Barbara Read

Born Barbara French Read on December 29, 1917, the daughter of contractor John Howard Read and Nancy Elizabeth Collier,^[2] in Port Arthur, Ontario. Read moved to California in the mid-1930s. She got her first movie contract while living in Laguna Beach, California,^[3] she was watching a film production in Laguna when she was spotted and offered a screen test,^[4] after which she entered a six-month contract with the production company.^[4] When she failed to receive any roles because of her lack of experience, she joined the Laguna Beach Players theater, where she acted in a new play each month for two years.^[3]

Her first film appearance was one of the three principal girls in the 1936 comedy film Three Smart Girls, which also starred Deanna Durbin and Nan Grey. From 1937 through 1939, Read appeared in nine films, most notably starring in The Spellbinder, opposite Lee Tracy. From 1940 through 1948, she appeared in 11 films. Her most remembered role was that of Margo Lane, portrayed in three films from The Shadow series, starring opposite Kane Richmond. She and Richmond teamed together in The Shadow Returns, Behind the Mask, and The Missing Lady, all in 1946. Her last role was alongside Randolph Scott and Marguerite Chapman in the 1948 Western Coroner Creek.

In September 1936, Read eloped to Mexico with a young artist named William Paul III, but they divorced two months later.^[5] Read married talent agent Bill Josephy in Santa Barbara on December 27, 1947. They had two boys, Damon Josephy and Quentin Josephy.^[6] She married actor William Talman in 1953 and had one daughter, Barbie, and one son, William Whitney Talman III. The couple divorced on August 23, 1960.^[7]

She committed suicide on December 11, 1963 at her Laguna Beach (CA) home when she turned on the gas jets of her stove and sealed the doors and windows. She left a note blaming "ill health".

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