Barbara Weeks
Encyclopedia
Barbara Weeks was an actress of the 1930s. Born in Somerville, Massachusetts
, Weeks entered into acting through her participation in the Ziegfeld Follies
. In 1931 she was named as one of fourteen girls selected as a "WAMPAS Baby Star
", which launched her into a brief but successful acting career, mostly in cliffhanger
serials and B-movie
films and B-Westerns.
Eight of her films starred Tim McCoy
, Buck Jones
, Tom Tyler
, and Charles Starrett
. For a time she was married to B-Western actor
Guinn "Big Boy" Williams
. She left the film business in the late 1930s after she married Lockheed
test pilot
Lewis Parker in 1938. In 1945, after the end of World War II
, Parker's plane disappeared over the North Atlantic, and he was never found.
and began working as a model. In 1949 she married William Cox, with whom she had a son, Schuyler John Wing Cox. The couple were married for a short time, divorcing. She then moved to Las Vegas
where she worked as a secretary
. She died in Las Vegas 20 days before her 90th birthday in 2003.
Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...
, Weeks entered into acting through her participation in the Ziegfeld Follies
Ziegfeld Follies
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
. In 1931 she was named as one of fourteen girls selected as a "WAMPAS Baby Star
WAMPAS Baby Stars
The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers in the United States which honored thirteen young women each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. They were selected from 1922 to 1934, and annual...
", which launched her into a brief but successful acting career, mostly in cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
serials and B-movie
B-movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
films and B-Westerns.
Eight of her films starred Tim McCoy
Tim McCoy
Col. Tim McCoy was an American actor, military officer, and expert on American Indian life and customs.-Early years:...
, Buck Jones
Buck Jones
Buck Jones was an American motion picture star of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, best known for his work starring in many popular western movies...
, Tom Tyler
Tom Tyler
Tom Tyler was an American actor in silent and sound motion pictures, best known for his portrayal of superhero Captain Marvel in the acclaimed 1941 movie serial The Adventures of Captain Marvel.-Biography:...
, and Charles Starrett
Charles Starrett
Charles Starrett was an American actor best known for his starring role in the Durango Kid Columbia Pictures western series. He was born in Athol, Massachusetts.-Career:...
. For a time she was married to B-Western actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Guinn "Big Boy" Williams
Guinn Williams (actor)
Guinn "Big Boy" Williams was an American actor who appeared in memorable westerns such as Dodge City , Santa Fe Trail , and The Comancheros...
. She left the film business in the late 1930s after she married Lockheed
Lockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...
test pilot
Test pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
Lewis Parker in 1938. In 1945, after the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Parker's plane disappeared over the North Atlantic, and he was never found.
Later years
Following the loss of her second husband, Weeks moved to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and began working as a model. In 1949 she married William Cox, with whom she had a son, Schuyler John Wing Cox. The couple were married for a short time, divorcing. She then moved to Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
where she worked as a secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
. She died in Las Vegas 20 days before her 90th birthday in 2003.