BARBARA BATES: All About Barbara

Films of the Golden Age
Issue Number 78
Fall 2014

“Every Hollywood newcomer goes through a sex school. They have regular exercises to bring out your … uh … fire.”

BARBARA BATES (1925-1969) made an unorthodox but stellar impression in the film ALL ABOUT EVE (1950) in which her conniving, self-indulgent character, never appearing until the final scene, shares a breathtaking ending closeup with a three-way mirror. It became one of film’s most magnificent fadeouts. Sadly, despite a handful of subsequent glamorous leads and bobbysoxer second leads, this memorable bit would become Barbara’s sole cinematic trump card. The actress came to Hollywood on the heels of beauty contests and pin-up modeling work, but her crippling shyness resulted in chronic depression and mental breakdowns, triggering an early retirement and suicide.

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