Barbara Jo Allen

Barbara Jo Allen

Known for: Acting
Biography: 1906-09-02
Deathday: 1974-09-14 (68 years old)

Check on Amazon

Biography

From Wikipedia


Barbara Jo Allen (September 2, 1906 – September 14, 1974) was an actress also known as Vera Vague, the spinster character she created and portrayed on radio and in films during the 1940s and 1950s. She based the character on a woman she had seen delivering a PTA literature lecture in a confused manner. As Vague, she popularized the catch phrase "You dear boy!"


Allen's acting ability first surfaced in school plays. Following her high school graduation, she went to Paris to study at the Sorbonne. Concentrating on language, she became proficient in French, Spanish, German and Italian. After the death of her parents, she moved to Los Angeles where she lived with her uncle.


In 1937, she debuted on network radio drama as Beth Holly on NBC's One Man's Family, followed by roles on Death Valley Days, I Love a Mystery and other radio series. According to Allen, her Vera Vague character was “sort of a frustrated female, dumb, always ambitious and overzealous… a spouting Bureau of Misinformation.” After Vera was introduced in 1939 on NBC Matinee, she became a regular with Bob Hope beginning in 1941.


Allen appeared in at least 60 movies and TV series between 1938 and 1963, often credited as Vera Vague rather than her own name. The character she created was so popular that she eventually adopted the character name as her professional name. From 1943 to 1952, as Vera, she made more than a dozen comedy two-reel short subjects for Columbia Pictures.


In 1948, she did less acting and instead opened her own commercial orchid business, while also serving as the Honorary Mayor of Woodland Hills, California. In 1953, as Vera, she hosted her own television series, Follow the Leader, a CBS audience participation show. In 1958, she appeared as Mabel, the boss of the flight attendants, in Jeannie Carson's syndicated version of her situation comedy Hey, Jeannie! The program aired only six episodes in syndication.


Allen's first marriage was to actor Barton Yarborough. They had one child together. In 1946, the couple co-starred in the two-reel comedy short, Hiss and Yell, nominated for an Academy Award as Best Short Subject. In 1931-32, Allen married Charles H. Crosby. In 1943, she married Bob Hope's producer, Norman Morrell. They had one child and were married for three decades, until her 1974 death in Santa Barbara, California.

Advertisement

Filmography

all 57

Movies 52

TV Shows 5

Voice 3

self 1

Goliath II’s Mother (voice)
Disney’s Coyote Tales

Disney’s Coyote Tales (1991)

Movie
Scullery Maid (voice) (uncredited)
The Sword in the Stone

The Sword in the Stone (1963)

Movie
6.53
Surfside 6

Surfside 6 (1960)

TV
Goliath II's Mother
Goliath II

Goliath II (1960)

Movie
Irene Hoffman
Born to Be Loved

Born to Be Loved (1959)

Movie
Fauna (voice)
Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Movie
7.52
Celia Mallaver
Maverick

Maverick (1957)

TV
5.33
Dolly DeHaven
The Opposite Sex

The Opposite Sex (1956)

Movie
Mabel
Hey, Jeannie!

Hey, Jeannie! (1956)

TV
Aunt Agatha
Mohawk

Mohawk (1956)

Movie
Vera Vague
Columbia Laff Hour

Columbia Laff Hour (1956)

Movie
Self
The George Gobel Show

The George Gobel Show (1954)

TV
Mrs. Parkinson
General Electric Theater

General Electric Theater (1953)

TV
Vera Vague
Happy Go Wacky

Happy Go Wacky (1952)

Movie
Vera Vague
She Took a Powder

She Took a Powder (1951)

Movie
Vera Vague
Nursie Behave

Nursie Behave (1950)

Movie
Gypsy Jones
Square Dance Katy

Square Dance Katy (1950)

Movie
Vera
Wha' Happen?

Wha' Happen? (1949)

Movie
Vera Vague
Clunked in the Clink

Clunked in the Clink (1949)

Movie
Vera Vague
Miss in a Mess

Miss in a Mess (1949)

Movie
Vera Vague / Prudy Vague
Cupid Goes Nuts

Cupid Goes Nuts (1947)

Movie
Vera Butts
Reno-Vated

Reno-Vated (1946)

Movie
Sherry Lane
Earl Carroll Sketchbook

Earl Carroll Sketchbook (1946)

Movie
Vera Vague
Headin' for a Weddin'

Headin' for a Weddin' (1946)

Movie
Vera Vague
Hiss and Yell

Hiss and Yell (1946)

Movie
Vera Vague
Calling All Fibbers

Calling All Fibbers (1945)

Movie
Madge Stevens
Snafu

Snafu (1945)

Movie
Vera Vague
The Jury Goes Round 'n' Round

The Jury Goes Round 'n' Round (1945)

Movie
Vera Vague - the Reporter
She Snoops to Conquer

She Snoops to Conquer (1944)

Movie
Countess
Lake Placid Serenade

Lake Placid Serenade (1944)

Movie
Suzie Banks
Girl Rush

Girl Rush (1944)

Movie
Vera Clayton
Strife of the Party

Strife of the Party (1944)

Movie
Vera Watson
Rosie the Riveter

Rosie the Riveter (1944)

Movie
Auntie
Moon Over Las Vegas

Moon Over Las Vegas (1944)

Movie
Mrs. Terwilliger ('Blue Eyes')
Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid

Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid (1944)

Movie
Vera Vague
Cowboy Canteen

Cowboy Canteen (1944)

Movie
Vera Vague
Doctor, Feel My Pulse

Doctor, Feel My Pulse (1944)

Movie
Vera
You Dear Boy!

You Dear Boy! (1943)

Movie
Matilda Jones
Get Going

Get Going (1943)

Movie
Vera Vague
Swing Your Partner

Swing Your Partner (1943)

Movie
Aunt Nellie
Ice Capades Revue

Ice Capades Revue (1942)

Movie
Miss Tabitha Hazy
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1942)

Movie
Mariposa Ginsbotham
Priorities on Parade

Priorities on Parade (1942)

Movie
Mademoiselle Gloria
Larceny, Inc.

Larceny, Inc. (1942)

Movie
Janie
Design for Scandal

Design for Scandal (1941)

Movie
Henriette Teagarden
Buy Me That Town

Buy Me That Town (1941)

Movie
Vera Vague
Ice-Capades

Ice-Capades (1941)

Movie
Myra Stanhope
Kiss the Boys Goodbye

Kiss the Boys Goodbye (1941)

Movie
Louise Watkins
The Mad Doctor

The Mad Doctor (1940)

Movie
Adelaide Barnett
Melody and Moonlight

Melody and Moonlight (1940)

Movie
Veronica Whipple
Melody Ranch

Melody Ranch (1940)

Movie
Susan
Sing, Dance, Plenty Hot

Sing, Dance, Plenty Hot (1940)

Movie
Ms. Konk (uncredited)
Broadway Melody of 1940

Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940)

Movie
Vera Vague
Village Barn Dance

Village Barn Dance (1940)

Movie
Mrs. John Potter
Kennedy the Great

Kennedy the Great (1939)

Movie
Receptionist (uncredited)
The Women

The Women (1939)

Movie
Mrs. Errol
Moving Vanities

Moving Vanities (1939)

Movie

Ratings

Average 4.46
Based on 306 Thousand movie and tv ratings over time
1939
1942
1945
1944
1991
Advertisement
Barbara Jo AllenBarbara Jo AllenBarbara Jo Allen

Information

Known For
Acting

Gender
Female

Birthday
1906-09-02

Deathday
1974-09-14 (68 years old)

Birth Place
New York City, United States of America

Citizenships
United States of America

Also Known As
Vera Vague, Marian Barbara Henshall

Awards
star on Hollywood Walk of Fame


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
Advertisement
Jules White
Barbara Jo Allen
Jules White worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
15 Movies
Felix Adler
Barbara Jo Allen
Felix Adler worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
9 Movies
Edwin H. Bryant
Barbara Jo Allen
Edwin H. Bryant worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
9 Movies
Jule Styne
Barbara Jo Allen
Jule Styne worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
8 Movies
Vernon Dent
Barbara Jo Allen
Vernon Dent worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
7 Movies
George Chandler
Barbara Jo Allen
George Chandler worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
4 Movies
1 TV Show
Charles Hochberg
Barbara Jo Allen
Charles Hochberg worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
5 Movies
Heinie Conklin
Barbara Jo Allen
Heinie Conklin worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
5 Movies
Bess Flowers
Barbara Jo Allen
Bess Flowers worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
3 Movies
1 TV Show
Jean Yarbrough
Barbara Jo Allen
Jean Yarbrough worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
3 Movies
1 TV Show
Cedric Gibbons
Barbara Jo Allen
Cedric Gibbons worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
4 Movies
Esther Dale
Barbara Jo Allen
Esther Dale worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
3 Movies
1 TV Show
Jerry Colonna
Barbara Jo Allen
Jerry Colonna worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
4 Movies
Fred Kelsey
Barbara Jo Allen
Fred Kelsey worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
4 Movies
Emory Parnell
Barbara Jo Allen
Emory Parnell worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
1 Movie
3 TV Shows
Mel Blanc
Barbara Jo Allen
Mel Blanc worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
3 Movies
1 TV Show
Bradford Ropes
Barbara Jo Allen
Bradford Ropes worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
4 Movies
Edwin B. Willis
Barbara Jo Allen
Edwin B. Willis worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
4 Movies
George R. Brown
Barbara Jo Allen
George R. Brown worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
4 Movies
Sol Meyer
Barbara Jo Allen
Sol Meyer worked together with Barbara Jo Allen in:
4 Movies
  • Barbara Jo Allen
    Barbara Jo Allen
  • Filmography
  • Information
  • Related Persons
Social Media
X
Facebook
Pinterest
Telegram
Download
iOS Application
Made in Ukraine 🇺🇦
Copyright © MovieFit 2018 – 2024
All external content remains the property of its respective owner.