurse
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Forgotten Girls
Forgotten Girls as Eve Abbott
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1939
Flight at Midnight
Flight at Midnight as Mildred
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Colorado Sunset
Colorado Sunset as Ginger Bixby
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1938
Hollywood Stadium Mystery
Hollywood Stadium Mystery as Althea Ames
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The Lady in the Morgue
The Lady in the Morgue as Kay Renshaw
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Wide Open Faces
Wide Open Faces as Belle
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Army Girl
Army Girl as Riki Thomas
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1937
The Big Shot
The Big Shot as Mamie
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Forty Naughty Girls
Forty Naughty Girls as Alice
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1936
Taming the Wild
Taming the Wild as Hazel White
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Wanted! Jane Turner
Wanted! Jane Turner as Marge Sanders
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The Rogues' Tavern
The Rogues' Tavern as Marjorie Burns
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1935
Sagebrush Troubadour
Sagebrush Troubadour as Joan Martin
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Waterfront Lady
Waterfront Lady as Gloria Vance
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Let 'em Have It
Let 'em Have It as Milly Adams
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The Singing Vagabond
The Singing Vagabond as Honey
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1934
Our Daily Bread
Our Daily Bread as Sally
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