Barbara Parkins — Biography

Barbara Parkins is primarily remembered as a quintessential figure of the 1960s, having secured leading roles in two of the decade's most talked-about projects: Peyton Place, a television drama that debuted in 1964, and the cinematic hit Valley of the Dolls, released in 1967. Upon her arrival in Hollywood as a young woman, Parkins quickly found her footing in guest spots on popular episodic television, including appearances on Wagon Train and Perry Mason, both in 1957. Her early work also involved performing as a dancer alongside George Burns in his nightclub performances. This led to a significant opportunity: the crucial part of Betty Anderson in what would become television's inaugural prime-time soap opera, Peyton Place. The series achieved immediate popularity, catapulting Parkins, alongside her co-stars Ryan O'Neal and Mia Farrow, into widespread recognition. Parkins received an Emmy nomination for Best Actress and remained with the show for its entire five-year run. Her status as a star was further cemented in 1967 when she took on a leading role in the film Valley of the Dolls, which proved to be a major commercial success. During the filming of this movie, she formed a close friendship with co-star Sharon Tate, and she later traveled to London to serve as Tate's bridesmaid when she married director Roman Polanski in 1968. Parkins developed a fondness for the United Kingdom. Following Tate's tragic death in 1969, Parkins made the decision to depart Hollywood and establish a new residence in London. There, she contributed to BBC productions and starred in international films such as Puppet on a Chain (1970), Christina (1974), and Shout at the Devil (1976). However, her professional endeavors began to take a backseat to her personal life. She married in the late 1970s and lived in France for a period. After her marriage concluded, Parkins returned to the United States and attempted a career resurgence in Hollywood. She appeared in popular television series of the time, including The Love Boat and Fantasy Island, both in 1977, and Hotel in 1983. Her film credits from this period include Bear Island (1979) with Donald Sutherland and Vanessa Redgrave, and Breakfast in Paris (1982). In 1985, Parkins reunited with other original cast members for a television movie sequel, Peyton Place: The Next Generation. Her career was once again sidelined by the birth of her daughter, Christina Parkins. While Parkins has made fewer appearances since the late 1980s, she briefly returned to weekly television in the CBS series Scene of the Crime (1991), which was filmed in her birthplace of Vancouver. In 1997, Parkins was honored as