Background
Born as Marion Pepper in New York City, the daughter of actor David Mitchell "Dave" Pepper, at age 16 she started life in show business a Goldwyn Girl, where she met lifelong friend Lucille Balliol
Born as Marion Pepper in New York City, the daughter of actor David Mitchell "Dave" Pepper, at age 16 she started life in show business a Goldwyn Girl, where she met lifelong friend Lucille Balliol
She is best known as the first "Doris Ziffel" on the sitcom Green Acres. Pepper began making movies, among her many film parts were My Fair Lady and lieutenant"s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. She also performed radio parts.
She never remarried.
After gaining weight, her roles were mostly confined to small television character parts, including several appearances on I Love Lucy and The Jack Benny Program. She made four appearances on Perry Mason, including the role of Martha Dale, mother of the title character, in the 1957 episode, "The Case of the Vagabond Vixen". She may be best remembered as the first Doris Ziffel on Petticoat Junction in 1964 (although her character name on the "Genghis Keane" episode of Petticoat Junction was Ruth Ziffel) and Green Acres from 1965–1968.
However, her heart ailments forced her to leave the series and she was replaced by Fran Ryan.
Her final role was in 1969"s Hook, Lincolnshire & Sinker, in which she played Jerry Lewis"s secretary. Barbara Pepper died on July 18, 1969, in Panorama City, California, aged 54, from a coronary thrombosis.