Barbara Pepper
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- May 31, 1915
- Died
- July 18, 1969 (aged 54)
- Birthplace
- New York City, New York, USA
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Barbara Pepper (born Marion B. 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. Pepper was born in New York City, the daughter of actor David Mitchell "Dave" Pepper, and his wife, Harrietta S. Pepper. At age 16 she started life in show business with Goldwyn Girls, a musical stock company where she met lifelong friend Lucille Ball. Pepper began making movies. Among her later film parts were small roles in My Fair Lady and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. She also performed radio parts. In 1943, she married actor Craig Reynolds (né Harold Hugh Enfield), and the couple later had two sons. After Reynolds died in 1949 in a California motorcycle accident, Pepper was left to raise their children alone. She never remarried. After gaining weight, her roles were mostly confined to small character parts on television, including several appearances on I Love Lucy, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Petticoat Junction, 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". A long-time friend of Lucille Ball, Barbara was considered for the role of Ethel Mertz on "I Love Lucy," but was passed over due to the fact that she was reportedly a drinker. William Frawley ("Fred Mertz") was, likewise, reportedly, a drinker and was already cast. It was felt that having two drinkers in the cast might eventually cause difficulties so they auditioned and found Vivian Vance to play Ethel instead. She may be best remembered as the first Doris Ziffel on Petticoat Junction in 1964, although her character's name on the "Genghis Keane" episode of Petticoat Junction was Ruth Ziffel. Her role as Doris Ziffel continued on Green Acres from 1965 to 1968, until heart ailments finally forced her to leave that weekly series. Veteran actress Fran Ryan replaced her on Green Acres, which would continue to run for another three years. Her final performance was in the 1969 film Hook, Line & Sinker, in which she played Jerry Lewis's secretary.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Mayberry R.F.D.
TV · as Emma · 1 ep
Green Acres
TV · as Doris Ziffel · 23 eps
Laredo
TV · 1 ep
Kiss Me, Stupid
Movie · as Big Bertha
The Best Man
Movie · as Delegate (uncredited)
Daniel Boone
TV · as Mrs. Shanks · 1 ep
Who's Minding the Store?
Movie · as Customer at Bargain Sale (uncredited)
A Child Is Waiting
Movie · as Miss Brown (uncredited)
Burke's Law
TV · as Cleaning Woman · 1 ep
Petticoat Junction
TV · as Ruth Ziffel, Doris Ziffel · 2 eps
The Greatest Show on Earth
TV · 1 ep
The Fugitive
TV · as Matty · 1 ep
The Music Man
Movie · as Mrs. Hawkes
It's Only Money
Movie · as Fisherwoman
Mister Ed
TV · 1 ep
Bus Stop
TV · as Mrs. Miller · 1 ep
The Bramble Bush
Movie · as Polly Welk
Sex Kittens Go to College
Movie · as Circe
My Three Sons
TV · 1 ep
The Untouchables
TV · as Mrs. Littlesmith, Landlady · 1 ep
Auntie Mame
Movie · as Mrs. Krantz (uncredited)
The Texan
TV · 1 ep
Shirley Temple's Storybook
TV · as First Choir Lady · 1 ep
The D.I.
Movie · as Woman Customer
Perry Mason
TV · as Martha Dale, Mrs. Diamond, Mrs. Dwyer - Fat Woman, Mrs. Williamson · 1 ep
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV · 1 ep
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
TV · as Mrs. Brody, Clara Chase · 1 ep
M Squad
TV · as Landlady · 1 ep
The Walter Winchell File
TV · 1 ep
Tales of Wells Fargo
TV · as Boxcar Annie · 1 ep
Wagon Train
TV · as Mrs. Maybelle Gifford · 1 ep
Dark Meeting
Movie · as Clara
The Millionaire
TV · as Fat Woman · 1 ep
A Star Is Born
Movie · as Esther's Neighbor (uncredited)
Father Knows Best
TV · as Shopper · 1 ep
Inferno
Movie · as Waitress (uncredited)
So This Is Love
Movie · as Fat Girl with Sailor in Nightclub (uncredited)
The Eddie Cantor Story
Movie · as Beer Garden Patron
I Love Lucy: The Movie
Movie · as Party Guest (archive footage)
Ghost Buster
Movie · as Mrs. Nolan
Four Star Playhouse
TV · as Clara · 1 ep
I Love Lucy
TV · as Nurse, Woman On Bus, Neighbor, Woman Shopper, Showgirl #2 · 1 ep
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
TV · as Miss Buell · 1 ep
The Fuller Brush Girl
Movie · as Wife Watching TV (uncredited)
Unmasked
Movie · as Mrs. Schmidt
My Blue Heaven
Movie · as Susan (uncredited)
No Way Out
Movie · as Woman (uncredited)
The Crooked Way
Movie
The Inspector General
Movie · as Buxom Villager (uncredited)
The Snake Pit
Movie · as Asylum Patient (uncredited)
Studio One
TV · as Ellie · 1 ep
Terror Trail
Movie · as Karen Kemp, the Louisville Lady
The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry
Movie · as Annie
Murder, He Says
Movie · as Bonnie Fleagle
Trouble Chasers
Movie · as Goldie
The Naughty Nineties
Movie · as Gilded Cage Hostess (uncredited)
Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid
Movie · as Miss LaRue ("Wild Rose")
Once Upon a Time
Movie · as Cabbie (uncredited)
A Maid Made Mad
Movie · as Blonde
Girls in Chains
Movie · as Barbara Pepper
So This Is Washington
Movie · as Betty - Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Aerial Gunner
Movie · as Blonde at Shooting Gallery (uncredited)
Blonde and Groom
Movie · as Rex's Fiancée
Let's Face It
Movie · as Daisy (uncredited)
Sappy Pappy
Movie · as Female Customer
One Thrilling Night
Movie · as Lettie
Carry Harry
Movie · as Edith, Harry's Girl Friend
My Favorite Spy
Movie · as Speedy
Manpower
Movie · as Polly
Birth of the Blues
Movie · as Maizie
South of Tahiti
Movie · as Julie
Three Sons o' Guns
Movie · as Francie LaRue
Out of the Fog
Movie
The Lady Eve
Movie · as Lady Wrestler Type on Ship (uncredited)
Framed
Movie · as Goldie Green
Castle on the Hudson
Movie · as Goldie
Foreign Correspondent
Movie · as Dorine
The Return of Frank James
Movie · as Nellie Blane
Sailor's Lady
Movie · as Maude
Forgotten Girls
Movie · as Eve Abbott
They Made Me a Criminal
Movie · as Budgie Massey
Flight at Midnight
Movie · as Mildred
The Amazing Mr. Williams
Movie · as Muriel - Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Bachelor Mother
Movie · as Dance-Hall Hostess (uncredited)
The Women
Movie · as Tough Girl (uncredited)
Of Mice and Men
Movie · as Second Girl (uncredited)
Three Sons
Movie · as Viola
Colorado Sunset
Movie · as Ginger Bixby
Off the Record
Movie · as Flossie - Telephone Operator (uncredited)
The Strange Case of Dr. Meade
Movie · as Mattie
Hollywood Stadium Mystery
Movie · as Althea Ames
Army Girl
Movie · as Riki
The Girl Downstairs
Movie · as Woman at bar (uncredited)
Wide Open Faces
Movie · as Belle
The Lady in the Morgue
Movie · as Kay Renshaw
The Chaser
Movie · as Mabel, Drunken Girl
Forty Naughty Girls
Movie · as Alice
The Outcasts of Poker Flat
Movie · as Blonde Saloon Lady (uncredited)
Many Unhappy Returns
Movie · as Sophie - Cigar Store Counter Girl
Too Many Wives
Movie · as Angela Brown
The Big Shot
Movie · as Mamie
You Can't Buy Luck
Movie · as Store Clerk
Portia on Trial
Movie · as Evelyn
The Westland Case
Movie · as Agatha Hogan
Music for Madame
Movie · as Blonde on Bus (Uncredited)
Show Boat
Movie
The Rogues' Tavern
Movie · as Marjorie Burns
What Becomes of the Children?
Movie · as Elsie Ford
Taming the Wild
Movie · as Hazel White
The Big Game
Movie · as Lois
Wanted: Jane Turner
Movie · as Marge Sanders
M'Liss
Movie · as Clytie Morpher
Mummy's Boys
Movie · as Mary Browning
Winterset
Movie · as Girl
After the Thin Man
Movie · as Party Guest (uncredited)
The Singing Vagabond
Movie · as Honey
Waterfront Lady
Movie · as Gloria Vance
The Sagebrush Troubadour
Movie · as Joan Martin
Let 'em Have It
Movie · as Milly Adams
Forced Landing
Movie · as Nancy 'Dusty' Rhodes
Frisco Waterfront
Movie · as The Blonde Stranger
Our Daily Bread
Movie · as Sally
Strictly Dynamite
Movie · as Party Girl (uncredited)
Roman Scandals
Movie · as Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)