Barbara Cason (November 15, 1928 – June 18, 1990) was an American

character actress A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014 ...

Life and career

Cason was born in

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...

, the daughter of Helen Louise (Phebus) and Charles Carroll Cason. She began her career appearing in theatre and on local television in Memphis during the 1950s, where she notably co-founded and ran the Front St. Theatre. She moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in 1967, becoming active in theatre there both on and off

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

through 1973. She most notably starred in the original critically acclaimed production of

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time (magazine), Time'' called "a sense of personal style, a combination of c ...

's '' Oh, Coward!'' in 1972–73. She appeared in such cult films as ''

The Honeymoon Killers ''The Honeymoon Killers'' is a 1970 American crime film written and directed by Leonard Kastle, and starring Shirley Stoler and Tony Lo Bianco. Its plot follows an overweight nurse who is seduced by a handsome con man, with whom she embarks on ...

'' (1969), ''

Cold Turkey "Cold Turkey" is a song written by John Lennon, released as a single in 1969 by the Plastic Ono Band on Apple Records, catalogue Apples 1001 in the United Kingdom, Apple 1813 in the United States. It is the second solo single issued by Lennon ...

'' (1971) and '' Exorcist II: The Heretic'' (1977) as well as the summer replacement variety television series ''Comedy Tonight''. She was also in the movie ''

House of Dark Shadows ''House of Dark Shadows'' is a 1970 American feature-length horror film produced and directed by Dan Curtis, based on his ''Dark Shadows'' television series. In this film expansion, vampire Barnabas Collins ( Jonathan Frid) searches for a cure ...

'' (1970) as Mrs. Johnson, when

Clarice Blackburn Clarice Blackburn (February 26, 1921 – August 5, 1995) was an American actress and writer best-known for playing three characters on the cult series ''Dark Shadows''. Early years Clarice Blackburn was born in San Francisco, California, bu ...

couldn't do the role. After the early 1970s, Cason's career became centered in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, appearing mostly within television up until her death. She is probably best known for her roles as Cloris Phebus on ''

Carter Country ''Carter Country'' is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from September 15, 1977 to August 23, 1979. It starred Victor French and Kene Holliday. A young Melanie Griffith appeared in two episodes. Synopsis ''Carter Country'' is set in t ...

'' (1977–1979) and Ruth Shandling on ''

It's Garry Shandling's Show ''It's Garry Shandling's Show'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on Showtime from September 10, 1986, to May 25, 1990. The series, created by Garry Shandling and Alan Zweibel, is notable for breaking the fourth wall. I ...

'' (1986–1990). She was married to actor

Dennis Patrick Dennis Patrick (born Dennis Patrick Harrison; March 14, 1918 – October 13, 2002) was an American character actor, primarily in television. Early life Patrick was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Patrick served in the U.S. Navy during W ...

from 1970 until her death. She died in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, aged 61, after a heart attack.

Filmography

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cason, Barbara 1928 births 1990 deaths American film actresses American stage actresses American television actresses Actresses from Memphis, Tennessee 20th-century American actresses