Image of Barbara Jo Allen

Barbara Jo Allen

From Wikipedia Barbara Jo Allen (September 2, 1906 – September 14, 1974) was an actress also known as Vera Vague, the spinster character she created and portrayed on radio and in films during the 1940s and 1950s. She based the character on a woman she had seen delivering a PTA literature lecture in a confused manner. As Vague, she popularized the catch phrase "You dear boy!" Allen's acting ability first surfaced in school plays. Following her high school graduation, she went to Paris to study at the Sorbonne. Concentrating on language, she became proficient in French, Spanish, German and Italian. After the death of her parents, she moved to Los Angeles where she lived with her uncle. In 1937, she debuted on network radio drama as Beth Holly on NBC's One Man's Family, followed by roles on Death Valley Days, I Love a Mystery and other radio series. According to Allen, her Vera Vague character was “sort of a frustrated female, dumb, always ambitious and overzealous… a spouting Bureau of Misinformation.” After Vera was introduced in 1939 on NBC Matinee, she became a regular with Bob Hope beginning in 1941. Allen appeared in at least 60 movies and TV series between 1938 and 1963, often credited as Vera Vague rather than her own name. The character she created was so popular that she eventually adopted the character name as her professional name. From 1943 to 1952, as Vera, she made more than a dozen comedy two-reel short subjects for Columbia Pictures. In 1948, she did less acting and instead opened her own commercial orchid business, while also serving as the Honorary Mayor of Woodland Hills, California. In 1953, as Vera, she hosted her own television series, Follow the Leader, a CBS audience participation show. In 1958, she appeared as Mabel, the boss of the flight attendants, in Jeannie Carson's syndicated version of her situation comedy Hey, Jeannie! The program aired only six episodes in syndication. Allen's first marriage was to actor Barton Yarborough. They had one child together. In 1946, the couple co-starred in the two-reel comedy short, Hiss and Yell, nominated for an Academy Award as Best Short Subject. In 1931-32, Allen married Charles H. Crosby. In 1943, she married Bob Hope's producer, Norman Morrell. They had one child and were married for three decades, until her 1974 death in Santa Barbara, California.


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Born:
Sep 2, 1906 In New York City - New York - USA
Movie/TV Credits:
35
First Appeared:
In the movie Moving Vanities 1939-05-05
Latest Project:
Movie The Sword in the Stone 1963-12-25
Known For
Poster of Born to Be Loved
Poster of Sleeping Beauty
Poster of Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid
Poster of The Women
Filmography
Movie The Sword in the Stone Scullery Maid (voice) (uncredited) 1963-12-25
Movie Goliath II Goliath II's Mother 1960-01-21
Series Surfside 6 Unknown 1960-10-06
Movie Sleeping Beauty Fauna (voice) 1959-02-17
Movie Born to Be Loved Irene Hoffman 1959-06-01
Series Maverick Unknown 1957-09-22
Series Hey, Jeannie! 1956-09-08
Movie Mohawk Aunt Agatha 1956-04-01
Movie The Opposite Sex Dolly DeHaven 1956-11-15
Series General Electric Theater Unknown 1953-02-01
Movie Square Dance Katy Gypsy Jones 1950-03-25
Movie Miss in a Mess Vera Vague 1949-01-13
Movie Wha' Happen? Vera 1949-11-10
Movie Hiss and Yell Vera Vague 1946-02-14
Movie Earl Carroll Sketchbook Sherry Lane 1946-08-22
Movie Moon Over Las Vegas Auntie 1944-04-01
Movie Cowboy Canteen Vera Vague 1944-02-09
Movie Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid Mrs. Terwilliger ("Blue Eyes") 1944-04-01
Movie Girl Rush Suzie Banks 1944-10-21
Movie Rosie the Riveter Vera Watson 1944-04-08
Movie Get Going Matilda Jones 1943-06-21
Movie Larceny, Inc. Mademoiselle Gloria 1942-04-24
Movie Priorities on Parade Mariposa Ginsbotham 1942-07-23
Movie Ice Capades Revue Aunt Nellie 1942-12-24
Movie Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch Tabitha Hazy 1942-10-01
Movie Kiss the Boys Goodbye Myra Stanhope 1941-08-01
Movie Ice-Capades Vera Vague 1941-08-19
Movie Design for Scandal Janie 1941-12-01
Movie Broadway Melody of 1940 Ms. Konk (uncredited) 1940-02-09
Movie Village Barn Dance Vera Vague 1940-01-30
Movie Melody Ranch Veronica Whipple 1940-09-15
Movie Melody and Moonlight Adelaide Barnett 1940-10-10
Movie The Mad Doctor Louise Watkins (as Barbara Allen [Vera Vague]) 1940-12-20
Movie Moving Vanities Mrs. Errol 1939-05-05
Movie The Women Receptionist (uncredited) 1939-09-01