Her stage name was inspired by a theatrical poster that read "Jane Stanwyck in 'Barbara
Frietchie.'.
Her nickname among co-workers was "Missy" or "The Queen."
In 1944, when she earned $400,000, the government listed her as the nation's highest-paid woman.
Often called "The Best Actress Who Never Won an Oscar."
According to biographical film Barbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire (1991) (TV),
Stanwyck became a model for women actors such as Sally Field and Virginia
Madsen have publicly pointed to Stanwyck as their model.
In the early 1950s, made a television commercial for Lustre Creme shampoo.
Was of Scots-Irish and English descent.
Her mother died when she was accidentally knocked off a trolley by a drunk. Barbara was four at
the time.
Her son, DionAnthony "Tony" Fay, was born in February 1932. He was adopted on
December 5, 1932.
Worked briefly as a fashion model in the late 1920s.
Her stormy marriage to Frank Fay finally ended after a drunken brawl, during which he tossed their
adopted son, Dion, into the swimming pool. Their marriage started off on a sour note when his
possessive mother demanded he spend his wedding night with her rather than with Barbara.
Despite rumours of affairs with Marlene Dietrich and Joan Crawford,
Stanwyck wed Robert Taylor, who had gay rumours of his own to dispel.
Picked up the starring role in Ball of Fire (1941) after Ginger Rogers dropped
out.
She became estranged from her son in February 1951.
She lost a kidney in 1971.
In 1981 she was beaten and robbed in her bedroom by an intruder who woke her up at 1:00 in the morning.
In 1985, her house was destroyed in a fire. She was upset to lose all of Robert Taylor's love
letters.
She did not have a funeral and has no grave. Her ashes are scattered in Lone Pine, California.
Her siblings were named Maude, Mable, Mildred ("Millie"), and
Malcolm Byron ("Bert") Stevens. Her parents were Byron and
Catherine McGee Stevens.
Ailing, she was replaced by Susan Hayward in Heat of Anger (1972) (TV), which was
to have been a pilot for a prospective TV series to be called "Fitzgerald and Pride."
Graduate of Erasmus Hall High School, Brooklyn, New York.
Her papers are in the American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming, PO Box 3924, Laramie, WY
82071.
Turned down the role of Angela Channing on "Falcon Crest" (1981).
Was best friends for many years with Frank Sinatra's first wife, Nancy.
A Star Is Born (1937) starring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March is
said to be modeled after Stanwyck's rise to stardom and first husband Frank Fay's
descent into obscurity.
William Holden was considered to be too lightweight for the lead role in Golden
Boy (1939), but Stanwyck urged producers to keep him in the picture and it was through
her efforts he was kept in the picture, and the role made him a star. In 1978, at the The 50th Annual
Academy Awards (1978) (TV), before starting the presentation of the sound award, Holden
publicly thanked her for what she did. She nearly broke down in tears and kissed Holden, and the
exchange received thunderous audience applause.
She with Linda Evans in two series: "The Big Valley" (1965) and
"Dynasty" (1981).
Throughout her career she was known for her kindness and patience with younger performers. Marilyn Monroe, who worked with Stanwyck in the 1952 film Clash by
Night (1952) said that Stanwyck was the only member of Hollywood's older generation who
was kind to her.
When she was awarded an Honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement, the statuette was presented to her by John
Travolta who later confessed that the experience was his supreme Oscar moment. Stanwyck had been a Travolta family
favorite for years. [1982]
In 1957 Tony, her adopted son, was arrested for trying to sell lewd pictures while waiting to cash
his unemployment check. When questioned by the press about his famous mother, he replied, "We don't
speak." She saw him only a few times after his childhood.
Was considered for the role of Margo Channing in All About Eve (1950) after
Claudette Colbert was forced to pull out of the project due to back injury. However the part was
given to Bette Davis, who went on to receive a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her
performance.
She twice played a character named Jessica Drummond in two completely different movies: My
Reputation (1946) and Forty Guns (1957).
Best remembered for her role on TV for her starring role as matriarch Victoria Barkley on
"The Big Valley" (1965).
Her former "The Big Valley" (1965), co-stars, Peter Breck and Linda
Evans, both have made guest appearances on her co-star's, Lee Majors, popular 1980s TV
series, "The Fall Guy" (1981), but on different episodes.
Actors Lee Majors and Linda Evans were said to be huge fans of hers, as little
children. Together, all grown up, they both co-starred alongside Stanwyck in the successful 1960s,
western series, "The Big Valley" (1965).
Mildred Pierce director Michael Curtiz wanted Barbara Stanwyck for the lead role but producer Jerry Wald and the
studio wanted Joan Crawford.
Loved horses and the outdoors.
Married actor-comedian Frank Fay in August of 1928 and on New Year's Eve 1935 the couple
divorced. Barbara married actor Robert Taylor in May of 1939 and the couple
divorced in 1951.
Made her film debut in the silent picture "Broadway Nights" in 1926, were she played a
dancer. Barbara made her Broadway debut in 1926 with "The Noose" and became
a star with her second Broadway show "Burlesque".
Says the worst film she ever made was "Mexicali Rose".
During the filming of "Titanic" in 1952, Barbara Stanwyck who played
Julia Sturges, had an affair with Robert Wagner who was 23 years her
junior.
Was a former Ziegfeld chorus girl.
On the set of The Barbara Stanwyck Show, Lee Marvin was guesting on one
particular episode when a reporter asked him what was it like working with Miss Stanwyck. He
replied, "Zoom!". Translated from the original Marvinese, zoom meant that
Stanwyck is simple and direct to work with, straight to the heart of a scene with no fooling
around.
Sister of actor Bert Stevens.
Godmother of Bobbie Poledouris.
Sister-in-law of actress Caryl Lincoln.
Godmother of Tori Spelling.
Attended Erasmus Hall High School, the same school which Barbra Streisand and Neil
Diamond also attended.
Received three Best Actress Golden Globe nominations for her work on "The Big Valley" TV
series.
She won the Golden Globe as Best Supporting Actress in 1984 for the mini series "The Thorn
Birds".
Received four Oscar nominations during her career and never won. Her nominatinos were for the films,
"Ball of Fire" (1941), "Double Idemnity" (1944), and "Sorry, Wrong
Number" (1948). Barbara received her first Academy Award nomination for the 1937 film
"Stella Dallas".
Received the Academy Award in 1981 for Lifetime Achievement.
Received her third Emmy in 1983 for "The Thorn Birds".
Was honored by the Film Society at Lincoln Center in 1982.
Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in
1973.
Received the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award in 1987.
Was listed #11 on the American Film Institute's "100 Years of The Greatest Screen
Legends."
Her wicked turn as Phyllis Dietrichson in Double Indemnity (1944) was ranked #8
on the American Film Institute's "100 Greatest Screen Heroes and Villains" list.
Her performance as Phyllis Dietrichson in Double Indemnity (1944) is ranked
#98 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time list (2006).
Her performance as Phyllis Dietrichson in Double Indemnity (1944) is ranked #58
on Premiere
Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time list.
She was voted the 40th "Greatest Movie Star of All Time" by Entertainment
Weekly.
Has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 1751 Vine St.
