The rich filmography of the famous Hollywood actress Barbara Harris is filled with more than three dozen striking film works. Her track record also includes such prestigious film awards as the Golden Globe and Oscar. However, among the world cinematographic community, the name of the star is largely associated with her marriage. After all, the famous actor Cary Grant was 46 years older than his wife.
On August 21, 2018, at the age of 83, Barbara Harris's brilliant professional career ended. Only death from lung cancer could interrupt the career of a movie star. The last days of her life, suffering from a serious cancer, the actress spent in a hospice located in the state of Arizona (city of Scottsdale).
According to her close friend, until the last moment, Barbara embodied cheerfulness and optimism, infecting others with a wonderful sense of humor. But she was well aware that her days were numbered and every minute could be the last. Interestingly, to the staff's requests for rest, she replied: “What should I do? Wait until I die?"
Short biography of Barbara Harris
On July 25, 1935, the future famous actress was born in a family far from the world of culture and art in Illinois. From early childhood, Barbara showed remarkable artistic abilities. And she made her first acting achievements as a teenager on the stage in Chicago. It was during this period of her life that she met director Paul Sills, who later became her husband.
In 1961, thanks to her husband, Barbara Harris was able to appear on Broadway. Interestingly, her debut immediately earned two nominations for the prestigious Tony Theater Award. And in 1967, the participation of the actress in the musical "Apple Tree" became the reason for her and the award itself.
Creative career of an actress
Despite the magnificent achievements in the field of theatrical activity, Barbara Harris became truly famous only when she appeared on the screens. In 1965, she made her film debut, appearing on the set in A Thousand Clowns. Interestingly, the very first role of an aspiring film actress at the age of thirty earned her a nomination for the Golden Globe Award, an American award awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association since 1944 for her work in motion pictures and television films.
And after this successful role in the musical comedy, Harris was nominated for the Golden Globe three more times for her talented impersonation in the films Nashville (1975), Family Conspiracy (1976) and Freaky Friday (1976). However, it was not necessary to become the owner of this prestigious award, which many call "warm-up before the Oscar". But the main award of the American Film Academy in 1971, Barbara still took in her hands. She became an Oscar winner thanks to her supporting role in the film Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Does He Say Terrible Things About Me?
The seventies of the last century were the most fruitful in the professional career of an actress. The multifaceted film mural "Nashville" by Robert Altman became an iconic film of the so-called "New Hollywood". In this film project, consisting of 27 musical numbers, the socio-political problems of the country were revealed in a grotesque way. Albuquerque's character was largely detailed by the actress herself, as were many others in this monumental film, which was named Sight & Sound in 2012 on the list of “the hundred best cinematic works in history”.
In Freaky Friday, directed by Gary Nelson, actress Barbara Harris stars as housewife Ellen Andrews. The sparkling comedy plot of this picture is based on the fact that the mother (Ellen) with the quarrelsome and scandalous daughter (Annabelle) simultaneously make a wish to swap places with each other, which is performed instantly. The film premiered on August 18, 1976, and was greeted with approval by the entire American cinematic community.
The detective thriller Family Conspiracy, released under the title Deception, is the latest work by director Alfred Hitchcock. In it, the actress reincarnated as the character of the medium Blanche Tyler, who is looking for the lost nephew of a certain Miss Rainbird.
The eighties of the 20th century for Barbara Harris were no longer as rich in leading roles as the previous decade. Basically, her filmography during this period was replenished with film works, in which she acted in the form of minor characters. The most outstanding of her film works then were the roles in "Inveterate Scammers" (1986) and "Peggy Sue Got Married" (1986).
The last film work in the professional career of Barbara Harris was her role in the black comedy Murder at Gross Point (1997). After that, the actress focused on teaching. Thanks to her acting lessons, many talented artists were raised, who subsequently began to be successfully realized in the cinema. However, despite the successful career of a teacher, the phrase of the popular actress is known, in which the idea of returning her to the screens or the stage with an appropriate fee was heard. And it was about 10 million dollars.
Personal life
Barbara Harris's vibrant creative career has also influenced the quality of her family life. The first spouse of the spectacular actress for 3 years was the famous director Paul Sills, who gave her, as they say, "a start in life."
And her second marriage was registered in 1981 with a colleague in the creative workshop Cary Grant.
