Barbara attended drama school at the "Schuster-Martin School of Drama" in Cincinnati, Ohio, founded by Tyrone Power's aunt and then studied in NYC with Uta Hagen and Stella Adler. In between shows, she modeled to pay for acting classes. Her first big break was a national tour of "Lunatics and Lovers" with Zero Mostel. This led to her first television series, playing "Bessie" in "The Great Gildersleeve" based on the classic radio show, "Fibber McGee and Molly".

                          Barbara went on to do several other television series. She's particularly fond of three of them. "The Queen and I" with Larry Storch was the forerunner of "The Loveboat. "Our Family Honor" with Eli Wallach was an 80's mafia series in which she played the wife of the Godfather. However, her favorite television experience was on "Gomer Pyle" playing "Miss Bunny" Sgt. Carter's girlfriend. After more than thirty years, it's still in re-runs!

       She guest-starred on scores of other television shows including: "The Twilight Zone", "Perry Mason", "Rawhide", "The Dick Van Dyke Show", "The Andy Griffith Show", "Batman", "T.H.E. Cat", "Kung Fu", "Starsky and Hutch", "Trapper John, M.D.", "Taxi", "Quincy", "Three's Company", "New Love, American Style", "L.A. Law", and "Nash Bridges". She also acted in such films as, "Airplane!", "Dreamer", "Hellfighters" with John Wayne, "Marines, Let's Go" directed by Raoul Walsh. One of her favorite roles was playing Tom Hanks's mother-in-law in "Bachelor Party". She was married for many years to the actor, writer, and artist Dick Gautier. Her pride and joy is a dollhouse he built for her which started her interest in miniatures. She has three step-children.