Barbara Bel Geddes Biography

Fast Facts

• Often advocated for the Lifeline for Wildlife non-profit organization run by her daughter Betsy
• Inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1993
• Named Hollywood's Most Attractive New Star by Life magazine in 1948
• Quote: "I'm not very well-bred and I'm not much of a lady․"
• Best known for her role as family matriarch on the long-running primetime soap "Dallas", a role she would portray for more than a decade over the course of almost 300 episodes
• After making her stage debut on Broadway in the 1940s, she would travel to audition for various Hollywood film roles by the late '40s where she would gain critical acclaim almost immediately
• Following her final retirement in 1990, she went on to author children's books and design stationary
• Originated many characters for stage, but did not land the same role in later film versions such as Elizabeth Taylor's role in "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof", Marilyn Monroe's part in "The Prince and the Showgirl" and Debbie Reynolds' role in "Mary, Mary"
• She was the only actress to audition for the part of Miss Ellie Ewing on "Dallas"