Barbara Bates

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Born: 6 August 1925 Died: 18 March 1969

Country of origin: United States

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Description: Barbara Bates (August 6, 1925 – March 18, 1969) was an American actress best known for her role as Phoebe in the 1950 drama All About Eve. The eldest of three daughters, Bates was born in Denver, Colorado. While growing up in Denver, she studied ballet and worked as a teen fashion model. The shy teen was persuaded to enter a local beauty contest and won, receiving two round-trip train tickets to Hollywood, California. Two days before returning to Denver, Bates met Cecil Coan, a United Artists publicist, who would ultimately change the course of her life. In late 1949, Bates auditioned for the small role of Phoebe in Fox' Barbara Bates (August 6, 1925 – March 18, 1969) was an American actress best known for her role as Phoebe in the 1950 drama All About Eve.

The eldest of three daughters, Bates was born in Denver, Colorado. While growing up in Denver, she studied ballet and worked as a teen fashion model. The shy teen was persuaded to enter a local beauty contest and won, receiving two round-trip train tickets to Hollywood, California. Two days before returning to Denver, Bates met Cecil Coan, a United Artists publicist, who would ultimately change the course of her life.

In late 1949, Bates auditioned for the small role of Phoebe in Fox's upcoming All About Eve. In competition for the part was Zsa Zsa Gabor and others, however, Bates impressed the producers and was granted the part. She made a short but important appearance as the devious schemer, Phoebe. Bates' image is enshrined in the film's last scene, posing in front of a three-way mirror, while holding the award won by her idol Eve Harrington, played by Anne Baxter. This memorable final scene left critics and audiences intrigued by the young actress, who they thought would star in a sequel to All About Eve.

After her appearance in All About Eve, Bates co-starred in Cheaper by the Dozen, and its sequel Belles on Their Toes, with Jeanne Crain and Myrna Loy. In 1951, she landed a role opposite MacDonald Carey and Claudette Colbert in the comedy Let's Make It Legal. She co-starred with Donna Reed as the love interests of the 1953 hit Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis comedy, The Caddy.

Despite a seemingly successful career, Bates' life, both on and off screen, started unraveling. She became a victim of extreme mood swings, insecurity, ill health, and chronic depression. In 1954, she landed the role of Cathy on the NBC sitcom It's a Great Life, co-starring Frances Bavier as her mother, Amy Morgan, and James Dunn as her uncle, Earl Morgan. After seven episodes, she was written out of the show because of her erratic behavior and depression. Bates tried to salvage her career and traveled to England to find work. She was signed on as a contract player with the Rank Organisation, only to drop out of two leading roles in one month. Bates continued to be too emotionally unstable to work and in 1957, her contract with the Rank Organisation was canceled. Her last onscreen appearance would come in an episode of The Saint that aired in November 1962.

In January 1967, Bates' husband Cecil Coan died of cancer. Devastated by his death, Bates' depression worsened and she again became suicidal. Later that year, she returned to Denver and fell out of public view. For a time, Bates worked as a secretary, as a dental assistant, and as a hospital aide. In December 1968 she married for the second time: to a childhood friend, sportscaster William Reed. Despite her new marriage and location, Bates remained increasingly despondent and depressed.

On March 18, 1969, just months after her marriage to Reed, Barbara Bates committed suicide in her mother's garage by carbon monoxide poisoning. She was 43 years old.

In 1960, Bates and her husband moved back to the United States and got an apartment in Beverly Hills. Later that year, Coan was diagnosed with cancer. Bates remained devoted to her husband and rarely left his bedside, but the strain was too much for her. She attempted suicide by slashing her wrists and was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Hospital where she soon recovered.[1] ... (more)