Barbara Jo Allen
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- September 2, 1906
- Died
- September 14, 1974 (aged 68)
- Birthplace
- New York City, New York, USA
Biography
From Wikipedia Barbara Jo Allen (September 2, 1906 – September 14, 1974) was an actress also known as Vera Vague, the spinster character she created and portrayed on radio and in films during the 1940s and 1950s. She based the character on a woman she had seen delivering a PTA literature lecture in a confused manner. As Vague, she popularized the catch phrase "You dear boy!" Allen's acting ability first surfaced in school plays. Following her high school graduation, she went to Paris to study at the Sorbonne. Concentrating on language, she became proficient in French, Spanish, German and Italian. After the death of her parents, she moved to Los Angeles where she lived with her uncle. In 1937, she debuted on network radio drama as Beth Holly on NBC's One Man's Family, followed by roles on Death Valley Days, I Love a Mystery and other radio series. According to Allen, her Vera Vague character was “sort of a frustrated female, dumb, always ambitious and overzealous… a spouting Bureau of Misinformation.” After Vera was introduced in 1939 on NBC Matinee, she became a regular with Bob Hope beginning in 1941. Allen appeared in at least 60 movies and TV series between 1938 and 1963, often credited as Vera Vague rather than her own name. The character she created was so popular that she eventually adopted the character name as her professional name. From 1943 to 1952, as Vera, she made more than a dozen comedy two-reel short subjects for Columbia Pictures. In 1948, she did less acting and instead opened her own commercial orchid business, while also serving as the Honorary Mayor of Woodland Hills, California. In 1953, as Vera, she hosted her own television series, Follow the Leader, a CBS audience participation show. In 1958, she appeared as Mabel, the boss of the flight attendants, in Jeannie Carson's syndicated version of her situation comedy Hey, Jeannie! The program aired only six episodes in syndication. Allen's first marriage was to actor Barton Yarborough. They had one child together. In 1946, the couple co-starred in the two-reel comedy short, Hiss and Yell, nominated for an Academy Award as Best Short Subject. In 1931-32, Allen married Charles H. Crosby. In 1943, she married Bob Hope's producer, Norman Morrell. They had one child and were married for three decades, until her 1974 death in Santa Barbara, California.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Major Difficulties
Movie
Disney’s Coyote Tales
Movie · as Goliath II’s Mother (voice) (archive sound) (uncredited)
The Three Stooges Follies
Movie · as Vera Clayton (archive footage)
The Sword in the Stone
Movie · as Scullery Maid (voice) (uncredited)
Goliath II
Movie · as Goliath II's Mother
Surfside 6
TV · 1 ep
Sleeping Beauty
Movie · as Fauna (voice)
Born to Be Loved
Movie · as Irene Hoffman
Maverick
TV · as Celia Mallaver · 2 eps
Mohawk
Movie · as Aunt Agatha
The Opposite Sex
Movie · as Dolly DeHaven
Columbia Laff Hour
Movie · as Vera Vague (archive footage)
The George Gobel Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
General Electric Theater
TV · as Mrs. Parkinson · 1 ep
Happy Go Wacky
Movie · as Vera Vague
She Took a Powder
Movie · as Vera Vague
Square Dance Katy
Movie · as Gypsy Jones
Nursie Behave
Movie · as Vera Vague
Miss in a Mess
Movie · as Vera Vague
Clunked in the Clink
Movie · as Vera Vague
Wha' Happen?
Movie · as Vera
Cupid Goes Nuts
Movie · as Vera Vague / Prudy Vague
Hiss and Yell
Movie · as Vera Vague
Earl Carroll Sketchbook
Movie · as Sherry Lane
Reno-Vated
Movie · as Vera Butts
Headin' for a Weddin'
Movie · as Vera Vague
Snafu
Movie · as Madge Stevens
Calling All Fibbers
Movie · as Vera Vague
The Jury Goes Round 'n' Round
Movie · as Vera Vague
Girl Rush
Movie · as Suzie Banks
Moon Over Las Vegas
Movie · as Auntie
Rosie the Riveter
Movie · as Vera Watson
Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid
Movie · as Mrs. Terwilliger ("Blue Eyes")
Cowboy Canteen
Movie · as Vera Vague
Lake Placid Serenade
Movie · as Countess
Strife of the Party
Movie · as Vera Clayton
She Snoops to Conquer
Movie · as Vera
Doctor, Feel My Pulse
Movie · as Vera Vague
Get Going
Movie · as Matilda Jones
You Dear Boy!
Movie · as Vera
Swing Your Partner
Movie · as Vera Vague
Larceny, Inc.
Movie · as Mademoiselle Gloria
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Movie · as Tabitha Hazy
Ice Capades Revue
Movie · as Aunt Nellie
Priorities on Parade
Movie · as Mariposa Ginsbotham
Hi, Neighbor
Movie · as Vera Greenfield
Kiss the Boys Goodbye
Movie · as Myra Stanhope
Ice-Capades
Movie · as Vera Vague
Buy Me That Town
Movie · as Henriette Teagarden
Design for Scandal
Movie · as Janie
The Mad Doctor
Movie · as Louise Watkins (as Barbara Allen [Vera Vague])
Village Barn Dance
Movie · as Vera Vague
Broadway Melody of 1940
Movie · as Ms. Konk (uncredited)
Melody and Moonlight
Movie · as Adelaide Barnett
Sing, Dance, Plenty Hot
Movie · as Susan
Melody Ranch
Movie · as Veronica Whipple
Moving Vanities
Movie · as Mrs. Errol
The Women
Movie · as Receptionist (uncredited)
Kennedy the Great
Movie · as Mrs. John Potter