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Barbara Pepper

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
132

Gender
Female

Birthday
May 31, 1915 (111 years old)

Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA

Barbara 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.

Known For

Acting

1968Mayberry R.F.D.as Emma
1965Laredoas
1965Green Acresas Doris Ziffel
1964Kiss Me, Stupidas Big Bertha
1964Daniel Booneas Mrs. Shanks
1963Who's Minding the Store?as Customer at Bargain Sale (uncredited)
1963Petticoat Junctionas Doris Ziffel
1963Petticoat Junctionas Ruth Ziffel
1963Burke's Lawas Cleaning Woman
1963The Greatest Show on Earthas
1963The Fugitiveas Matty
1963A Child Is Waitingas Miss Brown (uncredited)
1962It's Only Moneyas Fisherwoman
1962The Music Manas Mrs. Hawkes
1961Mister Edas
1960My Three Sonsas
1960Sex Kittens Go to Collegeas Circe
1960The Bramble Bushas Polly Welk
1959The Untouchablesas Landlady
1959The Untouchablesas Mrs. Littlesmith
1958Auntie Mameas Mrs. Krantz (uncredited)
1958The Texanas
1958Shirley Temple's Storybookas First Choir Lady
1957The Walter Winchell Fileas
1957Perry Masonas Martha Dale
1957Perry Masonas Mrs. Diamond
1957Perry Masonas Mrs. Dwyer - Fat Woman
1957Perry Masonas Mrs. Williamson
1957M Squadas Landlady
1957Wagon Trainas Mrs. Maybelle Gifford
1957Have Gun, Will Travelas
1957Richard Diamond, Private Detectiveas Clara Chase
1957Richard Diamond, Private Detectiveas Mrs. Brody
1957The D.I.as Woman Customer
1957Tales of Wells Fargoas Boxcar Annie
1956Dark Meetingas Clara
1955The Millionaireas Fat Woman
1954Father Knows Bestas Shopper
1954A Star Is Bornas Esther's Neighbor (uncredited)
1953The Eddie Cantor Storyas Beer Garden Patron
1953Infernoas Waitress (uncredited)
1953So This Is Loveas Fat Girl with Sailor in Nightclub (uncredited)
1953I Love Lucy: The Movieas Party Guest (archive footage)
1952Four Star Playhouseas Clara
1952Ghost Busteras Mrs. Nolan
1951I Love Lucyas Neighbor
1951I Love Lucyas Nurse
1951I Love Lucyas Showgirl #2
1951I Love Lucyas Woman On Bus
1951I Love Lucyas Woman Shopper
1951Schlitz Playhouse of Starsas Miss Buell
1950My Blue Heavenas Susan (uncredited)
1950The Fuller Brush Girlas Wife Watching TV (uncredited)
1950No Way Outas Woman (uncredited)
1950Unmaskedas Mrs. Schmidt
1949The Inspector Generalas Buxom Villager (uncredited)
1949The Crooked Wayas
1948Studio Oneas Ellie
1948The Snake Pitas Asylum Patient (uncredited)
1946Terror Trailas Karen Kemp, the Louisville Lady
1945The Strange Affair of Uncle Harryas Annie
1945Murder, He Saysas Bonnie Fleagle
1945The Naughty Ninetiesas Gilded Cage Hostess (uncredited)
1945Trouble Chasersas Goldie
1944Once Upon a Timeas Cabbie (uncredited)
1944Henry Aldrich Plays Cupidas Miss LaRue ("Wild Rose")
1943Let's Face Itas Daisy (uncredited)
1943So This Is Washingtonas Betty - Taxi Driver (uncredited)
1943Girls in Chainsas Barbara Pepper
1943Blonde and Groomas Rex's Fiancée
1943Aerial Gunneras Blonde at Shooting Gallery (uncredited)
1943A Maid Made Madas Blonde
1942Sappy Pappyas Female Customer
1942Carry Harryas Edith, Harry's Girl Friend
1942My Favorite Spyas Speedy
1942One Thrilling Nightas Lettie
1941Birth of the Bluesas Maizie
1941South of Tahitias Julie
1941Manpoweras Polly
1941Three Sons o' Gunsas Francie LaRue
1941Out of the Fogas
1941The Lady Eveas Lady Wrestler Type on Ship (uncredited)
1940Foreign Correspondentas Dorine
1940The Return of Frank Jamesas Nellie Blane
1940Sailor's Ladyas Maude
1940Forgotten Girlsas Eve Abbott
1940Framedas Goldie Green
1940Castle on the Hudsonas Goldie
1939Of Mice and Menas Second Girl (uncredited)
1939The Amazing Mr. Williamsas Muriel - Wedding Guest (uncredited)
1939Three Sonsas Viola
1939The Womenas Tough Girl (uncredited)
1939Flight at Midnightas Mildred
1939Colorado Sunsetas Ginger Bixby
1939Bachelor Motheras Dance-Hall Hostess (uncredited)
1939Off the Recordas Flossie - Telephone Operator (uncredited)
1939They Made Me a Criminalas Budgie Massey
1938The Girl Downstairsas Woman at bar (uncredited)
1938The Strange Case of Dr. Meadeas Mattie
1938Army Girlas Riki
1938The Chaseras Mabel, Drunken Girl
1938The Lady in the Morgueas Kay Renshaw
1938Wide Open Facesas Belle
1938Hollywood Stadium Mysteryas Althea Ames
1937Portia on Trialas Evelyn
1937The Westland Caseas Agatha Hogan
1937Many Unhappy Returnsas Sophie - Cigar Store Counter Girl
1937Music for Madameas Blonde on Bus (Uncredited)
1937Forty Naughty Girlsas Alice
1937The Big Shotas Mamie
1937You Can't Buy Luckas Store Clerk
1937The Outcasts of Poker Flatas Blonde Saloon Lady (uncredited)
1937Too Many Wivesas Angela Brown
1936After the Thin Manas Party Guest (uncredited)
1936Wanted: Jane Turneras Marge Sanders
1936What Becomes of the Children?as Elsie Ford
1936Wintersetas Girl
1936The Big Gameas Lois
1936Mummy's Boysas Mary Browning
1936M'Lissas Clytie Morpher
1936The Rogues' Tavernas Marjorie Burns
1936Show Boatas
1936Taming the Wildas Hazel White
1935The Singing Vagabondas Honey
1935Frisco Waterfrontas The Blonde Stranger
1935Forced Landingas Nancy 'Dusty' Rhodes
1935The Sagebrush Troubadouras Joan Martin
1935Waterfront Ladyas Gloria Vance
1935Let 'em Have Itas Milly Adams
1934Our Daily Breadas Sally
1934Strictly Dynamiteas Party Girl (uncredited)
1933Roman Scandalsas Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)

Production