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Wendy Barrie

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
55

Gender
Female

Birthday
April 18, 1912 (114 years old)

Place of Birth
Hong Kong, British Crown Colony [now China]

Wendy Barrie

Biography

Wendy Barrie was a British actress who worked in British and American films.

Barrie was born in London to English parents. Her father, Francis Charles John Graigoe Jenkin KC (1883 – 1936), was an employee of Great Western (according to the 1901 census), who then joined the Royal Fusiliers in 1902. Her mother was Ellen McDonagh. Hollywood gave her a more exotic parentage with her father being a King's Counsel and her mother a Russian-Jewish actress who had performed in the world's first professional Yiddish-language theater troupe. She received her education at a convent school in England and a finishing school in Switzerland.

In 1932, Barrie made her screen debut in the film Threads, which was based upon a play. She went on to make a number of motion pictures for London Films under the Korda brothers, Alexander and Zoltan, the best known of which is 1933's The Private Life of Henry VIII, in which she portrayed Jane Seymour.

In 1934, she appeared in Freedom of the Seas and was contracted by Fox Film Corporation for a film directed by Scott Darling that was made in Britain. The following year, she moved to the United States and made her first Hollywood film for Fox opposite Spencer Tracy in the romantic comedy It's a Small World, followed by Under Your Spell with Lawrence Tibbett. Loaned to MGM, Barrie starred opposite James Stewart in the 1936 film Speed. In 1939 she starred with Richard Greene and Basil Rathbone in the 20th Century Fox version of The Hound of the Baskervilles, and with Lucille Ball in RKO's Five Came Back. During 1939 and the early 1940s, Barrie made several of The Saint and The Falcon mystery films with George Sanders. She made her final motion picture in 1954.

With the dawn of television, in the late 1940s, Barrie turned to roles in that medium.

In 1956, she had a disc jockey program, the Wendy Barrie Show, on WMGM in New York City. She also hosted a widely syndicated radio interview show into the mid-1960s.

After appearances in more than 15 films in Britain and more than 30 in Hollywood, Barrie's contribution to the industry was recognized with a motion pictures star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1708 Vine Street, near the corner of Hollywood and Vine. Her star was dedicated February 8, 1960.

Barrie became a naturalized American citizen in 1942. She was reportedly engaged to and had a daughter named Carolyn with the infamous gangster Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel, and at one time was married to textile manufacturer David L. Meyer.

She died in Englewood, New Jersey, in 1978, aged 65, following a stroke that had left her debilitated for several years. She was buried in the Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.

Known For

Acting

1954It Should Happen to Youas Guest Panelist
1950Your Show of Showsas
1950What's My Line?as Self
1943Submarine Alertas Ann Patterson
1943Follies Girlas Anne Merriday
1943Forever and a Dayas Edith Trimble-Pomfret
1942Eyes of the Underworldas Betty Standing
1942A Date with the Falconas Helen Reed
1941Gangs Of The Cityas Bonnie Parker
1941The Gay Falconas Helen Reed
1941Repent at Leisureas Emily Baldwin
1941The Saint In Palm Springsas Elna Johnson
1940Who Killed Aunt Maggie?as Sally Ambler
1940Men Against the Skyas Kay Mercedes
1940Cross-Country Romanceas Diane North
1940The Saint Takes Overas Ruth Summers
1940Women in Waras Pamela Starr
1939Day-time Wifeas Kitty Fraser
1939The Witness Vanishesas Joan Marplay
1939Five Came Backas Alice Melbourne
1939The Hound of the Baskervillesas Beryl Stapleton
1939The Saint Strikes Backas Valerie 'Val' Travers
1939Pacific Lineras Ann Grayson
1938Newsboys' Homeas Gwen Dutton
1938I Am the Lawas Frances 'Frankie' Ballou
1937Prescription for Romanceas Valerie Wilson
1937A Girl with Ideasas Mary Morton
1937Dead Endas Kay
1937What Price Vengeanceas Polly Moore
1937Wings Over Honoluluas Lauralee Curtis
1937Breezing Homeas Gloria Lee
1936Under Your Spellas Cynthia Drexel
1936Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)as Self
1936Ticket to Paradiseas Jane Forbes
1936Speedas Jane Mitchell
1936Love on a Betas Paula Gilbert
1935Millions in the Airas Marion Keller
1935A Feather in Her Hatas Pauline Anders
1935The Big Broadcast of 1936as Sue
1935College Scandalas Julie Fresnel
1935It's A Small Worldas Jane Dale
1935There Goes Susieas Madeleine Sarteaux
1934Freedom of the Seasas Phyllis Harcourt
1934Give Her a Ringas Karen Svenson
1934It's a Boyas Mary Bogle
1933This Acting Businessas Joyce
1933The House of Trentas Angela Fairdown
1933Cashas Lilian Gilbert
1933The Private Life of Henry VIIIas Jane Seymour
1932Where Is This Lady?as Lucie Kleiner
1932The Barton Mysteryas Phyllis Grey
1932Wedding Rehearsalas Lady Mary Rose Wroxbury
1932Collisionas Joyce Maynard
1932The Callbox Mysteryas Iris Banner
1932Threadsas Olive Wynn

Production