Barbara Parkins
About
Biography
Filmography
Notes
Parkins failure to establish herself as a feature star was not all her fault as the following quote makes clear: "Miss Parkins is very badly served by the script, direction, lighting, wardrobe and make-up. No actress can survive that kind of treatment." --from VARIETY review of "The Mephisto Waltz", February 3, 1971
Biography
A slim brunette leading lady of film and TV, Barbara Parkins made her feature debut in the crime drama "20,000 Eyes" (1961) but really came to public attention as the oft-married Betty Anderson on the popular primetime soap opera "Peyton Place" (ABC, 1964-69). In her second feature, the high profile but trashy "Valley of the Dolls" (1967), she was cast as an aspiring actress with roots in New England, a role that was not much of a stretch from her TV persona. In its day, the film was widely dismissed by critics, but by the 1990s it enjoyed popularity as a camp classic. While never a major screen presence, Parkins acquitted herself in a handful of roles in horror films, including "Asylum" (1972) and particularly in the Canadian-made "Christina" (1974), which utilized her voluptuous beauty to good effect. She made her last feature appearance to date as a fashion designer in the misguided Australian romantic comedy "Breakfast in Paris" (1981).
The small screen was more hospitable to Parkins who delivered several respected turns in TV-movies and miniseries. She was quite effective as a traumatized victim of rape in "A Taste of Evil" (ABC, 1971). Parkins was Leonie Jerome, aunt of Winston Churchill, in the British series "Jennie" (shown in the USA on PBS in 1975), appeared as Martinique in the acclaimed NBC miniseries "Captains and Kings" (1976), played Anna Held in the NBC biography "Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women" (1978) and portrayed the Duchess of Windsor in the HBO movie "To Catch a King" (1984). She reprised her signature role of Betty in the NBC movie "Peyton Place: The Next Generation" (1985) and returned to series TV as part of the reenactment ensemble of "Scene of the Crime" (ABC, 1991-94). Parkins also guest-starred in episodes of "Murder, She Wrote" and "Picket Fences."
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1961
Made feature debut in "20,000 Eyes"
1967
Co-starred in "Valley of the Dolls", an embarrassing adaptation of the Jacqueline Susann novel
1971
Played a traumatized rape victim in ABC movie "A Taste of Evil", starring Barbara Stanwyck
1971
Appeared in the chiller "The Mephisto Waltz"
1974
Portrayed title role in "Christina", a murky thriller shot in Canada
1975
Acted the part of Leonie in the PBS series "Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill" (shown as part of "Great Performances")
1976
Acted in acclaimed minseries adaptation of Taylor Caldwell's novel "Captains and Kings"
1976
Played Lee Marvin's daughter in "Shout at the Devil"
1977
Starred in the syndicated miniseries "Testimony of Two Men", also adapted from a Taylor Caldwell novel
1978
Portrayed Anna Held in NBC movie "Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women"
1980
Appeared in "Bear Island", a poor screen adaptation of one of Alistair MacLean's best novels; film barely released
1981
Last feature film to date, "Breakfast in Paris"
1981
Acted in ABC miniseries "The Manions of America", which introduced Irish actor Pierce Brosnan to American audiences
1984
Appeared in the TV-movies "To Catch a King" (HBO), playing the Dutchess of Windsor, and "The Calendar Girl Murders" (ABC)
1985
Reprised her role as Betty Harrington Cord in the NBC movie "Peyton Place: The Next Generation"
1986
Acted in NBC's "Perry Mason: The Case of the Notorious Nun", the second of the Perry Mason reunion movies
1989
Guest-starred in an episode of "Murder She Wrote" (CBS)
Videos
Movie Clip
Bibliography
Notes
Parkins failure to establish herself as a feature star was not all her fault as the following quote makes clear: "Miss Parkins is very badly served by the script, direction, lighting, wardrobe and make-up. No actress can survive that kind of treatment." --from VARIETY review of "The Mephisto Waltz", February 3, 1971
