Barbara Bel Geddes

Barbara Bel Geddes was a successful star of wide spread talents. She worked on stage and screen, but is best known for her television work on the long-running, nighttime soap “Dallas”. It would be there that she would work for 10 years with Howard Keel. Her efforts to overcome heart surgery and return to work would be an inspiration to him when recovering from his own operation. Wholesomely approachable and all-American in looks, Barbara brought dignity and class to any project.

Barbara Bel Geddes was born in New York City on Halloween, 1922. Her father was the noted designer and producer Norman Bel Geddes. She was educated in a series of private schools. At age 16, she was finally kicked out of the Putney Finishing School for being a “disruptive influence.” Norman Bel Geddes would use his theatre connections to initially pave the way for Barbara to get into the New York theatre scene.

She made her theatre debut in 1940 and her Broadway debut the next year. In 1944, Barbara married electrical engineer Carl Schruer. They had one daughter, Susan.

In 1945, she won the New York Drama Critics’ Award for Best Actress for “Deep Are the Roots.” Convinced movies would be more exciting, in 1946 Barbara announced her intention to go to Hollywood. RKO quickly snapped her up, even honoring her unusual request to only be commited to one film a year. She made her film debut in “The Long Night” with Henry Fonda. It did not do well, but she followed it with the classic “I Remember Mama” with Irene Dunne and was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for the role. Another notable role was for friend Elia Kazan in 1950’s “Panic in the Streets.” Though her film career was not the most successful, she did land on the cover of Life magazine in 1948. In 1951, she divorced Schruer and soon married director Windsor Lewis. They had one daughter, Betsey. Her career was soon to suffer a blow, as well. After only 4 films, Howard Hughes, then the owner of RKO, dropped her contract because she “wasn’t sexy enough.” After giving testimony to McCarthy’s House of Unamerican Activities witchhunt, she found herself unable to get any film work.

Barbara was devastated. She returned to New York and resumed her theatre career. It was here that she enjoyed her greatest successes. She won the prestigious Woman of the Year award from the Hasty Pudding Theatrical Club and she originated the Maggie role in Tennessee Williams’ "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" in 1955, for which she was nominated for the Tony. Television was a boone and Barbara made many appearances throughout the 50’s and 60’s on dramatic programs like “Robert Montgomery Presents,” “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” “Playhouse One,” and “The Twilight Zone.” She later returned to Hollywood to make a few films such as Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” with James Stewart in 1958 and “Five Pennies” with Danny Kaye in 1959. Her longest running stage success was in Jean Kerr’s marital comedy "Mary, Mary" in 1961, for which she was again nominated for the Tony award. The show ran a phenomenal 1,500 appearances.

In 1966, Barbara’s husband Windsor was stricken with cancer. She retired to care for him, though took occaisional work during the late 60’s. In addition to acting, Barbara followed her sister Joan's occupation and wrote two children’s’ books- “I Like to Be Me” in 1963 and “So Do I” in 1972- as well as designed a line of greeting cards.

In 1971, she successfully battled breast cancer. When Windsor died in 1972, Barbara found herself all but forgotten. There were no roles for middle aged women. By 1978, when she auditioned for the nighttime soap opera “Dallas,” she was broke.

Fortunately for all, she won the role of Miss Ellie. It would prove to be her most memorable and successful. In it, she was the stalwart matriarch of the unruly Ewing clan, even reliving her own battle with breast cancer in 1978 when her character undergoes a mastectomy.

Tragedy, however, continued to follow her. Her on screen husband, Jim Davis, died in 1981. Being close to Davis, Barbara took his death hard. Howard Keel was brought in to play her new husband and the two got along well. In 1980, she won the Best Actress Emmy award, becoming the only nighttime soap actress to be so honored.

In 1984, Barbara suffered a major heart attack and underwent heart surgery. Donna Reed replaced her for the season, but loyal fans wanted Barbara. She eventually returned, but cut back on appearances the last couple of years “Dallas” ran and quit altogether in 1991. The show wrote her out as “traveling” and soon went off the air entirely. Afterward, Barbara was involved in a lawsuit with her agent, who exploited her during her tenure on "Dallas." Her finances thus sapped, she was declared bankrupt.

She retired to Northeast Harbor Maine. A lifelong smoker, she finally quit after her 1984 heart attack, but the damage was already done. She died of lung cancer August 8, 2005. She was remembered fondly by all who worked with her as a fine actress and a good friend.

Here are a few links for this wonderful actress-

Barbara Bel Geddes Tribute Site- A nice fan site with lots of wonderful pictures

Ultimate Dallas- A great fansite devoted to the series. Includes an excellent bio and pictures

TVNow- Get a listing of this actress’ movie and TV appearances this month

Internet Movie Database- Get a short biography and filmography here

Amazon Books- A listing of Barbara Bel Geddes merchandise

Barnes and Noble Booksellers- Copies of “To Barbara, With Love: Prayers and Reflections From a Believer to a Skeptic” by Joan Bel Geddes. This is by Barbara's sister. She just passed away last summer.

E-Bay- Look for Barbara merchandise for auction