Originally a stage and cabaret dancer, Stanwyck moved to Hollywood with her first husband, vaudevillian Frank Fay. She made impressive appearances in films such as Frank Capra's THE MIRACLE WOMAN (1931), William Wellman's NIGHT NURSE (1931) and, particularly, King Vidor's classic "woman's melodrama," STELLA DALLAS (1937), and was a full-fledged star by the end of the 1930s. Stanwyck hit her peak in the 1940s, alternating between comic roles, in classics such as THE LADY EVE (1941) and BALL OF FIRE (1941), and tough femme fatale parts in DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944) and THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS (1946). Most of her characters were strong-willed and feisty, holding their own against, and even dominating, their male counterparts in films such as ANNIE OAKLEY (1935) and CATTLE QUEEN OF MONTANA (1954).
Though her big screen career had faltered by the late 1950s, she remained popular on TV, with shows such as "The Barbara Stanwyck Show" (1960-61) and "Big Valley" (1965-69), both of which won her Emmys. She was lured out of semi-retirement in 1983 to co-star in TV's "The Thorn Birds," for which she won another Emmy, and in the series "Dynasty II: The Colbys" (1985-86). Married to second husband actor Robert Taylor from 1939 to 1951.
Some memorable quotes from "The Queen":
· "Put me in the last fifteen minutes of a picture and I don't care what happened before. I don't even care if I was IN the rest of damned thing -- I'll take it in those fifteen minutes."
· "I'm a tough old broad from Brooklyn. I intend to go on acting until I'm ninety and they won't need to paste my face with make-up."
Nominated for Actress 1937: STELLA DALLAS
Nominated for Actress 1941: BALL OF FIRE
Nominated for Actress 1944: DOUBLE INDEMNITY
Nominated for Actress 1948: SORRY, WRONG NUMBER
Honorary Award 1981: "For superlative creativity and unique contribution to the art of screen acting." Winner presented a Statuette.
4 nominations, 1 Honorary Award