Barbara Lawrence

Barbara Jo Lawrence (February 24, 1930 – November 13, 2013) was an American model, and actress.

Early years Lawrence was born to Morris and Berenice ( Eaton) Lawrence in Carnegie, Oklahoma. She won a Tiny Tot beauty contest when she was three years old.

Career

Lawrence's career began as a child photographer's model. She made her film debut in Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe (1945), playing a night-club patron. A year later she made a strong impression in Margie, in which she played outgoing flapper Marybelle. She was featured in the swashbuckler Captain from Castile (1947) with Tyrone Power. While finishing her studies at UCLA, she attracted the attention of talent scouts, and Lawrence soon was featured in a number of movies at 20th Century-Fox, including You Were Meant for Me, Give My Regards to Broadway, A Letter to Three Wives, The Street with No Name, and Thieves' Highway. At Universal in the early 1950s were Peggy and Here Come the Nelsons. She also starred in Columbia Pictures' romantic comedy Paris Model (1953).

Upon moving to MGM, Lawrence appeared with Gig Young in the 3D movie Arena (1953) and in Her Twelve Men (with Greer Garson). She played the role of Gertie Cummings in the film version of Oklahoma!, in which she gets into a knockdown catfight with Gloria Grahame (Ado Annie). She starred in Man with the Gun (1955) that year. In 1956, she appeared as Lola McQuilan in the western TV series Cheyenne in the episode titled "The Last Train West". In 1957, she starred in Kronos with Jeff Morrow.

From 1958 to 1962, Lawrence made four guest appearances on the CBS-TV series Perry Mason. In 1958, she played Ellen Waring in "The Half-Wakened Wife" and Gloria Barton in "The Case of the Jilted Jockey". In 1961, she played Lori Stoner in "The Case of the Envious Editor", and in 1962, she played Agnes Theilman in "The Case of the Shapely Shadow". In 1958, she guest-starred in Cimarron City in the second episode "Terror Town". In 1960, she guest-starred as Della Thompson in the Bonanza episode "The Abduction".

Personal life In 1947, aged 17, Lawrence married actor Jeffrey Stone. The marriage was kept secret until June 28, 1947, when Lawrence's mother threw her daughter a church wedding in Beverly Hills, California,

Death Lawrence died of kidney failure on November 13, 2013, aged 83, in Los Angeles, California. Her death was announced January 3, 2014.

Legacy Lawrence has a star at 1735 Vine Street in the television section of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was dedicated on February 8, 1960.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1945 Diamond Horseshoe Blonde in Nightclub uncredited1946 Margie Marybelle Tenor 1947 Captain from Castile Luisa De Carvajal 1948 You Were Meant for Me Louise Crane Give My Regards to Broadway June Norwick The Street with No Name Judy Stiles Unfaithfully Yours Barbara Henshler 1949 A Letter to Three Wives Babe Finney Mother Is a Freshman Louise Sharpe Thieves' Highway Polly Faber 1950 Peggy Susan Brookfield 1951 You Were Meant for Me S.F. (Foxy) Rogers 1952 Here Come the Nelsons Barbara Schutzendorf The Star Herself 1953 Arena Sylvia Lorgan Paris Model Marta Jensen 1954 Jesse James vs. the Daltons Kate Manning Her Twelve Men Barbara Dunning 1955 Oklahoma! Gertie Cummings Man with the Gun Ann Wakefield 1956 Four Star Playhouse Eva Kenyon Episode: "Rites of Spring" 1957 Kronos Vera Hunter Joe Dakota Myrna Weaver Man in the Shadow Helen Sadler 1958–1962 Perry Mason Ellen Waring, Gloria Barton, Lori Stoner, Mrs. Theilman S1E26, The Case Of The Half-Wakened Wife; S2.E8, The Case of the Jilted Jockey; S4.E13, The Case of the Envious Editor; S5.E16, The Case of the Shapely Shadow