Barbara Pepper
Acting
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Barbara Pepper (born Marion B. Pepper; May 31, 1915 – July 18, 1969) was an American stage, television, radio, and film actress. She is best known as the first "Doris Ziffel" on the sitcom Green Acres. Pepper was born in New York City, the daughter of actor David Mitchell "Dave" Pepper, and his wife, Harrietta S. Pepper. At age 16 she started life in show business with Goldwyn Girls, a musical stock company where she met lifelong friend Lucille Ball. Pepper began making movies. Among her later film parts were small roles in My Fair Lady and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. She also performed radio parts. In 1943, she married actor Craig Reynolds (né Harold Hugh Enfield), and the couple later had two sons. After Reynolds died in 1949 in a California motorcycle accident, Pepper was left to raise their children alone. She never remarried. After gaining weight, her roles were mostly confined to small character parts on television, including several appearances on I Love Lucy, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Petticoat Junction, and The Jack Benny Program. She made four appearances on Perry Mason, including the role of Martha Dale, mother of the title character, in the 1957 episode "The Case of the Vagabond Vixen". A long-time friend of Lucille Ball, Barbara was considered for the role of Ethel Mertz on "I Love Lucy," but was passed over due to the fact that she was reportedly a drinker. William Frawley ("Fred Mertz") was, likewise, reportedly, a drinker and was already cast. It was felt that having two drinkers in the cast might eventually cause difficulties so they auditioned and found Vivian Vance to play Ethel instead. She may be best remembered as the first Doris Ziffel on Petticoat Junction in 1964, although her character's name on the "Genghis Keane" episode of Petticoat Junction was Ruth Ziffel. Her role as Doris Ziffel continued on Green Acres from 1965 to 1968, until heart ailments finally forced her to leave that weekly series. Veteran actress Fran Ryan replaced her on Green Acres, which would continue to run for another three years. Her final performance was in the 1969 film Hook, Line & Sinker, in which she played Jerry Lewis's secretary.
Known for
Acting122
tvGreen Acres
1965
Doris Ziffel
movieKiss Me, Stupid
1964
Big Bertha
tvDaniel Boone
1964
Mrs. Shanks
movieWho's Minding the Store?
1963
Customer at Bargain Sale (uncredited)
tvPetticoat Junction
1963
Ruth Ziffel / Doris Ziffel
tvBurke's Law
1963
Cleaning Woman
tvThe Fugitive
1963
Matty
movieA Child Is Waiting
1963
Miss Brown (uncredited)
movieIt's Only Money
1962
Fisherwoman
movieThe Music Man
1962
Mrs. Hawkes
movieThe Bramble Bush
1960
Polly Welk
tvThe Untouchables
1959
Mrs. Littlesmith / Landlady
movieAuntie Mame
1958
Mrs. Krantz (uncredited)
tvShirley Temple's Storybook
1958
First Choir Lady
tvPerry Mason
1957
Martha Dale / Mrs. Diamond / Mrs. Dwyer - Fat Woman / Mrs. Williamson
tvM Squad
1957
Landlady
tvWagon Train
1957
Mrs. Maybelle Gifford
tvRichard Diamond, Private Detective
1957
Mrs. Brody / Clara Chase
movieThe D.I.
1957
Woman Customer
tvTales of Wells Fargo
1957
Boxcar Annie
tvThe Millionaire
1955
Fat Woman
tvFather Knows Best
1954
Shopper
movieA Star Is Born
1954
Esther's Neighbor (uncredited)
movieThe Eddie Cantor Story
1953
Beer Garden Patron
movieInferno
1953
Waitress (uncredited)
movieSo This Is Love
1953
Fat Girl with Sailor in Nightclub (uncredited)
movieI Love Lucy: The Movie
1953
Party Guest (archive footage)
movieGhost Buster
1952
Mrs. Nolan
tvI Love Lucy
1951
Nurse / Woman On Bus / Neighbor / Woman Shopper / Showgirl #2
tvSchlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
Miss Buell
movieThe Fuller Brush Girl
1950
Wife Watching TV (uncredited)
movieMy Blue Heaven
1950
Susan (uncredited)
movieNo Way Out
1950
Woman (uncredited)
movieUnmasked
1950
Mrs. Schmidt
movieThe Inspector General
1949
Buxom Villager (uncredited)
tvStudio One
1948
Ellie
movieThe Snake Pit
1948
Asylum Patient (uncredited)
movieTerror Trail
1946
Karen Kemp, the Louisville Lady
movieMurder, He Says
1945
Bonnie Fleagle
movieThe Naughty Nineties
1945
Gilded Cage Hostess (uncredited)
movieTrouble Chasers
1945
Goldie
movieOnce Upon a Time
1944
Cabbie (uncredited)
movieHenry Aldrich Plays Cupid
1944
Miss LaRue ("Wild Rose")
movieLet's Face It
1943
Daisy (uncredited)
movieSo This Is Washington
1943
Betty - Taxi Driver (uncredited)
movieGirls in Chains
1943
Barbara Pepper
Blonde and Groom
1943
Rex's Fiancée
movieAerial Gunner
1943
Blonde at Shooting Gallery (uncredited)
movieA Maid Made Mad
1943
Blonde
movieSappy Pappy
1942
Female Customer
Carry Harry
1942
Edith, Harry's Girl Friend
movieMy Favorite Spy
1942
Speedy
movieManpower
1941
Polly
movieThree Sons o' Guns
1941
Francie LaRue
movieThe Lady Eve
1941
Lady Wrestler Type on Ship (uncredited)
movieThe Return of Frank James
1940
Nellie Blane
movieForgotten Girls
1940
Eve Abbott
movieFramed
1940
Goldie Green
movieOf Mice and Men
1939
Second Girl (uncredited)
movieThe Amazing Mr. Williams
1939
Muriel - Wedding Guest (uncredited)
movieThree Sons
1939
Viola
movieThe Women
1939
Tough Girl (uncredited)
movieFlight at Midnight
1939
Mildred
movieColorado Sunset
1939
Ginger Bixby
movieBachelor Mother
1939
Dance-Hall Hostess (uncredited)
movieThey Made Me a Criminal
1939
Budgie Massey
movieOff the Record
1939
Flossie - Telephone Operator (uncredited)
movieThe Girl Downstairs
1938
Woman at bar (uncredited)
movieThe Chaser
1938
Mabel, Drunken Girl
movieThe Lady in the Morgue
1938
Kay Renshaw
movieHollywood Stadium Mystery
1938
Althea Ames
moviePortia on Trial
1937
Evelyn
movieThe Westland Case
1937
Agatha Hogan
movieMany Unhappy Returns
1937
Sophie - Cigar Store Counter Girl
movieMusic for Madame
1937
Blonde on Bus (Uncredited)
movieYou Can't Buy Luck
1937
Store Clerk
movieThe Outcasts of Poker Flat
1937
Blonde Saloon Lady (uncredited)
movieToo Many Wives
1937
Angela Brown
movieAfter the Thin Man
1936
Party Guest (uncredited)
movieWhat Becomes of the Children?
1936
Elsie Ford
movieWanted: Jane Turner
1936
Marge Sanders
movieMummy's Boys
1936
Mary Browning
movieM'Liss
1936
Clytie Morpher
movieThe Rogues' Tavern
1936
Marjorie Burns
movieTaming the Wild
1936
Hazel White
movieFrisco Waterfront
1935
The Blonde Stranger
movieThe Sagebrush Troubadour
1935
Joan Martin
movieForced Landing
1935
Nancy 'Dusty' Rhodes
movieWaterfront Lady
1935
Gloria Vance
movieLet 'em Have It
1935
Milly Adams
movieStrictly Dynamite
1934
Party Girl (uncredited)
movieRoman Scandals
1933
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)