Who is Nancy Barrett?
American former actress Nancy Barrett was born in Shreveport, Louisiana USA, under the zodiac sign of Libra on 5 October 194,. She appeared in only 10 TV series and movies prior to retiring from acting in 1986, and is perhaps still best known for her portrayal of the supporting character Carolyn Stoddard in the critically acclaimed fantasy horror series “Dark Shadows”, created by Dan Curtis, and which starred Jonathan Frid, Grayson Hall and Alexandra Isles. It follows the lives of members of a strange family living in Collinsport, Maine, the series aired from 1966 to 1971, and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Daytime Programming – Individuals (Joan Bennett).
Early life and education
Nancy’s American parents raised her in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, but as she respects their privacy, nothing is known about them. She hasn’t mentioned having siblings, but it’s believed that Nancy was raised alongside her older sister Martha.
She began acting while attending a local high school in Bartlesville, appearing in several plays performed at the school; Nancy also played soccer with her peers, and took dancing lessons during her teenage years.
She wanted to pursue acting straight out of high school in 1960, but was urged by her parents not to do so; Nancy thus enrolled at Baylor University, and transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles for her final year, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in 1964.
Roles in TV series
Nancy’s debut TV series role was her portrayal of Inga in the 1963 episode “The Takers” of the musical comedy drama “The DuPont Show of the Week”. Her following role came in 1967, when cast to play Girl in the episode “The Pink Gumdrop” of the crime drama “N. Y. P. D.”, created by David Susskind and Arnold Perl, and which starred Jack Warden, Robert Hooks and Frank Converse. It follows three detectives as they’re fighting crime in New York City; the series was nominated for two awards.
In 1971 and 1972, Nancy starred as Nurse Cathy Ryker in the romantic drama “The Doctors”, created by Orvin Tovrov, and which also starred James Pritchett, David O’Brien and Lydia Bruce. It follows the patients, doctors and nurses at Hope Memorial Hospital in Madison – the soap opera aired from 1962 to 1982, and won five of its 24 award nominations.
Nancy played Rachel Wilson Farmer in a 1974 episode of the soap opera “One Life to Live”, and portrayed Elizabeth Cameron in the 1976 episode “Chapter XII: Henry Adams, Historian” of the historical mini-series “The Adams Chronicles”.
Her final TV series role was as Dr. Faith Coleridge in nine episodes of the romantic drama “Ryan’s Hope” in 1976. It was created by Claire Labine and Paul Avila Mayer, starred Helen Gallagher, Bernard Barrow and Nancy Addison, and follows the lives of members of the Irish-American Ryan family; the series aired from 1975 to 1989, and won 29 of its 76 award nominations.
Roles in movies
Nancy’s appeared in three movies; she reprised her role as Carolyn Stoddard in the 1970 fantasy horror drama “House of Dark Shadows”, directed by Dan Curtis, and which starred Kathryn Leigh Scott, Grayson Hall and Jonathan Frid. It follows Vampire Barnabas Collins who’s accidentally been released from his confinement in which he had spent centuries; the movie was nominated for a Laurel Award for Star of Tomorrow, Male for Jonathan Frid.
The following year saw Nancy play Claire Jenkins in the mystery horror drama “Night of Dark Shadows”, written and directed by Dan Curtis, and which starred David Selby, Grayson Hall and Kate Jackson. It follows an artist and his wife who’ve moved into a home which is haunted by ghosts of witches who had lived there before them.
Nancy’s final screen role was her portrayal of Rebecca in the 1986 historical romantic drama “Belizaire the Cajun”, written and directed by Glen Pitre, and which starred Armand Assante, Gail Youngs and Michael Schoeffling. It follows the life of a Cajun man, and the film was nominated for three awards.
Other credits
Nancy received special thanks for the 2019 documentary movie “Master of Dark Shadows”, while she’s been featured in many other documentaries, including the 1993 video “Dark Shadows Bloopers”, the 1999 short video “Dark Shadows on Location” and the 2021 “Dark Shadows and Beyond – The Jonathan Frid Story”.
She’s made a guest appearance in a couple of talk-shows, including “Entertainment Tonight”.
John Karlen and Nancy Barrett in Night of Dark Shadows ❤#JohnKarlen #AlexJenkins #NancyBarrett #ClaireJenkins #NightofDarkShadows #DarkShadows #DanCurtis #Love #Thriller pic.twitter.com/DRGtXPladf
— Jeanette Thompson (@76_jeanette) May 29, 2019
Where is she today?
Nancy’s hasn’t made many public appearances since she retired from acting, but has still appeared in a couple of theatre plays, and in 2009, she lent her voice to Carolyn in the audio series “Dark Shadows: Curse of the Pharaoh”.
Nancy’s today living alone at her home in Shreveport.
Love life and relationships
Nancy’s been married four times. She exchanged vows with her agent Ralph Pine not long after she graduated from college, and they moved together to New York City so that she could work on her acting career; Nancy and Ralph divorced in 1966. That year, while shooting for the series “Dark Shadows”, Nancy met the late American actor David Ford, and they married in the following year, but divorced in 1969.
She was introduced to American psychiatrist Dr. Harold Irving Kaplan by a mutual friend in 1969, and the two eventually married in 1980, remaining together until his death on 15 January 1998.
https://www.facebook.com/189211841148580/photos/pb.100040885816426.-2207520000./2629825967087143/?type=3
She married her fourth husband, American dentist Stuart S. Leichter D. D. S. in December 2005, and the marriage ended when Stuart passed away on 24 May 2017.
Nancy hasn’t mentioned other men whom she’s perhaps been with, and she appears to be unattached as of September 2022, has been married four times, and doesn’t have children.
Hobbies and interesting facts
Nancy’s been interested in music since she was a teenager, and the year 2001 saw her work on her debut album, however, it hasn’t been released to this day.
Nancy was passionate about travelling while still active in the film industry – her career had taken her to over 20 US states, and she also visited many European countries, with her favorite city to travel to is still today Paris, France.
Nancy’s a lover of animals, with cows and cats being her favorites.
Her favorite al-time actors are Humphrey Bogart and James Stewart, so unsurprisingly, her favorite movies include “The Maltese Falcon”, “The African Queen” and “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre”.
Height, eyes and net worth
Nancy’s age is 80. Her hair is blonde and eyes are blue, her height’s 5ft 7ins (1.71m) and her weight is about 135lbs (62kgs).
Nancy’s net worth’s been estimated at over $1 million, as of September 2022.
