vivfantoo* Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 While searching for something else I came across this interesting timeline biography of Lucy's friend. http://www.glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com/show/443/Barbara+Pepper/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 This is terrific! Thanks! "and Rudy Vallee, a little gold megaphone." Well, of course. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 This is terrific! Thanks! "and Rudy Vallee, a little gold megaphone." Well, of course. LOL Make that "the golden foul-mouthed megaphone" But what of Barbara from 1955 to 1965? Besides "The Music Man" and her line "No one is our family is whatcha'd call musical". So Barbara was four year YOUNGER than Lucy? Which means when Lucy was all decked out looking her absolutely lifetime best descending those stairs on "The Steve Lawrence Show", Barbara was playing the mother of a pig; and wife of a man 27 years older than her, looking like an age-appropriate couple. Born in 1915, when Green Acres started she was a mere FIFTY?? (Hank Patterson was born in 1888). The Ziffels and their "son" Arnold were my favorite scenes in GA. I do remember Barbara/Doris appearing less and less and the show went on. I guess I had quit watching by the time Fran Ryan took over the role. I don't know how they made her up, but there's nothing physically similar between Barbara and Fran. (Fran played the housekeeper on the farm in the early Doris Day episodes, but was canned apparently because Doris (Day, not Ziffel) did not appreciate her salty language). Although I have not seen the all, my favorite Green Acres episode is when the Ziffels buy a washing machine from Mr. Haney, a "Grabwell" brand which like all Grabwell products they show on the episode, is a barrel with an outboard motor attached. When it runs amok and wrecks "their beautiful house" (as Doris puts it), the Ziffels hire Oliver to sue Haney in court. If you can find it, watch. It's hilarious. IF we had never seen Vivian Vance and known what brilliance she would bring to Ethel Mertz, Barbara Pepper might not have been bad in the role. They could have added hard-drinking to the Mertzes traits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 While searching for something else I came across this interesting timeline biography of Lucy's friend. http://www.glamourgi...pper/index.html O M G she was only 54 when she died, but looked 74 on Green Acres, damned alcoholism! Yes, she would have been terrific as Ethel Mertz. The other thing that struck me in the bio is the line about Lucy and escort Mack Grey went to see Renee DiMarco someplace, she was later Desi's paramour FRECKLES that he left for Lucy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted May 18, 2013 Report Share Posted May 18, 2013 Barbara borrows Lucy's "Gun Moll" costume to sing a tribute to her son Arnold. "When I invite A boy some night I hand him a can of fake Spam-my. I just adore a non-carnivour Cause My Heart Belongs to Hammy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 Barbara borrows Lucy's "Gun Moll" costume to sing a tribute to her son Arnold. "When I invite A boy some night I hand him a can of fake Spam-my. I just adore a non-carnivour Cause My Heart Belongs to Hammy" Wow, she really suffered thanks to that bottle addiction, I still say she looks twenty years older than she actually was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted May 20, 2013 Report Share Posted May 20, 2013 I feel bad picking on poor Barbara who probably resembles the average 50 year old woman of 1966 more closely than lithe Lucy. It's absolutely true and I don't know why: people just looked OLDER then, but Lucy is a stand-out exception. Reta Shaw, Barbara, Lucille Benson, Iris Adrian, Jody Gilbert....Lucy is older than ALL of them. (Side note about Jody: at the age of 19 she gave a concert at Carnegie Hall.....Perhaps singing "You're as Welcome as the Flowers in May"? ) I'm aware this video turned out a little scary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikidiki Posted May 20, 2013 Report Share Posted May 20, 2013 I feel bad picking on poor Barbara who probably resembles the average 50 year old woman of 1966 more closely than lithe Lucy. It's absolutely true and I don't know why: people just looked OLDER then, but Lucy is a stand-out exception. Reta Shaw, Barbara, Lucille Benson, Iris Adrian, Jody Gilbert....Lucy is older than ALL of them. (Side note about Jody: at the age of 19 she gave a concert at Carnegie Hall.....Perhaps singing "You're as Welcome as the Flowers in May"? ) I'm aware this video turned out a little scary. LMAO! That video did make me laugh. You can't compare - Lucy is wearing heavy makeup, a wig, her skin skull cap to pull her skin back. Barbara is wearing minimal makeup, she is overweight and sweaty. Nothing against Lucy but put non made up Lucy up against Barbara in the same year and the results would be closer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted May 20, 2013 Report Share Posted May 20, 2013 Nothing against Lucy but put non made up Lucy up against Barbara in the same year and the results would be closer. Well that's true--the key word being 'closer'. Lucy kept her body trim and youthfully agile and that makes a big difference. As Dick Martin said "No one pulled it together better than Lu". To pull Barbara's skin back so it's taut, Irma would have a use a Grabwell Brand Automatic Face Lifter. (Again, I feel bad a bit guilty picking on poor Barbara since her life was tough). For those who haven't seen this Green Acres episode (my favorite), Haney is selling a variety of Grabwell Brand appliances which all have the same basic mechanics: a small outboard motor attached to a barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucyilove Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 So Barbara was four year YOUNGER than Lucy? Which means when Lucy was all decked out looking her absolutely lifetime best descending those stairs on "The Steve Lawrence Show", Barbara was playing the mother of a pig; and wife of a man 27 years older than her, looking like an age-appropriate couple. Born in 1915, when Green Acres started she was a mere FIFTY?? (Hank Patterson was born in 1888). The Ziffels and their "son" Arnold were my favorite scenes in GA. I do remember Barbara/Doris appearing less and less and the show went on. I guess I had quit watching by the time Fran Ryan took over the role. I don't know how they made her up, but there's nothing physically similar between Barbara and Fran. (Fran played the housekeeper on the farm in the early Doris Day episodes, but was canned apparently because Doris (Day, not Ziffel) did not appreciate her salty language). Although I have not seen the all, my favorite Green Acres episode is when the Ziffels buy a washing machine from Mr. Haney, a "Grabwell" brand which like all Grabwell products they show on the episode, is a barrel with an outboard motor attached. When it runs amok and wrecks "their beautiful house" (as Doris puts it), the Ziffels hire Oliver to sue Haney in court. If you can find it, watch. It's hilarious. IF we had never seen Vivian Vance and known what brilliance she would bring to Ethel Mertz, Barbara Pepper might not have been bad in the role. They could have added hard-drinking to the Mertzes traits. True but that's not all that uncommon on tv particularly in supporting roles. Of course we need look no further than Vivian Vance and William Frawley to see a major age gap in a tv couple. Or (in cases of a woman much older than the man) Esther Rolle and John Amos, Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley. I remember in the 80's they once had Natalie Schafer and John Hellerman on LOVE BOAT as a married couple and she was some 30 years older than him (although she admitted only to 20). They even do this for siblings, on The Doris Day Show, Estelle Winwood and the 25 years+ younger Maudie Prickett played sisters. And of course in the 1960's 50 wasn't "mere" for an actress that's for sure, although Lucy was ageless none of her contemporaries were except for Barbara Stanwyck and Eve Arden. Interesting that Barbara was dropped from GREEN ACRES and Fran from THE DORIS DAY SHOW but Fran moved on to Barbara's GA role and Barbara played a bit part on an episode of TDDS. Pepper and Ryan were twins though compared to some "new" actors in established roles (Michael Carmel and Richard Deacon in THE MOTHERS IN LAW, Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt in BATMAN). I agree Barbara would have been a pretty good Ethel though dare I say a more biting one and less vulnerable. Still, I don't think she could compare to Vivian in the role anymore than Joan Davis as Lucy Ricardo. Nobody else could have played these parts as well, no matter how talented. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucyilove Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 Wow, she really suffered thanks to that bottle addiction, I still say she looks twenty years older than she actually was. I actually don't think Barbara looks all that terrible, she's just a not particularly gorgeous fat gal, no big deal. And she surely does not look like a senior citizen. I don't think Rosanne Barr in her fifties in a blonde wig would have looked all that different. I feel bad picking on poor Barbara who probably resembles the average 50 year old woman of 1966 more closely than lithe Lucy. It's absolutely true and I don't know why: people just looked OLDER then, but Lucy is a stand-out exception. Reta Shaw, Barbara, Lucille Benson, Iris Adrian, Jody Gilbert....Lucy is older than ALL of them. (Side note about Jody: at the age of 19 she gave a concert at Carnegie Hall.....Perhaps singing "You're as Welcome as the Flowers in May"? ) Actually even today if you walked into a supermarket you'd probably find more 54 year olds looking closer to Barbara Pepper than Lucille Ball at this age, a lot of people don't age particularly well, don't watch their diet or health as they get older, etc. Hollywood makes everybody think anyone can look like Michelle Pfeiffer at 54 but as someone once said of Marlene Dietrich, to look like her at 54 you have to look like her at 25. It's apples and oranges to me, Lucy was a glamour girl comedienne, Barbara was a character actress comedienne, even if they were similiar types in their youth that didn't last long. It's kind of like comparing Jane Fonda to say Kathryn Joosten (RIP). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucyilove Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 Didn't mean to post again right here, was attempting to edit one of my other ones but hit the wrong button - I guess it's the Lucy in me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 Didn't mean to post again right here, was attempting to edit one of my other ones but hit the wrong button - I guess it's the Lucy in me Awwwwwwwww go ahead, love it when you open up like that, your comments are always very insightful, as are Neil's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 Disagree about Barbara Stanwick though, that damned GREY hair made her look so much older, same for Jane Wyman, and Ginger Rogers and Mae West also looked older with their fake blondish hair color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted May 22, 2013 Report Share Posted May 22, 2013 We had a black and white set. I always assumed Barbara was blonde. Disagree about Barbara Stanwick though, that damned GREY hair made her look so much older, same for Jane Wyman, and Ginger Rogers and Mae West also looked older with their fake blondish hair color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted May 22, 2013 Report Share Posted May 22, 2013 We had a black and white set. I always assumed Barbara was blonde. Yeah, very very very pale blond, LOL! I`ve gone grey white in my current retirement myself and when I see myself in a mirror, I keep asking myself if I can help the old timer in the mirror with anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucyilove Posted June 12, 2013 Report Share Posted June 12, 2013 Disagree about Barbara Stanwick though, that damned GREY hair made her look so much older, same for Jane Wyman, and Ginger Rogers and Mae West also looked older with their fake blondish hair color. Ya don't like 'em going grey and ya don't like 'em dying it blonde, how many other options have they got, baldness? Personally, I do think Stanwyck should have dyed it when she went grey in the 1950's but she looks amazing in THE BIG VALLEY and in later years. Jane, Ginger, and Mae too I think they all looked pretty great post-50. It's tough line to walk for older actresses, particularly in that era, they get slammed for trying to look or act younger than their years, or for supposedly letting themselves go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted June 12, 2013 Report Share Posted June 12, 2013 Ya don't like 'em going grey and ya don't like 'em dying it blonde, how many other options have they got, baldness? Personally, I do think Stanwyck should have dyed it when she went grey in the 1950's but she looks amazing in THE BIG VALLEY and in later years. Jane, Ginger, and Mae too I think they all looked pretty great post-50. It's tough line to walk for older actresses, particularly in that era, they get slammed for trying to look or act younger than their years, or for supposedly letting themselves go. You`re right, Stanwick looked the best, she was natural and it looked sensational on her, not so for Mae West though, she looked ridiculous with that long hair and those evening gowns during the day, LOL! Ginger did a little bit better with that than Mae, but not much. I think the problem with her was too much make up, same as Lucy. Jane Wyman did better than them with a more natural look that did not distract from her work on Falcon Crest. Look at the ones of today, Jane Fonda at her advanced age looks incredibly gorgeous. But Cicey Tyson whom we just saw on the Tonys looks terrific but can hardly move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvsbway Posted June 12, 2013 Report Share Posted June 12, 2013 Wanna see amazing for someone in their mid 60's. Bernadette Peters. This woman has got to have a pack with the devil to look that good and no sign of botox, anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted June 12, 2013 Report Share Posted June 12, 2013 Wanna see amazing for someone in their mid 60's. Bernadette Peters. This woman has got to have a pack with the devil to look that good and no sign of botox, anything. OH I KNOW! That woman's LOOK has not changed at all since she made those old movies with Steve Martin. I thought the exact same thing when I saw her come out on the Tony show. Shame she's not in a show herself, such a beautiful voice to go with that perfect face and body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvsbway Posted June 12, 2013 Report Share Posted June 12, 2013 She was on a couple episodes of Smash this season and Follies was only about 2 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted June 13, 2013 Report Share Posted June 13, 2013 She was on a couple episodes of Smash this season and Follies was only about 2 years. Great that she's still working, I've never seen SMASH. I think of all the people in show business, she has aged better than any of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 A perturbed Barbara Pepper beginning at 1.11? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 A perturbed Barbara Pepper beginning at 1.11? Certainly looks like her. What year is this clip from? She's already looking Doris Ziffel-y. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 Certainly looks like her. What year is this clip from? She's already looking Doris Ziffel-y. LOL 1941, I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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