Barbara Stanwyck: From Orphan To Hollywood Legend

Picture this: Fred MacMurray laying eyes on Barbara Stanwyck for the very first time in the iconic film noir Double Indemnity. She's standing at the top of the stairs, draped in a towel, with a mischievous grin that could light up the screen. "I wanted to see her again — up close. Without that silly staircase between us," MacMurray once admitted about the woman who would lead him down a path of murder in the 1944 thriller. And let's not forget, Barbara's remarkable career didn't start or end with that role. It began on the dazzling stage of the Ziegfeld Follies and stretched far enough to include a memorable guest appearance on the glamorous TV soap Dynasty.

Throughout her career, Barbara Stanwyck, the late star of Big Valley, proved that she was a force to be reckoned with. She could do it all — Westerns, comedies, romances, dramas, and even films where she sang and danced. Loved by fans, admired by directors, and respected by actors and film crews for her professionalism, Barbara had it all—except for a happy home life. Orphaned as a child, the star, originally named Ruby Stevens, grew up quickly. But the survival skills that helped her thrive in Hollywood couldn't shield her from two bad marriages or equip her with the tools to be a great mother.

Barbara's story begins in Brooklyn, New York, where she was born Ruby Stevens. At the tender age of four, she lost her mother in a tragic street-car accident. After the funeral, her father left to work on the Panama Canal and vanished, leaving Barbara effectively orphaned. As author Dan Callahan of Barbara Stanwyck: The Miracle Woman tells Closer Weekly, "She was basically an orphan, brought up in foster homes. It was a very rough childhood. She was sleeping on floors." But Barbara wasn't one to let her circumstances define her; instead, she found solace and inspiration in movies and vaudeville.

Read also:

Elizabeth Montgomery The Witch Behind The Screen And Her Reallife Love Story

From Stage to Screen: The Rise of a Star

In 1923, Barbara followed in her older sister’s footsteps and landed her first job as a showgirl. Thanks to the guidance of a man named Willard Mack, who trained her for Broadway, she set her sights high. "She was a very ambitious person who said it was her dream to become the best actress of her time," explains Callahan. The Sorry, Wrong Number actress had already changed her name by the time two bigwigs in the movie industry saw her in the hit Broadway play Burlesque. "She often said that Ruby Stevens sounded like a stripper, whereas Barbara Stanwyck sounded like a leading lady," Callahan reveals.

Invited to Hollywood, Barbara worked tirelessly. In her first decade as an actress, she accumulated over 30 credits and starred in as many as four films per year. "She was extremely versatile. She was a really good dramatic actress, could do comedy, and she could dance and sing," says Jeanine Basinger, professor of Film Studies at Wesleyan University.

Success on Screen, Challenges in Life

While Barbara's career soared—earning her $400,000 in 1944, making her the highest-paid woman in America—her personal life was a different story. Her first love, actor Rex Cherryman, died before they could marry. In 1928, she wed her Burlesque costar Frank Fay, but their marriage was fraught with abuse as her film career overshadowed his. "A Star Is Born was based on their marriage," reveals Callahan. "He drank too much and hit her." To save their union, the couple adopted a son, Dion. "The end for Barbara was when Frank threw the toddler into the pool," says Callahan. They divorced in 1935, with Barbara gaining custody, but motherhood didn't come naturally to her. "Barbara didn’t have parents, so she didn’t know anything about being a mother," Callahan explains.