Note: The 100th article with some connexion to Perry Mason - at this point, even I’m starting to suspect I’m the defendant. "Ya gotta believe me, Mr. Mason. He was dead when I got there!"
A
Tribute to Barbara Pepper
The comedienne appeared in four episodes of Our Favorite
Show, the classic TV courtroom drama Perry Mason.
In TCOT Vagabond Vixen (11/16/57) she is cast as
the titular vixen’s mother who runs a diner in New Kingman-Butler, Arizona.
When Perry ensconces her in an L.A. hotel room he says, “Your stay here is on
me so get anything you want,” to which she replies, “That's good. I need a
beer.” Snooty members of the upper-middle-class Paul and Perry exchange looks
when Paul describes her as “the salt of the earth.” This was probably Pepper’s
best part: she brims with life and punch, persuading us that she’s somebody who
never lets the trials of life steal her joy for too long.
She was the Nosy Neighbor Witness in two outings: Mrs.
Diamond in TCOT Violent Vest (4/29/61) and Mrs. Williamson in TCOT
Prankish Professor (1/17/63). Mrs. Diamond, a floor-below neighbor,
provides damning testimony that saw the accused around midnight carrying out
men's clothing and saw a man entering or leaving her apartment many times. Next
door neighbor Mrs. Williamson always takes her rake to the leaves not to
Zenfully promote mindfulness and present-moment awareness but so that she can
keep an eye on the comings and goings of residents of the other bungalows.
Our Barb is credited as “Fat Woman” in TCOT
Left-Handed Liar (11/25/61). This “ripped from the headlines” episode
exploits the real-life rise of the modern health club. Fueled by celery juice,
Les Tremayne tyrannically runs Health House, a Vic Tanny-like fitness center,
welcoming one and all, bodybuilders, housewives, or college students. Mean Girl
Veronica Temple (Leslie Parrish) is taking four women through punishing
calisthenics. Pepper’s Mrs. Dwyer tries but fails to touch her toes and moans
pathetically “I simply can’t reach any lower, Miss Temple - it hurts!” “It’s
supposed to hurt!” Veronica barks like Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket. Ah,
the Sixties - when there was no gain without pain and it was still socially acceptable
to mock the unfit.
Let’s Remember
Barbara Pepper’s story is a fascinating, bittersweet
slice of entertainment history. In 1930, at just 15 years old, she signed a
contract to become a chorus girl - a decision that shocked her parents. The
notion that such a contract could hold legal weight without parental consent is
almost unimaginable today. Yet, thanks to an agent who personally knew her
father and persuaded the family to “let her try,” Barbara stepped onto the
stage.
She didn’t just try - she dazzled. With striking beauty
and a natural flair for dance and comedy, Barbara earned a coveted spot in the
legendary Ziegfeld Follies of 1932 and later appeared in two seasons of George
White’s Scandals. Her talent caught the eye of Eddie Cantor, who urged her to
head west to Hollywood in 1933. Barbara followed that advice, chasing stardom
with determination.
Hollywood stardom, however, proved elusive. Despite her
gifts and relentless networking, Barbara never became a marquee name. Instead,
she carved out a career in dozens of films - often in brief roles that
showcased her looks, though occasionally she landed speaking parts in
B-pictures like The
Rogue’s Tavern and The
Hollywood Stadium Mystery.
Tragedy struck in 1949 when her husband died in a car
accident. Grief led Barbara down a difficult path of self-medication with
alcohol. This struggle cost her dearly: even her longtime friend Lucille Ball
hesitated to cast her as Ethel Mertz in I Love Lucy, fearing that adding
another drinker to a set already coping with William Frawley’s issues would be
too risky.
With two young children to support, Barbara turned to
jobs in laundries and food service. Her once-glamorous figure changed, and her
voice grew gravelly - a brass edge layered over years of hardship. Still, she
kept working, appearing in small roles throughout the Fifties and Sixties. She
even found a niche on television, most memorably as Arnold the Pig’s “mother”
in about 30 episodes of Green Acres. Jerry Lewis admired her comedic style
and cast her in several of his films.
But the toll of years - weight gain, drinking, and
relentless struggle - undermined her health. Forced to leave Green Acres,
Barbara’s heart gave out in 1969. She was only 54.
Barbara Pepper’s life reminds us that behind the glitter
of show business often lies grit, heartbreak, and resilience. She never became
the star she dreamed of being, but her story deserves to be remembered - not
just for the roles she played, but for the courage she showed in a world that
offered few second chances.
