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A slim brunette leading lady of film and TV, Barbara Parkins made her feature debut in the crime drama "20,000 Eyes" (1961) but really came to public attention as the oft-married Betty Anderson on the popular primetime soap opera "Peyton Place" (ABC, 1964-69). In her second feature, the high profile but trashy "Valley of the Dolls" (1967), she was cast as an aspiring actress with roots in New England, a role that was not much of a stretch from her TV persona....

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Filmography

Breakfast in Paris - ( Jackie Wyatt / 1981 / Released / Village Roadshow Pictures Worldwide )
Bear Island - ( Judith Ruben / 1979 / Released / )
Shout at the Devil - ( Rosa O'Flynn / 1976 / Released / )
Christina - ( Christina/Kaye / 1973 / Released / International Amusement Corporation )
Asylum - ( Bonnie / 1972 / Released / Harbor Productions )
La Maison Sous les Arbres - ( Cynthia / 1971 / Released / )
Puppet on a Chain - ( Maggie / 1971 / Released / )
The Kremlin Letter - ( B A / 1970 / Released / )
The Mephisto Waltz - ( Roxanne / 1970 / Released / )
Valley of the Dolls - ( Anne Welles / 1967 / Released / )

TV Credits
Backstory ( 1999 / Released ): Actor
Intimate Portrait: Jacqueline Susann ( 1999 / Released ): Actor
The Scandalous Me: Jacqueline Susann Story ( 1998 / Released ): Actor
Scene of the Crime ( 1991 / Released ): Actor
Perry Mason: The Case of the Notorious Nun ( 1986 / Released ): Actor
Peyton Place: The Next Generation ( 1985 / Released ): Actor
Calendar Girl Murders ( 1984 / Released ): Actor
To Catch a King ( 1984 / Released ): Actor
Uncommon Valor ( 1983 / Released ): Actor
The Manions of America ( 1981 / Released ): Actor
The Critical List ( 1978 / Released ): Actor
Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women ( 1978 / Released ): Actor
Testimony of Two Men ( 1977 / Released ): Actor
Young Joe, the Forgotten Kennedy ( 1977 / Released ): Actor
Battle of the Network Stars I ( 1976 / Released ): Actor
Captains and the Kings ( 1976 / Released ): Actor
Law of the Land ( 1976 / Released ): Actor
Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill ( 1975 / Released ): Actor
Snatched ( 1973 / Released ): Actor
A Taste of Evil ( 1971 / Released ): Actor
Peyton Place ( 1964 / Released ): Actor
Murder, She Wrote ( Released ): Actor
Picket Fences ( Released ): Actor

Full Biography (Back to top)


A slim brunette leading lady of film and TV, Barbara Parkins made her feature debut in the crime drama "20,000 Eyes" (1961) but really came to public attention as the oft-married Betty Anderson on the popular primetime soap opera "Peyton Place" (ABC, 1964-69). In her second feature, the high profile but trashy "Valley of the Dolls" (1967), she was cast as an aspiring actress with roots in New England, a role that was not much of a stretch from her TV persona. In its day, the film was widely dismissed by critics, but by the 1990s it enjoyed popularity as a camp classic. While never a major screen presence, Parkins acquitted herself in a handful of roles in horror films, including "Asylum" (1972) and particularly in the Canadian-made "Christina" (1974), which utilized her voluptuous beauty to good effect. She made her last feature appearance to date as a fashion designer in the misguided Australian romantic comedy "Breakfast in Paris" (1981).

The small screen was more hospitable to Parkins who delivered several respected turns in TV-movies and miniseries. She was quite effective as a traumatized victim of rape in "A Taste of Evil" (ABC, 1971). Parkins was Leonie Jerome, aunt of Winston Churchill, in the British series "Jennie" (shown in the USA on PBS in 1975), appeared as Martinique in the acclaimed NBC miniseries "Captains and Kings" (1976), played Anna Held in the NBC biography "Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women" (1978) and portrayed the Duchess of Windsor in the HBO movie "To Catch a King" (1984). She reprised her signature role of Betty in the NBC movie "Peyton Place: The Next Generation" (1985) and returned to series TV as part of the reenactment ensemble of "Scene of the Crime" (ABC, 1991-94). Parkins also guest-starred in episodes of "Murder, She Wrote" and "Picket Fences".


Profession(s):
Actor
Sometimes Credited As:
Milestones (Back to top)

1989 Guest-starred in an episode of "Murder She Wrote" (CBS)
1986 Acted in NBC's "Perry Mason: The Case of the Notorious Nun", the second of the Perry Mason reunion movies
1985 Reprised her role as Betty Harrington Cord in the NBC movie "Peyton Place: The Next Generation"
1984 Appeared in the TV-movies "To Catch a King" (HBO), playing the Dutchess of Windsor, and "The Calendar Girl Murders" (ABC)
1981 Last feature film to date, "Breakfast in Paris"
1981 Acted in ABC miniseries "The Manions of America", which introduced Irish actor Pierce Brosnan to American audiences
1980 Appeared in "Bear Island", a poor screen adaptation of one of Alistair MacLean's best novels; film barely released
1978 Portrayed Anna Held in NBC movie "Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women"
1977 Starred in the syndicated miniseries "Testimony of Two Men", also adapted from a Taylor Caldwell novel
1976 Played Lee Marvin's daughter in "Shout at the Devil"
1976 Acted in acclaimed minseries adaptation of Taylor Caldwell's novel "Captains and Kings"
1975 Acted the part of Leonie in the PBS series "Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill" (shown as part of "Great Performances")
1974 Portrayed title role in "Christina", a murky thriller shot in Canada
1971 Played a traumatized rape victim in ABC movie "A Taste of Evil", starring Barbara Stanwyck
1971 Appeared in the chiller "The Mephisto Waltz"
1967 Co-starred in "Valley of the Dolls", an embarrassing adaptation of the Jacqueline Susann novel
1961 Made feature debut in "20,000 Eyes"
Began appearing in guest spots on TV shows like "Dr. Kildare" and "Leave It to Beaver"
Co-starred as Betty Anderson in the TV serial "Peyton Place" (ABC), the first soap opera to become a major hit in primetime, airing up to three times per week
Returned to series TV as member of the ensemble for "Scenes of the Crime" (CBS)
Guest-starred as Lucy Wanamaker on the CBS drama "Picket Fences" during the 1995-1996 season



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