Barbara Nichols

Barbara Marie Nickerauer (December 10, 1928[1] – October 5, 1976), known professionally as Barbara Nichols, was an American actress who often played brassy or comic roles in films in the 1950s and 1960s.

For the American nurse leader, see Barbara L. Nichols.
Barbara Nichols
Nichols in 1956
Born
Barbara Marie Nickerauer

(1928-12-10)December 10, 1928
Mineola, New York, U.S.
DiedOctober 5, 1976(1976-10-05) (aged 47)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placePinelawn Memorial Park
OccupationActress
Years active1953–1976

Early life and career

Nichols was born Barbara Marie Nickerauer to George and Julia Nickerauer and was raised in Queens, New York.

Early in her career, Nichols was a showgirl when a club owner offered her a much higher salary to become a striptease performer. She declined the offer, keeping her focus on becoming an actress.[2] She began modeling for cheesecake magazines in the late 1940s and eventually was considered a minor rival to Marilyn Monroe. On Broadway, she appeared in the 1952 revival of Pal Joey (she also appeared in the 1957 film version) and in Let It Ride (1961).[3] In the mid 1950s, she moved to Hollywood and began appearing in showy supporting roles in A-films, such as Miracle in the Rain (1956), The King and Four Queens (1956), The Naked and the Dead (1958), The Pajama Game (1957), Sweet Smell of Success (1957), That Kind of Woman (1958), and Where the Boys Are (1960), with high profile actors, including Clark Gable, Susan Hayward, Sophia Loren, and Doris Day. One of her few starring roles was in the 1965 science-fiction film The Human Duplicators. Her final film was Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood in 1976.

Nichols was also a frequent guest star on many television series, including It's a Great Life, The Jack Benny Television Show, The Twilight Zone (in the episode "Twenty Two" S2 E17 1961), The Untouchables, The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters, Going My Way, Batman (episodes 35 and 36), Hawaii Five-O, Green Acres and The Beverly Hillbillies.

Death

Nichols died on October 5, 1976, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles from liver failure due to complications of a damaged spleen and liver reportedly sustained in separate automobile accidents many years earlier.[4][5] She is interred at Pinelawn Memorial Park in Farmingdale, New York.[6]

Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes
1954 River of No Return Blonde dancer Uncredited
1956 Manfish Mimi
1956 Miracle in the Rain Arlene Parker née Witchy
1956 Beyond a Reasonable Doubt Dolly Moore
1956 The Wild Party Sandy
1956 The King and Four Queens Birdie McDade
1957 Sweet Smell of Success Rita
1957 The Pajama Game Poopsie
1957 Pal Joey Gladys
1958 Ten North Frederick Stella
1958 The Naked and the Dead Mildred Croft
1959 Woman Obsessed Mayme Radzevitch
1959 That Kind of Woman Jane
1960 Who Was That Lady? Gloria Coogle
1960 Where the Boys Are Lola Fandango
1961 The George Raft Story Texas Guinan
1962 House of Women Candy Kane
1964 Looking for Love Gaye Swinger
1964 Dear Heart June Loveland
1964 The Disorderly Orderly Miss Marlowe
1965 The Human Duplicators Gale Wilson (Alternative title: Jaws of the Alien)
1965 The Loved One Sadie Blodgett
1966 The Swinger Blossom LaTour
1968 The Power Flora
1968 Criminal Affair (Alternative titles: Seven Men and One Brain and Sette uomini e un cervello)
1973 Charley and the Angel Sadie
1974 The Photographer Mrs. Wilde
1976 Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood Nick's Girl
Television
Year Title Role Episodes
1953 Studio One in Hollywood First Pretty Girl Episode: "Complications of a Nervous Man"
1954 The Mask Episode: "Murder in the Burlesque House"
1954 The United States Steel Hour Bridie Episode: "Good for You"
1954 The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse Ruth Episode: "The Man in the Middle of the Ocean"
1954 Center Stage Episode: "Heart of a Clown"
1954 Armstrong Circle Theatre Bar Patron/Party Flirt/Bobsey Baxter Episode: "Fred Allen's Sketchbook"
1955 Danger Episode: "Sandy River Blues"
1956 Chevron Hall of Stars Rosie Episode: "Double Cross"
1956 It's a Great Life Caroline Cabot 2 episodes
1956-1958 The Bob Cummings Show Marian Billington 3 episodes
1957 Matinee Theater Episode: "The Gentleman Caller"
1957-1959 The Thin Man Various roles 2 episodes
1958 Maverick Blanche Episode: "The Third Rider"
1958 Love That Jill Ginger 13 episodes
1958 Shower of Stars Miss Kim O'Day Episode #4.7
1958 Climax! Dale Benson Episode: "The Push-Button Giant"
1958 Dragnet Episode: "The Big Star"
1958 The Milton Berle Show Guest Episode dated November 19, 1958
1958-1960 The Red Skelton Hour Gertie - Bolivar's Girlfriend 4 episodes
1958-1960 The Jack Benny Program Mildred Meyerhouser 4 episodes
1959 The Scarface Mob Brandy LaFrance Television movie
1959 Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse Brandy LaFrance 2 episodes
1959 The Real McCoys Gladys Slade Episode: "The Politician"
1959 The Untouchables Brandy LaFrance/Barbara Ritchie 2 episodes
1959 The Dennis O'Keefe Show Episode #1.10
1960 Stagecoach West Sadie Wren Episode: "A Time to Run"
1961 The Twilight Zone Liz Powell Episode: "Twenty Two"
1961 G.E. True Theater Leslie Blaine Episode: "The Small Elephants"
1961 Michael Shayne Topaz McQueen Episode: "Marriage Can Be Fatal"
1961 The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor Abby Landis Episode: "Duty Date"
1961 Miami Undercover Kitty Episode: "Kitty"
1961 Westinghouse Playhouse Lorraine Hadley Episode: "House Guest"
1962 The Dick Powell Show Bunny Easter Episode: "No Strings Attached"
1963 Alcoa Premiere Willy Simms Episode: "Five, Six, Pick Up Sticks"
1963 Going My Way Marie Episode: "Has Anyone Seen Eddie?"
1963 Vacation Playhouse Barbara Adams Episode: "All About Barbara"
1963 Arrest and Trial Ginny Episode: "Isn't It a Lovely View"
1963 Grindl Wilma Bryan Episode: "Grindl, Witness for the Defense"
1963 The Beverly Hillbillies Chickadee Laverne 2 episodes
1964 Kraft Suspense Theatre Ann Hilts Episode: "My Enemy, This Town"
1964 The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters Mamie Episode: "The Day of the Dark Deeds"
1965 Laredo Princess Episode: "A Question of Discipline"
1966 The Wild Wild West Bessie Episode: "The Night of the Whirring Death"
1966 Batman Maid Marilyn 2 episodes (35 and 36)
1967 Green Acres Wanda Episode: "Never Take Your Wife to a Convention"
1967 The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. Ida Martz Episode: "The Phi Beta Killer Affair"
1967 The Jackie Gleason Show Kitty - Big Sam's Moll Episode: "The Honeymooners: Two Faces of Ralph Kramden"
1969 Hawaii Five-O Betsy Episode: "A Thousand Pardons - You're Dead!"
1971 The Smith Family Effie Episode: "Greener Pastures"
1971 The Doris Day Show Mrs. Hollister Episode: "Have I Got a Fellow for You!"
1971 Love, American Style Gladys Segment: "Love and the Doctor's Honeymoon"
1971-1973 Adam-12 Various roles 3 episodes

Ginger Stephens, “Truant” (1971) Janice Walker, “Vendetta” (1972) Elizabeth Mitchell, “West Valley Division (1973)

1974 Emergency! Ginger Episode: "Details"
1974 The Rookies Marie Antionette Episode: "Blue Christmas"

References
  1. Some sources formerly cited December 30, 1929 as her date of birth, although December 10, 1928 is accurate.
    Search under Barbara Nickerauer Archived 2017-10-15 at the Wayback Machine, death-records.mooseroots.com; accessed March 20, 2016.
  2. "Her Career Is a Teaser". Chattanooga Daily Times. Tennessee, Chattanooga. Associated Press. May 10, 1959. p. 24. Retrieved July 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Barbara Nichols at the Internet Broadway Database
  4. "Barbara Nichols, 'dizzy blonde' actress, is dead". Lodi News-Sentinel. October 7, 1976. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  5. "Barbara Nichols Dies at 47". The New York Times. October 7, 1976. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  6. "Obituary for Actress Barbara Nichols (Aged 47)". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). 7 October 1976.
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