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Barbara Anderson (actress)
Encyclopedia
Barbara Anderson is an American actress who is best-known for portraying police "Officer Eve Whitfield" in the television series Ironside
, and for her seven appearances as the secret agent "Mimi Davis" during the final season of the American TV series Mission: Impossible
. Anderson was born and spent her early years in New York City, but during her teenage years, she resided in the Memphis, Tennessee
, area, where her parents had moved.
While she was a resident of Memphis, Anderson competed in and won the title of Miss Memphis in 1963.
She decided to move to Los Angeles
to find work as an actress. She was successful at this, and in 1966, one of her first TV appearances came in an early, first-season episode of Star Trek
, "The Conscience of the King". Anderson also starred in the pilot for the TV series Mannix
, which was filmed in 1966.
In 1967, Anderson became one of the four original cast members of the TV series Ironside, and the lead actress in this series (for the first 105 episodes). Anderson played the role of police Officer "Eve Whitfield" of the San Francisco Police Department, where she was one of three people chosen to assist the wheelchair-using former Chief of Detectives for San Francisco, "Robert Ironside", who was played by Raymond Burr
. Anderson continued in her role as Officer Whitfield for four seasons. In 1968, Anderson won the television Emmy Award
for Outstanding Supporting Actress in Drama Series for her work in Ironside.
In 1971, Anderson left Ironside , and full-time TV series acting, because she wanted to devote time to her new marriage to the Scottish-born former actor, and stockbroker, Don Burnett. Anderson and Burnett remain married as of November 2009. They have no children.
She next acted in some guest roles in TV series including performances as the wife of a man who inherits a notoriously haunted house in the Night Gallery
episode "Fright Night" and as a witness to a mob hit in the Harry O episode "Material Witness." She then accepted a recurring role (seven episodes) in the final season of Mission Impossible. Since then, she has acted in several made-for-TV movies and in guest roles in some regular TV series. However,
Anderson's last acting appearance on TV or in films was in 1993, in the TV movie Return of Ironside, where she reprised her role as Eve Whitfield, now the mother of a daughter.
Ironside (TV series)
Ironside is a Universal television series which ran on NBC from September 14, 1967 to January 16, 1975. The show starred Raymond Burr as the wheelchair-using Chief of Detectives, Robert T. Ironside. The character's debut was in a TV-movie on March 28, 1967. The original title of the show in the...
, and for her seven appearances as the secret agent "Mimi Davis" during the final season of the American TV series Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible is an American television series which was created and initially produced by Bruce Geller. It chronicled the missions of a team of secret American government agents known as the Impossible Missions Force . The leader of the team was Jim Phelps, played by Peter Graves, except in...
. Anderson was born and spent her early years in New York City, but during her teenage years, she resided in the Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, area, where her parents had moved.
While she was a resident of Memphis, Anderson competed in and won the title of Miss Memphis in 1963.
She decided to move to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to find work as an actress. She was successful at this, and in 1966, one of her first TV appearances came in an early, first-season episode of Star Trek
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
, "The Conscience of the King". Anderson also starred in the pilot for the TV series Mannix
Mannix
Mannix is an American television detective series that ran from 1967 through 1975 on CBS. Created by Richard Levinson and William Link and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller, the title character, Joe Mannix, is a private investigator. He is played by Mike Connors...
, which was filmed in 1966.
In 1967, Anderson became one of the four original cast members of the TV series Ironside, and the lead actress in this series (for the first 105 episodes). Anderson played the role of police Officer "Eve Whitfield" of the San Francisco Police Department, where she was one of three people chosen to assist the wheelchair-using former Chief of Detectives for San Francisco, "Robert Ironside", who was played by Raymond Burr
Raymond Burr
Raymond William Stacey Burr was a Canadian actor, primarily known for his title roles in the television dramas Perry Mason and Ironside. His early acting career included roles on Broadway, radio, television and in film, usually as the villain...
. Anderson continued in her role as Officer Whitfield for four seasons. In 1968, Anderson won the television Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for Outstanding Supporting Actress in Drama Series for her work in Ironside.
In 1971, Anderson left Ironside , and full-time TV series acting, because she wanted to devote time to her new marriage to the Scottish-born former actor, and stockbroker, Don Burnett. Anderson and Burnett remain married as of November 2009. They have no children.
She next acted in some guest roles in TV series including performances as the wife of a man who inherits a notoriously haunted house in the Night Gallery
Night Gallery
Night Gallery is an American anthology series that aired on NBC from 1970 to 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, The Twilight Zone, served both as the on-air host of Night Gallery and as a major contributor of scripts, although...
episode "Fright Night" and as a witness to a mob hit in the Harry O episode "Material Witness." She then accepted a recurring role (seven episodes) in the final season of Mission Impossible. Since then, she has acted in several made-for-TV movies and in guest roles in some regular TV series. However,
Anderson's last acting appearance on TV or in films was in 1993, in the TV movie Return of Ironside, where she reprised her role as Eve Whitfield, now the mother of a daughter.
Selected filmography
- Visions (1972)
- Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973)
- Strange Honeymoon (1974)
- You Lie So Deep My Love (1975)
- Doctors' Private Lives (1979)