Barbara Parkins is best remembered as an icon of the sixties who had starring roles in two of the era's more notorious productions, Peyton Place and Valley of the Dolls. After arriving in Hollywood as a teenager, Parkins soon began appearing on episodic television programs such as Wagon Train and Perry Mason. She also appeared with George Burns as a dancer in his nightclub act. She was soon offered the pivotal role of "Betty Anderson" in what would become television's first prime time soap opera, Peyton Place. The show was an immediate success and turned Parkins, along with costars Ryan O'Neal and Mia Farrow into household names. Parkins was nominated for an Emmy Award as Best Actress and stayed with the series for its entire 5 year run. Her popularity was further solidified when, in 1967, she starred in the motion picture Valley of the Dolls, which became a huge box office hit. She became close friends with her Dolls costar, Sharon Tate and traveled to London to be her bridesmaid when Tate married director Roman Polanski in 1968. Parkins fell in love with England, UK. After Tate's murder in 1969, Parkins decided to leave Hollywood and took up residence in London. There, she appeared on the BBC and starred in such international productions as Puppet on a Chain, Christina and Shout at the Devil. Her career, however, was no longer the prime focus of her life. She married in the late 1970's and lived in France for awhile. When her marriage ended, Parkins returned to the United States and gave Hollywood another try. She appeared in popular tv shows of the day such as The Love Boat, 0077008, and Hotel. She also filmed Bear Island with Donald Sutherland and Vanessa Redgrave and Breakfast in Paris. Parkins joined other original cast members for a Peyton Place reunion movie in 1985. Her career, however, was once again put on hold when her daughter Christina was born. Parkins has made infrequent appearances since the late 1980's although she did return to weekly television for a brief stint in the CBS TV series Scene of the Crime which was filmed in the city she was born, Vancouver. In 1997, Parkins was the guest of honor at a 30th anniversary screening of Valley of the Dolls in San Francisco. During a question and answer segment with columnist Ted Casablanca she announced to the sold out audience that she planned to retire. The following year, however, she appeared in Scandalous Me: The Jacqueline Susann Story, based on the life of Valley of the Dolls' controversial author. Whether Parkins will resume her career full time or really retire is unknown at this time.
Was Sharon Tate's bridesmaid when Sharon married Roman Polanski on January 20, 1968. She and Ed Nelson were the only two actors who appeared on the first episode of Peyton Place in 1964 and the final episode in 1969. They were the only stars who lasted the shows entire five year run. Is an adopted child. In 1965, was named "Hollywood's Deb Star of the Year" by the Association of Hollywood Make up Artists and Hairstylists. In 1965, won the Photoplay Gold Medal Award for Best Newcomer. Ms. Parkins is an accomplished photographer. Measurements: 34-24-34 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine) Appeared in a number of "Playboy" pictorial spreads - her most revealing ones in 1967 and one in 1976. In 1998, came out of nowhere and appeared in the mini-movie _Scandalous Me: The Jacqueline Susann Story (1998) (TV), the story of Jacqueline Susann, who wrote the book version of Barbara's claim-to-film-fame Valley of the Dolls. While interviewed by gossip columnist Ted Casablanca at a 1996 gala viewing of Valley of the Dolls, she candidly reported, while working with some of her co-stars, that Susan Hayward was "spastic", Patty Duke was "energetic but neurotic" and Sharon Tate was "magic". She reprised her 60s soap opera character of Betty Harrington for a 1985 TV-reunion movie. Married in the late 70s, she had a daughter, Christina, born in 1986. Later divorced. Patty Duke gave her the nick name "Barbara Starkins" during the filming of Valley of the Dolls. She was cast as "Anne Welles" in Valley of the Dolls after Candice Bergen dropped out two weeks before filming was to begin. She originally tested for the role of "Neely O'Hara". In 1966, Parkins co-hosted the Miss Teen International Pageant with her "Peyton Place" costar, Ryan O'Neal. In 2006, Barbara Parkins provided commentary for the DVD release of "Valley of the Dolls." Favorite perfume is 'Lheure Bleu' by Guerlain.