Barbara Pepper (May 31, 1915 – July 18, 1969) was an American stage, television, radio, and film actress. She is best known as the first "Doris Ziffel" on the sitcom Green Acres.
Barbara Pepper | |
|---|---|
 Barbara Pepper in The Rogues Tavern (1936) | |
| Born | Marion Pepper May 31, 1915 |
| Died | July 18, 1969 (aged 54) |
| Other names | Barbara P. Enfield (married name) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1931-1969 |
| Spouse(s) | Craig Reynolds (1943-1949; his death; 2 sons) |
Early life and career
Born as Marion Pepper in New York City, at age 16 she started life in show business as one of the slender, curvy, and gorgeous Goldwyn Girls, where she met lifelong friend Lucille Ball. Pepper began making movies, among her many film parts were My Fair Lady and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Pepper also performed radio parts. In 1943 she married actor Craig Reynolds (né Harold Hugh Enfield); the couple had two sons. After Reynolds died in 1949 in a California motorcycle accident, Pepper was left to raise their two sons alone. She never remarried. [citation needed]
After gaining weight, her roles were mostly confined to small TV character parts, including several appearances on I Love Lucy, and The Jack Benny Program. She made four appearances on Perry Mason, including the role of Martha Dale, mother of the title character, in the 1957 episode, "The Case of the Vagabond Vixen". She may be best remembered as the first Doris Ziffel on Petticoat Junction in 1964 (although her character name on the "Genghis Keane" episode of Petticoat Junction was Ruth Ziffel) and Green Acres from 1965-1968. However, her heart ailments forced her to leave the series and she was replaced by Fran Ryan. Her final role was in 1969's Hook, Line & Sinker, in which she played Jerry Lewis' secretary.
Death
Barbara Pepper died on July 18, 1969, in Panorama City, California, aged 54, from a coronary thrombosis.
Partial filmography
- Roman Scandals (1933)
- Kid Millions (1934)
- The Rogues Tavern (1936)
- Hollywood Stadium Mystery (1938)
- Bachelor Mother (1939)
- The Women (1939)
- The Magnificent Fraud (1939)
- Of Mice and Men (1939)
- Women in War (1940)
- The Return of Frank James (1940)
- Foreign Correspondent (1940)
- The Lady Eve (1941)
- Birth of the Blues (1941)
- Star Spangled Rhythm (1943)
- The Inspector General (1949)
- The Eddie Cantor Story (1952)
- A Star Is Born (1954)
- Young at Heart (1954)
- Auntie Mame (1958)
- The Music Man (1962)
- A Child is Waiting (1963)
- It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) (Scene Deleted)
- My Fair Lady (1964)
- Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)
- Hook, Line & Sinker (1969)
