Biography Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line (Season 9, Episode 36)
TV-14
TV Episode | 58 min | Documentary, Biography, History

Primary photo for Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line

Biography

Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line (Season 9, Episode 36)

TV-14

TV Episode | 58 min | Documentary, Biography, History

Born Ruby Stevens, she was orphaned when she was four. A chance audition led to a chorus job. By 17 she was a Zeigfield Girl. At 20 she earned excellent reviews for a bit part in a Broadway play -- and she had a new name: Barbara Stanwyck....See moreBorn Ruby Stevens, she was orphaned when she was four. A chance audition led to a chorus job. By 17 she was a Zeigfield Girl. At 20 she earned excellent reviews for a bit part in a Broadway play -- and she had a new name: Barbara Stanwyck. Her first marriage was to vaudeville headliner, Frank Fay. When Hollywood beckoned, it was Fay who convinced Frank Capra to give Barbara her first real break. But as Stanwyck's career took off, Fay's sank. Fay's jealousy and drinking led to divorce. Barbara's greatest love was actor Robert Taylor, her second husband. But even that didn't last and she spent the greater part of her life alone. However, there was always the one love she could rely on: her work -- in over 80 feature films and a rich career in television. Included are clips from: Ladies of Leisure , Annie Oakley, Golden Boy, The Lady Eve, Meet John Doe, Double Indemnity, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers , Sorry, Wrong Number , Clash By Night and The Thorn Birds. Interviewed are: actors Robert Wagner, Robert Stack, Roddy McDowall, Ricardo Montalban and Charlton Heston, producer Aaron Spelling, director Edward Dymtryk, dress designer Nolan Miller, biographers Ella Smith and Bob Thomas. Written by Janson Media See less

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Cast	+ Add Cast
45 cast members

Name	Known for
Barbara Stanwyck Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Double Indemnity (1944)
Richard Chamberlain Ralph de Bricassart (archive footage) Ralph de Bricassart (archive footage) See fewer	The Towering Inferno (1974)
Gary Cooper John Doe (archive footage) John Doe (archive footage) See fewer	High Noon (1952)
Kirk Douglas Walter O'Neil (archive footage) Walter O'Neil (archive footage) See fewer	The Final Countdown (1980)
Paul Douglas Jerry D'Amato (archive footage) Jerry D'Amato (archive footage) See fewer	Executive Suite (1954)
Shirley Eder Self - columnist Self - columnist See fewer	C.C. & Company (1970)
Frank Fay Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	God's Gift to Women (1931)
Henry Fonda Charles (archive footage) Charles (archive footage) See fewer	12 Angry Men (1957)
Charlton Heston Self Self See fewer	Ben-Hur (1959)
William Holden Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Stalag 17 (1953)
Larry Kleno Self - publicist Self - publicist See fewer	Barbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire (1991)
Burt Lancaster Henry J. Stevenson (archive footage) Henry J. Stevenson (archive footage) See fewer	From Here to Eternity (1953)
Roddy McDowall Self Self See fewer	Fright Night (1985)
Nolan Miller Self - fashion designer Self - fashion designer See fewer	Dynasty (1981)
Marilyn Monroe Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Some Like It Hot (1959)
Ricardo Montalban Self Self See fewer	Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Eugene Pallette Mr. Pike (archive footage) Mr. Pike (archive footage) See fewer	The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Ronald Reagan Farrell (archive footage) Farrell (archive footage) See fewer	Kings Row (1942)
Edward G. Robinson Barton Keyes (archive footage) Barton Keyes (archive footage) See fewer	Double Indemnity (1944)
Robert Ryan Earl Pfeiffer (archive footage) Earl Pfeiffer (archive footage) See fewer	The Wild Bunch (1969)
Ella Smith Self - biographer Self - biographer See fewer	Biography (1987)
Aaron Spelling Self - producer Self - producer See fewer	Charlie's Angels (2000)
Robert Stack Self Self See fewer	Written on the Wind (1956)
Robert Taylor Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Bribe (1949)
Bob Thomas Self Self See fewer	A Century of Cinema (1994)
Robert Wagner Self Self See fewer	The Towering Inferno (1974)
Clifton Webb Richard Ward Sturges (archive footage) Richard Ward Sturges (archive footage) See fewer	Laura (1944)
Mark Wolper Self - producer Self - producer See fewer	Murder in the First (1995)
Brian Aherne Capt. E.J. Smith (archive footage) (uncredited) Capt. E.J. Smith (archive footage) (uncredited) See fewer	Merrily We Live (1938)
Edward Arnold D.B. Norton (archive footage) (uncredited) D.B. Norton (archive footage) (uncredited) See fewer	You Can't Take It with You (1938)
Janet Beecher Mrs. Pike (archive footage) (uncredited) Mrs. Pike (archive footage) (uncredited) See fewer	The Lady Eve (1941)
Eric Blore Sir Alfred McGlennan Keith (archive footage) (uncredited) Sir Alfred McGlennan Keith (archive footage) (uncredited) See fewer	Sullivan's Travels (1941)
Spring Byington Mrs. Mitchell (archive footage) (uncredited) Mrs. Mitchell (archive footage) (uncredited) See fewer	You Can't Take It with You (1938)
Charles Coburn 'Colonel' Harrington (archive footage) (uncredited) 'Colonel' Harrington (archive footage) (uncredited) See fewer	The More the Merrier (1943)
Audrey Dalton Annette Sturges (archive footage) (uncredited) Annette Sturges (archive footage) (uncredited) See fewer	My Cousin Rachel (1952)
William Demarest Muggsy (archive footage) (uncredited) Muggsy (archive footage) (uncredited) See fewer	Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
Brian Donlevy Steely Edwards (archive footage) (uncredited) Steely Edwards (archive footage) (uncredited) See fewer	Beau Geste (1939)
Preston Foster Toby Walker (archive footage) (uncredited) Toby Walker (archive footage) (uncredited) See fewer	Kansas City Confidential (1952)
Ralph Graves Jerry Strong (archive footage) (uncredited) Jerry Strong (archive footage) (uncredited) See fewer	Rich Men's Sons (1927)
Robert Greig Burrows (archive footage) (uncredited) Burrows (archive footage) (uncredited) See fewer	Sullivan's Travels (1941)
Van Heflin Sam Masterson (archive footage) (uncredited) Sam Masterson (archive footage) (uncredited) See fewer	Shane (1953)
Eddie Kane Inspector Kane (archive footage) (uncredited) Inspector Kane (archive footage) (uncredited) See fewer	The Big Wheel (1949)
J. Farrell MacDonald Sourpuss (archive footage) (uncredited) Sourpuss (archive footage) (uncredited) See fewer	Sunrise (1927)
Joel McCrea Ethan Hoyt (archive footage) (uncredited) Ethan Hoyt (archive footage) (uncredited) See fewer	Sullivan's Travels (1941)
Thelma Ritter Maude Young (archive footage) (uncredited) Maude Young (archive footage) (uncredited) See fewer	Rear Window (1954)