OT - RIP: June Cleaver (Barbara Billingsley)
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Biography for Barbara Billingsley
Date of Birth 22 December 1915, Los Angeles, California, USA
Date of Death 16 October 2010, Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, USA
Birth Name Barbara Lillian Combes
Height 5' 5" (1.65 m)
Spouse William Mortensen (28 June 1959 - 5 July 1981) (his death)
Roy Kellino (15 November 1953 - 18 November 1956) (his death)
Glenn Billingsley (1941 - 13 February 1947) (divorced) 2 children
Trade Mark
Her pearls.
Trivia
After the death of her second husband, Roy Kellino (who died of a heart
attack in 1956), Billingsley married Dr. William Mortensen, a Santa
Monica physician and widower, who was an old friend of the Kellinos
during their marriage.
Attended Los Angeles Junior College for one year before moving to New
York to appear in the play 'Straw Hat', which made it to Broadway. It
closed after only five shows, after which she became a $60-a-week
fashion model.
Has two sons, Drew (b. 1942) and Brud (b. 1945), from her first
marriage, to Glenn Billingsley, nephew of Stork Club owner Sherman
Billingsley.
Daughter-in-law of W.P. Kellino.
Before Barbara, director/husband Roy Kellino was married to
actress/syndicated columnist Pamela Mason, who once went by the stage
name Pamela Kellino and later married (and divorced) actor James Mason.
Billingsley is related by marriage to actor/producer Peter Billingsley,
known for his starring role as Ralphie in the seasonal TV-movie classic
"A Christmas Story". First husband Glenn's cousin is Peter's mother,
Gail Billingsley.
She and her first husband, Glenn Billingsley, a successful
restaurateur, had two sons, Drew and Glenn, Jr. Since 1974, Drew and
Glenn have owned and operated Billingsley's Restaurant in West Los
Angeles, in the tradition of their father, and their great uncle,
Sherman Billingsley, founder of New York City's very fashionable
1940s-era nightclub, The Stork Club.
Had two failed TV series in the early-to-mid 1950s before becoming a
household commodity as June Cleaver in 1957.
The Cleaver clan became the iconic 1950s American nuclear family. As
the mother in the show, Barbara was often seen performing her household
duties wearing complementary pearls and earrings. The pearls actually
were her idea. The actress bore a noticeable surgical scar on her neck
and wore a strand of pearls to conceal it from the cameras.
Best known by the public for her starring role as June Cleaver on
"Leave It to Beaver" (1957).
Graduated from George Washington High School in Los Angeles,
California, in 1934.
Before she was an actress, she once worked as a model.
Her former "Leave It to Beaver" (1957), co-star, Tony Dow, has one of
the bronze pieces, which is on display in the backyard garden of her.
In 2007, she was singing at her former "Leave It to Beaver" (1957),
co-star's, Jerry Mathers's, mother's 80th birthday party, when he
returned from play on Broadway.
The youngest of three children.
She had 9 hobbies including those of: gardening, dining, watching
movies, listening to radio, tennis, drinking wine, spending time with
her family, sewing and traveling.
She is best friends with: Florence Henderson, June Lockhart, Alley
Mills and Jane Wyatt.
Her idols were Katharine Hepburn and Jack Benny.
Her mother, Lillian Combes, worked in a factory, while her father,
Robert Collyer Combes, was the Chief of Police.
She changed her name from Combes to Billingsley, because she was
married to Glenn Sr.
Her son, Glenn Jr., married Karen Zappas in 1976, and are still
together. They're the parents of 3 children: Logan Billingsley, Morgan
Billingsley and Taylor Billingsley, all of whom are Barbara's
grandchildren.
She followed Ronald Reagan's career, after co-starring in one of her
plays, long before running for governor or president.
When she was a little girl, Barbara's mother would often take her to
the many movies she and her mother had both watched, without comedy.
Her mother always loved drama.
Auditioned for the role of Danny Thomas's second wife on "The Danny
Thomas Show" (1953).
Met Jim Henson at a party, before he hired her to voice Nanny on
"Muppet Babies" (1984).
Was a friend of the late Rod Serling.
Her granddaughter, Taylor wanted to follow in her grandmother's
footsteps of becoming an actress, but her parents wouldn't allow her to
begin as a child actress.
Is a fan of the late Richard Mulligan's two comedy shows: "Soap" (1977)
and "Empty Nest" (1988).
Before she became a successful actress, she once worked with a
magician, balancing cards.
Regularly played poker with Rod Serling's family before his death.
Future talk show host Oprah Winfrey, once said Billingsley was her
childhood television heroine.
Remained good friends with Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers, during and after
"Leave It to Beaver" (1957).
Her show, "Leave It to Beaver" (1957) was canceled at the end of the
sixth season, due to her castmates wanting to move on to other
projects, plus, her co-stars Tony Dow was graduating from high school,
and Jerry Mathers entering into high school, that same year.
Personal Quotes
Husband] Roy died on a Saturday, while we were gardening. The Thursday
before, I was up for the part of the mother in a series Joe Connelly
and Bob Mosher were working on. Then Roy died, and nothing came of that
series. But two months later, when they started on Leave It To Beaver,
they remembered me and asked me to read for the part of June. I've
always thought that they felt sorry for me.
[On Jerry Mathers who played "The Beaver"]: Jerry told me it had been a
dream of his always to be able to go to New York and be in a Broadway
show. So all we have to do is decide what we want to do. You have to
have a dream.
[When asked if there was a difference between her and the June Cleaver
character]: My sons say, no. Gradually what happened is the writer
started writing about you, as well as the character they created
originally. So you all become mixed up.
June Cleaver didn't keep her house in perfect order, the prop man did
it.
[When she auditioned for June Cleaver]: Well, I was doing the script,
and I don't think I could have changed it. But I loved it.
[About the legacy of her character in 2010]: June Cleaver has always
been a part of my life and always will be.
[On comparing real-life families to the TV families]: I just wish that
we could have more families like those. Family is so important, and I
just don't think we have enough people staying home with their babies
and their children.
RMJon23
M B
"RMJon23" <rmj...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:16acadab-b256-4589...@g28g2000pra.googlegroups.com...
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKfS3udCCx0
It was the first thing I thought of.