Barbara Rush, a Golden Globe-winning actress who graced both the big and small screens during the heyday of Hollywood’s studio era, has died at the age of 97. The news of her passing on Easter Sunday was confirmed by her daughter, Fox News correspondent Claudia Cowan.
Born in Denver, Rush first gained widespread acclaim for her role in the 1953 sci-fi film “It Came from Outer Space,” which earned her a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer. This early success paved the way for other prominent roles alongside legendary actors like Marlon Brando in “The Young Lions,” Paul Newman in “The Young Philadelphians,” and members of the iconic Rat Pack in “Robin and the 7 Hoods.”
While her film career flourished in the 1950s and 60s, Barbara Rush also made a mark on the small screen. She starred as Marsha Russell in seasons 4 and 5 of the pioneering nighttime soap “Peyton Place,” before going on to appear in popular shows like “The Love Boat,” “Magnum P.I.,” and “Knight Rider” over the following decades.
In the 1990s, she took on the role of Nola Orsini in the long-running soap “All My Children,” and portrayed Ruth Camden on “7th Heaven” from the late 90s into the early 2000s. Her final acting credit came in 2017 with the comedy short “Bleeding Hearts.”
Barbara Rush is survived by her two children – Christopher Hunter and Claudia Cowan. According to Claudia, her mother’s Easter Sunday passing held special significance as it was one of her favorite holidays.
