Trivia

Under contract to Columbia, she was paid but never used for a single picture. She quit in disgust. She was later signed by Universal and was cast as one of the Craig sisters in Three Smart Girls (1936) along with Deanna Durbin and Nan Grey. This was Barbara's first and best remembered film.

Her career was over by the time she married William Talman, of Perry Mason (1957) fame, in 1953. The couple had two children: Barbara ("Barbie") and William III ("Bobo"). The marriage was turbulent as both she and Talman suffered from alcohol problems. They divorced in 1960 with Barbara gaining custody of the children. Talman took over custody a year later when her alcoholism and mental/emotional problems became overbearing.

She committed suicide at her Laguna Beach (CA) home when she turned on the gas jets of her stove and sealed the doors and windows. She left a note blaming "ill health".

Had four children: two sons, Damon Reed Josephy (B. 1948) and Quentin Edward Josephy (b. 1950), with her ex-husband Bill Josephy; two children, a daughter Barbara Barber Talman (b. 1952) and a son William Whitney Talman III (b. 1954), with her ex-husband William Talman.

Bore a strong likeness to Deanna Durbin.

Born in Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada, she was the daughter of a contractor.