Barbara Babcock | |
|---|---|
 Babcock in 1968 | |
| Born | (1937-02-27)February 27, 1937 (age 88)[1] |
| Education | Wellesley College University of Lausanne University of Milan |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1956–2004 |
| Spouse | Jay Sheffield (1962–1968) |
| Awards | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Hill Street Blues, 1981) |
Barbara Babcock (born February 27, 1937) is an American actress. She began her career on television in mid-1950s with guest-starring appearances in more than 60 television series through her career. She made several appearances onStar Trek: The Original Series,Mannix andMurder, She Wrote and had a recurring role in the CBS prime time soap opera,Dallas from 1978 to 1982.
In 1981, Babcock receivedPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Grace Gardner in the NBC police drama series,Hill Street Blues (1981–87). She later starred in a number of short-lived television series, most notablyThe Law & Harry McGraw (1987–88). From 1993 to 1998, Babcock starred as Dorothy Jennings in the CBS Western series,Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, for which she was nominated for anPrimetime Emmy Award forOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1995. Babcock also appeared in filmsDay of the Evil Gun (1968),Heaven with a Gun (1969),Chosen Survivors (1974),The Black Marble (1980),The Lords of Discipline (1983),Far and Away (1992) andSpace Cowboys (2000).
Born inFort Riley, Kansas,[1] Babcock spent a large part of her childhood inTokyo, Japan, where her father,U.S. Army Gen.Conrad Stanton Babcock, Jr., was stationed.[2] She learned to speakJapanese before English.
Babcock studied atUniversity of Lausanne inSwitzerland and in Italy at theUniversity of Milan.[2] She also attendedMiss Porter's School and graduated fromWellesley College,[3] where she was a classmate ofAli MacGraw.
Babcock made her television debut appearing in an episode of anthology seriesThe United States Steel Hour in 1956. The following years she made many guest-starring appearances on television, notable inThe Many Loves of Dobie Gillis as a cousin to the rich boy nemesis of the title character.[1] She made appearances onThe Lieutenant;The Munsters;The Green Hornet;The Lucy Show;Judd, for the Defense andMission: Impossible. From 1967 to 1969 she appeared in several episodes of the original series ofStar Trek, although much of her work on the show consisted of uncredited voice roles. She also appeared in three episodes ofHogan's Heroes from 1967 to 1970.
In 1968, Babcock made her motion picture debut in theMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer Western filmDay of the Evil Gun starringGlenn Ford, followed by role in theHeaven with a Gun (1969) also with Glenn Ford. She appeared in a number of made-for-television movies and miniseries in 1970s, includingThe Last Child (1971),Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A. (1977),The Survival of Dana (1979) andSalem's Lot (1979). She had supporting roles in filmsBang the Drum Slowly (1973),Chosen Survivors (1974),The Black Marble (1980),Back Roads (1981),The Lords of Discipline (1983), andThat Was Then... This Is Now (1985),Heart of Dixie (1989) andHappy Together (1989). She also made guest appearances onThe F.B.I.;Cannon;Love, American Style;Medical Center;Starsky & Hutch,The Rockford Files,Quincy, M.E. and four appearances onMannix. She had regular role on the CBS daytime soap operaSearch for Tomorrow in 1976 and from 1978 to 1982 had a recurring role of Liz Craig in theCBS prime time soap opera,Dallas.
In 1981, Babcock received critical acclaim for playing Grace Gardner in the NBC police drama seriesHill Street Blues.[1] She won the 1981Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her work onHill Street Blues.[4] She appeared in 17 episodes of the series from 1981 to 1987. Babcock starred in the TV moviesQuarterback Princess (1983),Attack on Fear (1984) andNews at Eleven (1986). She appeared in the short-lived CBS drama seriesThe Four Seasons in 1984, based onthe 1981 film.[1] She also starred in the short-lived sitcomMr. Sunshine in 1986, and the detective seriesThe Law & Harry McGraw during 1987-88.[5] During 1980s, Babcock also guest-starred onCheers,Hotel,Remington Steele, and starred in an episode ofAlfred Hitchcock Presents — receiving the 1987CableACE Award for Outstanding Actress in a Dramatic Series. She made five appearances onMurder, She Wrote from 1985 to 1993, and also appeared onThe Golden Girls,Empty Nest,China Beach,Wings, andSisters. She played the mother ofNicole Kidman's character in the 1992 Western filmFar and Away.
From 1993 to 1998, Babcock played the role of Dorothy Jennings in the CBS Western seriesDr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, for which she was nominated for anEmmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1993. (However, the Emmy Awards website lists the nomination for 1995.)[4] She was voted one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World byPeople in 1994.[6] She reprised her role in the 1998 made-for-television movieDr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Movie. In 1999 she played the leading role inA Vow to Cherish oppositeKen Howard.[7] In 2000, Babcock made her final big screen appearance in the science fiction filmSpace Cowboys withClint Eastwood andJames Garner. She also made guest appearances onThe Pretender,Chicago Hope,Frasier, andJudging Amy. From 2001 to 2002, she played the role of the mother ofDana Delany's character in theFox drama series,Pasadena. In 2002, she appeared in a made-for-television comedyHome Alone 4.[8]
In 2004, Babcock was diagnosed withParkinson's disease. She resides inCarmel, California.[9]
In 1982, Babcock and actress Susan Bjurman receivedU.S. patent 4,344,446 for a combination solid stick scalp cleanser and hair shampoo-conditioner gel that they developed.[10]
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Day of the Evil Gun | Angie Warfield |
| 1969 | Heaven with a Gun | Mrs. Andrews |
| 1971 | The Last Child | Shelley Drumm |
| 1973 | Bang the Drum Slowly | Team Owner |
| 1974 | Chosen Survivors | Dr. Lenore Chrisman |
| 1977 | Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A. | Rachel Sullivan |
| 1978 | Operating Room | Jean Lawrence |
| 1979 | Survival of Dana | Lorna Sims |
| 1980 | The Black Marble | Madeline Whitfield |
| 1981 | Back Roads | Rickey's Mom |
| 1982 | Memories Never Die | Louise Lowry |
| 1983 | Quarterback Princess | Judy Maida |
| The Lords of Discipline | Abigail St. Croix | |
| 1984 | Attack on Fear | Jane Dutton |
| 1985 | That Was Then... This Is Now | Mrs. Douglas |
| 1986 | News at Eleven | Joanna Steckler |
| 1989 | Happy Together | Ruth Carpenter |
| Heart of Dixie | Coralee Claibourne | |
| 1990 | A Family for Joe | Miss Quinn Collins |
| 1992 | Far and Away | Nora Christie |
| 1993 | Fugitive Nights: Danger in the Desert | Rhonda Devon |
| 1996 | A Mother's Instinct | Mrs. Mitchell |
| 1997 | Childhood Sweetheart? | Rose Carlson |
| 1999 | A Vow to Cherish | Ellen Brighton |
| Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Movie | Dorothy Jennings | |
| 2000 | Space Cowboys | Barbara Corvin |
| 2002 | Home Alone 4 | Molly |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | NBC Sunday Showcase | Annie Lee | 1 episode |
| 1963 | The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis | Pamela Osborne | 1 episode |
| 1963 | Combat! | Bar Patron At The Savoy | Uncredited |
| 1965 | The Munsters | Miss Guthrie | 1 episode |
| 1966–1967 | The Green Hornet | Elaine Carey | 2 episodes |
| 1967 | The Lucy Show | English Teacher | 1 episode |
| 1968 | Mission: Impossible | Major Maria Felder | 1 episode |
| 1967–1968 | Star Trek | Mea 3 / Philana / Voice-Over Work | "A Taste of Armageddon" and S3:E10, "Plato's Stepchildren", plus 5 other episodes |
| 1969 | Family Affair | Pamela | 1 episode |
| 1967–1970 | Hogan's Heroes | Mama Bear / Maria Schmidt | 3 episodes |
| 1971 | Night Gallery | Flora Alden | 1 episode |
| 1972 | The F.B.I. | Mary Hale | 1 episode |
| 1972 | Banyon | Caroline Wheeler | 1 episode |
| 1968–1973 | Mannix | Ellen West | 4 episodes |
| 1973 | Cannon | Ruth Gardner | The Good Samaritan |
| 1973 | Love, American Style | Anna Scott | 1 episode |
| Shaft | Jane Cunningham | 1 episode | |
| 1975 | The Streets of San Francisco | Judy Tyrell | 1 episode |
| 1976 | Starsky & Hutch | Ellen Forbes | 1 episode |
| 1977 | McMillan & Wife | Lydia Corman | 1 episode |
| Quincy, M.E. | Melissa Asten | 1 episode | |
| The Rockford Files | Karen Hall | 1 episode | |
| 1978 | Logan's Run | Marianne | 1 episode |
| 1979 | Salem's Lot | June Petrie | Television miniseries |
| 1980 | Benson | Lily Maxwell | 1 episode |
| 1981 | Taxi | Karen | 1 episode |
| Flo | Louise Browning | 1 episode | |
| 1978–1982 | Dallas | Liz Craig | 16 episodes |
| 1983 | Cheers | Lana Marshall | 1 episode |
| 1984 | The Four Seasons | Lorraine Elliot | 13 episodes |
| 1984 | Steambath | Wanda Blakely | Episode: "Madison Avenue Madness" |
| 1985 | Hotel | Monica Shawcross | 1 episode |
| 1986 | Mr. Sunshine | Mrs. June Swinford | 11 episodes |
| 1981–1982, 1984, 1986, 1987 | Hill Street Blues | Grace Gardner | 16 episodes Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (1981) |
| 1987 | The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Cissie Enright | 1 episode CableACE Award for Outstanding Actress in a Dramatic Series (1988) |
| Remington Steele | Marisa Peters | 2 episodes | |
| 1987–1988 | The Law & Harry McGraw | Ellie Maginnis | 16 episodes |
| 1989–1990 | Empty Nest | Paula Conroy | 2 episodes |
| 1990 | The Golden Girls | Charmaine Hollingsworth | 1 episode |
| China Beach | Lieutenant Colonel Libby Heiss | 1 episode | |
| 1991 | Wings | Mae Hackett | 1 episode |
| 1985–1993 | Murder, She Wrote | Various roles | 5 episodes |
| 1993–1998 | Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman | Dorothy Jennings | 100 episodes Nominated— Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1995) |
| 1998 | Chicago Hope | Beverly Kronk | 2 episodes |
| 2000 | The Pretender | Edna Raines | 2 episodes |
| 2001 | Frasier | Penelope Janvier | 1 episode |
| 2001–2002 | Pasadena | Lillian Greeley | 8 episodes |
| 2002–2004 | Judging Amy | Diane McCarty | 2 episodes |
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