Barbara Nichols: Hollywood's Smartest Dumb Blonde
She was the archetypal brassy, bosomy, Brooklynesque bimbo with a highly distinctive scratchy voice. Hardly leading lady material, Barbara found herself stealing focus in small, wisecracking roles, managing at times to draw both humor and pathos out of her cheesy, dim-witted characters -- sometimes simultaneously. She seemed consigned for the long haul to playing strippers, gold-diggers, barflies, gun molls and other floozy types named Lola, Candy or even Poopsie. Barbara made the best of her stereotype, taking full advantage of the not-so-bad films that came her way.
Looking back, you have to hand it to Barbara Nichols. As the song from "Gypsy" emphasizes, "You gotta have a gimmick". Barbara did, and she worked it. Like such other platinum blonde bombshells as Jayne Mansfield, Mamie Van Doren, Joi Lansing, Barbara Payton, Cleo Moore, Beverly Michaels and Diana Dors, she rolled with the punches. Unlike those others, she had genuine talent.
| by Anonymous | reply 17 | April 17, 2018 8:43 PM
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I loved Barbara. I remember when she played the stripper, Chickadee Laverne, on the "Beverly Hillbillies" who Jethro thinks he's in love with.
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | April 6, 2018 4:07 PM
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I remember she usually played small roles, but she always stole the show.
| by Anonymous | reply 3 | April 6, 2018 4:14 PM
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Rita: What am I, a bowl of fruit? A tangerine that peels in a minute?
| by Anonymous | reply 4 | April 6, 2018 9:39 PM
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To me, it's a gold medal/award for an actor if they have a classic Twilight Zone on their resume.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | April 6, 2018 9:46 PM
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r5 That's a classic. And that weird nurse ...
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | April 6, 2018 11:33 PM
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She could be a bit.....tawdry.
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | April 6, 2018 11:56 PM
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She always played the same character but she did it well. She definitely made even a mediocre production fun just by being in it.
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | April 7, 2018 12:03 AM
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Harry: "I've got a strange thing..."
June Loveland (Nichols): "Well I don't want to see it."
| by Anonymous | reply 10 | April 7, 2018 12:08 AM
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[quote] And that weird nurse ...
Better known as Mrs. Spock.
| by Anonymous | reply 11 | April 7, 2018 12:29 AM
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r1 Frank Sinatra insulted her in "Pal Joey" basically calling her "ugly."
Nichols: My sister worked with you in Fresno. She told me all about you.
Sinatra: Which one was she?
Nichols: The one you didn't get to first base with.
Sinatra: Oh, she was the ugly one. Must be twins.
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | April 7, 2018 12:29 AM
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Her best role: Sweet Smell of Success.
Palm Springs, don’t tell Sidney.
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | April 7, 2018 12:36 AM
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Fabulous character actress, so sad she died at 47.
| by Anonymous | reply 14 | April 7, 2018 1:02 AM
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An ealrier actress who played similar roles was Marion Martin. She was in Lady of Burlesque with Barbara Stanwyck, and Bob Hope's They Got Me Covered, playing Gloria the Glow Girl.
| by Anonymous | reply 15 | April 7, 2018 1:42 AM
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Thanks OP, I just finished Koper's biography of Barbara and loved it. I have always loved Barbara. She was like a homely Marilyn Monroe, but she could act.
| by Anonymous | reply 16 | April 17, 2018 8:31 PM
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Barbara was super-trashy in Fritz Lang's last American film, BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT (56).
| by Anonymous | reply 17 | April 17, 2018 8:43 PM
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