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My dear friend JANN~ want to meet her? Give a visit to her many blogs and start with this one BOUQUET OF TULLE ROSES - don't you just love the name?? ~
well, my dear friend JANN asked if Barbara Parkins is still alive - and because I wanted to post some pictures of Ms Parkins I am going to post this entry instead of answering in the comment form. I know, JANN, you did not expect this, but I do hope you like it! ;")
So, dear JANN: It's all for you!! ;")
Yes, Barbara Parkins is still alive. I think she moved to England in the late 60ies (after her friend Sharon Tate was murdered) and then to France in the 1970s but came back later to the U.S. of A.
Schmooze: ~ Hej, how could I resist this?? ;") ~
- Barbara Parkins was born on 22th May 1942 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (imdb.com) Some other sources say that she was born on May 04, 1942.
- She is an adopted child.
- She posed for Playboy in May 1967, February 1970 and May 1976.
- Her height is 5'4'' (1,63m).
- Patty Duke called her "Barbara Starkins" during the shooting of VALLEY OF THE DOLLS.
- Originally she tested for the role of Neely in VALLEY OF THE DOLLS.
- She was Sharon Tate's bridesmaid.
- She is an accomplished photographer.
- In 1966, Parkins co-hosted the Miss Teen International Pageant with her costar from PEYTON PLACE TV series, Ryan O'Neal (whom she also dated).
- In 1986 she gave birth to her daughter Christina.
- Allegedly her favourite perfum is L'heure Bleu (=blue hour) by Guerlain (which I could understand - I am a Guerlain fan myself..).
Empire Magazine (or the readers of this magazine? I do not know..) chose her in 1995 as number 81 on their list of 100 Sexiest Stars in film history.
The critic's voice:
- "Miss Parkins is very badly served by the script, direction, lighting, wardrobe and make-up. No actress can survive that kind of treatment." --from VARIETY review of THE MEPHISTO WALTZ, February 3, 1971
(this picture is from THE MEPHISTO WALTZ - I think she looks gorgeous.. But I do not know the film..)
Quotes corner:
- When she was asked why VALLEY OF THE DOLLS is now a cult classic she answered: "Maybe because it is so ... bad."
- "I'd very much like to be Ava Gardner. She IS sex."
So, thank you very much JANN for reading my blog and commenting! (Thanks to every one else, too!)
This is my favourite picture of Barbara Parkins - enjoy - and have a great week!
Oh my sweet Irene,
ReplyDeletethis was such a fantastical post. You're one of the nicest/smartest ladies I know and such a honor to have this Barbara Parkins post done for me . THANK YOU again and again for plugging my blogs also. Your always the best at visiting them and leaving such great comments. Sure is super nice having your friendship.
Wow such interesting info and facts about this stunning actress, she is such a gorgeous lady.
It is good to know that she is still with us. I bet going through the days of loosing her friend Sharon Tate must have broke her heart and freaked her out. Those were such a horrible murders , I hope they never let those people out of prison. Interesting to read that Barbara Parkins was born in May, so am I. Wish I could smell some of that perfume she liked and to be able to afford any of Guerlain perfumes...I bet she smelled heavenly. I see that she was born in 1942 just 10 years before me.
Irene, thank you again my dear friend for creating this amazing post, please know I say all this with such sincere appreciations.
xoxo
O Jan get a life.
DeleteDear Mr. Kazoo - unlike you who apparently needs to judge others to get a little thrill, Jan actually has a life.
DeleteI enjoyed the post on Barbara Parkins. Thank you!!
DeleteHave just discovered your blog - am enjoying! Thank you.
DeleteHihi, thank you! (for calling me smart and nice and such nice things..) I had so much fun doing a post and KNOWING that someone would care about it! So, maybe I should thank you instead. :")
ReplyDeleteThe murder of Sharon Tate and her friends was awful and I think it must be esp. cruel if things like that happen to someone you love/really like or even know. I mean: though I know some of her films and by that I naturally have a feeling of "knowing" her, it is somewhat irreal to me.
And now, to something totally different:
Please, do not think that I am crazy - but I found out that in Ft. Worth they are selling Guerlain in Neiman Marcus - maybe you could take a "sniff" there? ;") Well, maybe I AM crazy.. ;")
xoxo to you, too! ;")
Awesome post Irene. I didn't know too much about Barbara before reading your post but I learned a lot. Thanks for sharing. It's cool to give exposure to some of the lesser knowns from time to time.
ReplyDeleteHej, Monty!
ReplyDeleteActually I did not know so much about her either. :") So it was very much fun to find out and make an entry about her. :")
I have been a Barbara fan since the 60's. Thank you so much for sharing this with us, I fell in love with Barbara on Peyton Place and continued with Vally Of The Dolls. She is still as beautiful as ever and I am still in love. Thank you again for kindleing the memories.
ReplyDeleteWell, thank YOU,Ken, for your nice words! :")
ReplyDeleteBarbara is on Facebook, and yes, it's really Barbara Parkins. She has been on vacation, but will be back on FB this week. Check it out.
ReplyDeleteBarbara is back in LA and was on FB tonight.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sherry Smith for mentioning that!
ReplyDeleteThis blog is shit.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mr. Kazoo, for caring enough to tell me. I tend to agree.. I am sorry that your search for "Barbara+Parkins+Sparkle" just led you to this little garbage can of film blog which seems to be so disappointing to you..
DeleteCome on kiddies Barbara Parkins is a has been. Did you happen to see her screen test for the role of neely in VOTD? She was wretched. Now all of you get lost Im through for the day and also remember sparkle neely sparkle. By the way if your a Capricorn you better watch your step. Love all of you and keep up the great work.
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Kazoo - apparently you take a lot interest for this "a has been" since you actually were searching for her.. Thank you for your little piece of superstition. But since your kind of loving irritates me a bit I would prefer if you could turn your affection to some one else and another blog.
DeleteIn the anniversary edition of Valley of the Dolls on dvd she spoke about nothing but herself as a commentator. Had very little in depth - or nothing - to say about the locations, camera work, direction nor her costars. She came across as a cultured voice who once was on a soap opera in the sixties. She sounded vapid at best, self absorbed at worst.
DeleteShe was a wooden actress who starred in one joke of a movie - Valley of the Dolls - delivering every line with the same inflection. After that she appeared in Playboy far more than movies. Then she stopped appearing anywhere.
DeleteI always thought Barbara Parkins was one of the most beautiful women to ever grace the screen. She said she would've liked to have been Ava Gardner? Another of the most beautiful ever..well, I always wished I could look like Barbara Parkins!
ReplyDeleteI can totally understand that.. I would love to be as pretty as one of those.. They look gorgeous!! :")
DeleteBarbara Parkins isn't simply beautiful, or pretty. Barbara Parkins HAS A FACE, as did Greta Garbo, Frances Dee and Rita Hayworth, Claire Dodd and Frances Farmer. THOSE lady's faces are timeless, as Barbara Parkins face is, timeless.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this very definite comment, DanMcGarigle.
Deleteshe really was a beauty and should have been way up there in the numbers...maybe most didn't know her...but, that is their misfortune
ReplyDeleteBarbara Parkins is one of, IF not THE, prettiest woman I have ever seen. She is beautiful. I want her to know that she has touched many people with her acting and her beauty.The comments she makes are insightful and seems to express her true thoughts or emotions. Something most people can't or won't allow themselves to do. Her acting was so great it is hard to believe that she was not the character she was playing.
ReplyDeletearmagh123@yahoo.com
Irene, do your homework! Barbara Parkins NEVER gave birth to her daughter Christina. Christina Madison Parkins was adopted. Mia Farrow helped set up the adoption. Barbara was given a boy baby the first time around and sent him back 2 weeks later, because she wanted a daughter. She never became a big star, because she was impossible to work with. What brought me here? I was googling her daughter because I wondered what ever happened to her, this is a TRUE MOMMY DEAREST STORY. I pity that poor child. I heard she left home early and was possibly a drug addict. I hope that is not true, but knowing Barbara and how she treated that child i can believe it.
ReplyDeleteMove over Elizabeth Taylor, I remember knocking on the door of my aunt's house one Christmas, and Barbara answered...she was absolutely beautiful, yet natural. Her story is amazing...
ReplyDeletecan't believe she was only #81 on that list should of been alot higher.
ReplyDeleteFrom the time I saw the movie Valley Of The Dolls, I thought Barbara Parkins was one of the most beautiful women in the movies. She had it all, as far as I'm concerned. The movie was a bit over the top, but it kept my interest.
ReplyDeleteIve always been a valley of the dolls fan,and Barbara Parkins was my favorite actress in the movie.I still like the book as well!
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived with Barbara in London she was wearing Je Reviens by Worth. Jann, Jay Sebring was my boyfriend he was murdered trying to protect our friend Sharon. Most murders are horrible.
ReplyDeleteI just discovered your blog, and plan to bookmark it. Very informative on Miss Parkins. I've been enjoying her acting talent in Peyton Place, since they finally released it on dvd. She carries herself with such grace and dignity, and is so believable as Betty Anderson, and Anne Wells in Valley of the Dolls.
ReplyDeleteI fell in love with the lovely Miss Parkins the first time I saw her in "Mephisto Waltz", playing the wicked yet devastatingly alluring Roxanne. I then began seeking out her other roles, from "Peyton Place" to "Valley of the Dolls", and even her numerous TV appearances. I've always thought she was one of the most underrated actresses of her era, not only for her beauty and talent, but for the magic she brought to every role. Thanks Irene and Jann for bringing back a beautiful memory, and thanks to Barbara Parkins for brightening the lives of film and television fans everywhere. I salute you, my lady!
ReplyDelete