Barbara Jo Allen (born Marian Barbara Henshall; September 2, 1906 – September 14, 1974) was an American actress. She was also known as Vera Vague, the

spinster ''Spinster'' is a term referring to an unmarried woman who is older than what is perceived as the prime age range during which women usually marry. It can also indicate that a woman is considered unlikely to ever marry. The term originally den ...

character she created and portrayed on radio and in films during the 1940s and 1950s. She based the character on a woman she had seen delivering a PTA literature lecture in a confused manner. As Vague, she popularized the catch phrase "You dear boy!"Shreve Jr., Ivan G. Thrilling Days of Yesteryear, February 3, 2008.
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Early years

Allen was born on September 2, 1906, in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

, New York, to Charles Thomas Henshall and Grace Esther Selby. Following her mother's death when Allen was 9, she went to live with an aunt and uncle in Los Angeles. She was educated at

Los Angeles High School Los Angeles High School is the oldest public high school in the Southern California Region and in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Its colors are royal blue and white and the teams are called the Romans. Los Angeles High School is a pub ...

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...

, Stanford University, and the

Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. *the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) *one of its components or linked institution, ...

. Her acting ability first surfaced in school plays. Concentrating on language at the Sorbonne, she became proficient in French, Spanish, German and Italian.

Film, radio and television

In 1933, Allen joined the cast of NBC's ''

One Man's Family ''One Man's Family'' is an American radio soap opera, heard for almost three decades, from 1932 to 1959. Created by Carlton E. Morse, it was the longest-running uninterrupted dramatic serial in the history of American radio. Television versions ...

''Grunwald, Edgar A., Ed. (1938). ''Variety Radio Directory 1938–1939''. Variety, Inc. P. 1227 as Beth Holly, followed by roles on ''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American old-time radio and television anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program ...

'', '' I Love a Mystery'' and other radio series. According to Allen, her Vera Vague character was "sort of a frustrated female, dumb, always ambitious and overzealous… a spouting bureau of misinformation." After Vera was introduced in 1939 on ''NBC Matinee'', she became a regular with

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in Bob Hope filmography, more than 70 short and ...

beginning in 1941. In the early 1940s, she was a regular on ''Signal Carnival'', a weekly program on NBC-Pacific Red stations. Allen appeared in at least 60 movies and TV series between 1938 and 1963, often credited as Vera Vague rather than her own name. The character she created was so popular that she eventually adopted the character name as her professional name. From 1943 to 1952, as Vera, she made more than a dozen comedy two-reel short subjects for Columbia Pictures, two of which were nominated for Oscars in the

Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film The Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film is an award presented at the annual Academy Awards ceremony. The award has existed, under various names, since 1957. From 1936 until 1956 there were two separate awards, "Best Short Subject, One- ...

category. In 1948, she did less acting and instead opened her own commercial orchid business, while also serving as the Honorary Mayor of Woodland Hills, California. In 1953, as Vera, she hosted her own television series, Follow the Leader, a CBS audience participation show.

Animation

She also did voices for animation, especially for the

Walt Disney Animation Studios Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS), sometimes shortened to Disney Animation, is an American animation studio that creates animated features and short films for The Walt Disney Company. The studio's current production logo features a scene fro ...

, most notably as the voice of

Fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is ''funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as ''Biota (ecology ...

, the green fairy, in ''

Sleeping Beauty ''Sleeping Beauty'' (french: La belle au bois dormant, or ''The Beauty in the Sleeping Forest''; german: Dornröschen, or ''Little Briar Rose''), also titled in English as ''The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods'', is a fairy tale about a princess cu ...

'' (1959), Goliath II's mother in ''

Goliath II ''Goliath II'' is a 1960 American animated comedy short film produced by Walt Disney Productions. Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman and written by Bill Peet, it is narrated by Sterling Holloway and stars the voices of Kevin Corcoran, Barbara Jo A ...

'' (1960), and the Scullery Maid in '' The Sword in the Stone'' (1963), her final film role.

Hollywood Walk of Fame

As Vera Vague, Allen has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for motion pictures at 1720 Vine Street and one for radio at 1639 Vine Street. Both were dedicated February 8, 1960.

Personal life

Allen's first marriage was to actor

Barton Yarborough William Barton Yarborough (October 2, 1900 – December 19, 1951) was an American actor who worked extensively in radio drama, primarily on the NBC Radio Network. He is famous for his roles in the Carlton E. Morse productions '' I Love a M ...

. They had one child together, Joan. In 1946, the couple co-starred in the two-reel comedy short, ''Hiss and Yell'', nominated for an Academy Award as Best Short Subject. Allen married lumberman Charles Hopper Crosby October 19, 1931, in

Reno, Nevada Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the ...

Death

Allen died September 14, 1974, aged 68, in

Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara ( es, Santa Bárbara, meaning "Saint Barbara") is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, of which it is also the county seat. Situated on a south-facing section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Co ...

.DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 259. She was cremated at Santa Barbara Cemetery on September 17 and her ashes were scattered in the Pacific.Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14000 Famous Persons (entry 179) by Scott wilson

Filmography

Features: *''

The Rookie Cop ''The Rookie Cop'' is a 1939 film directed by David Howard and starring Tim Holt as a rookie cop who wants to prove his friend wasn't involved with a robbery. The film also stars Virginia Weidler, Janet Shaw, Frank M. Thomas, and Muriel Evans ...

'' (1939) – Mrs. Thomas (uncredited) *'' The Women'' (1939) – Receptionist (uncredited) *''

Village Barn Dance ''Village Barn Dance'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Frank McDonald, written by Dorrell McGowan and Stuart E. McGowan, and starring Richard Cromwell, Doris Day, George Barbier, Esther Dale, Robert Baldwin and Andrew Tombes. It was r ...

'' (1940) – Vera *''

Broadway Melody of 1940 ''Broadway Melody of 1940'' is a 1940 MGM film musical starring Fred Astaire, Eleanor Powell and George Murphy (Astaire's first male dancing partner on film). It was directed by Norman Taurog and features music by Cole Porter, including " Begin ...

'' (1940) – Ms. Konk (uncredited) *''

Sing, Dance, Plenty Hot ''Sing, Dance, Plenty Hot'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Lew Landers and written by Gordon Rigby and Bradford Ropes. The film stars Ruth Terry, Johnny Downs, Barbara Jo Allen, Billy Gilbert, Claire Carleton and Mary Lee. The film ...

'' (1940) – Susan *''

Melody and Moonlight ''Melody and Moonlight'' is a 1940 American film starring Jane Frazee. Plot Kay Barnett is a free spirit, much like her aunt Adelaide, but such flamboyant behavior is disapproved of by Kay's father, Otis Barnett. He much prefers her to become ...

'' (1940) – Adelaide Barnett *''

Melody Ranch ''Melody Ranch'' is a 1940 Western musical film directed by Joseph Santley and starring Gene Autry, Jimmy Durante, and Ann Miller. Written by Jack Moffitt, F. Hugh Herbert, Bradford Ropes, and Betty Burbridge, the film is about a singing cowb ...

'' (1940) – Veronica Whipple *'' The Mad Doctor'' (1941) – Louise Watkins *''

Kiss the Boys Goodbye ''Kiss the Boys Goodbye'' is a 1941 comedy film directed by Victor Schertzinger and starring Mary Martin, Don Ameche and Oscar Levant. It is based on a play by Clare Boothe Luce which was inspired by the search for an actress to play Scarlett O'Ha ...

'' (1941) – Myra Stanhope *''

Ice-Capades ''Ice-Capades'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Joseph Santley and starring James Ellison, Phil Silvers, and Barbara Jo Allen. Its score, composed by Cy Feuer, was nominated for the Best Scoring of a Musical Picture. The film's sets ...

'' (1941) – Vera Vague *''

Buy Me That Town ''Buy Me That Town'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Eugene Forde and written by Murray Boltinoff, Harry A. Gourfair, Gordon Kahn and Martin Rackin. The film stars Lloyd Nolan, Constance Moore, Albert Dekker, Sheldon Leonard, Bar ...

'' (1941) – Henriette Teagarden *'' Design for Scandal'' (1941) – Jane *''

Larceny, Inc. ''Larceny, Inc.'' is a 1942 American film. Originally released on May 2, 1942, by Warner Bros., the film is a cross between comedy and gangster genres. Directed by Lloyd Bacon, the film stars Edward G. Robinson, Jane Wyman, Broderick Crawford, a ...

'' (1942) – Mademoiselle Gloria *'' Priorities on Parade'' (1942) – Mariposa Ginsbotham *'' Hi, Neighbor'' (1942) – Vera Greenfield *'' Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch'' (1942) – Miss Tabitha Hazy *''

The Palm Beach Story ''The Palm Beach Story'' is a 1942 screwball comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges, and starring Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor and Rudy Vallée. Victor Young contributed the musical score, including a fast-paced variati ...

'' (1942) – Lady coming out of ladies room on train during the posse episode (uncredited) *''

Ice-Capades Revue ''Ice-Capades Revue'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Bernard Vorhaus, and written by Bradford Ropes and Gertrude Purcell. The film stars Ellen Drew, Richard Denning, Jerry Colonna, Barbara Jo Allen, Harold Huber and Marilyn Hare. Th ...

'' (1942) – Aunt Nellie *''

Swing Your Partner ''Swing Your Partner'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Frank McDonald and written by Dorrell McGowan and Stuart E. McGowan. The film stars Myrtle Wiseman, Scotty Wiseman, Barbara Jo Allen, Dale Evans, Ransom M. Sherman and Harry Ch ...

'' (1943) – Vera Vague *'' Get Going'' (1943) – Matilda Jones *''

Cowboy Canteen ''Cowboy Canteen'' is a 1944 American musical western film directed by Lew Landers and starring Charles Starrett. Plot Entertainers perform on a dude ranch for soldiers. Cast * Charles Starrett as Steve Bradley * Jane Frazee as Connie Gray * ...

'' (1944) – Vera Vague *'' Moon Over Las Vegas'' (1944) – Auntie *''

Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid ''Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Hugh Bennett and written by Muriel Roy Bolton and Val Burton. The film stars Jimmy Lydon, Charles Smith, John Litel, Olive Blakeney, Diana Lynn and Vaughan Glaser. The film ...

'' (1944) – Mrs. Terwilliger aka Blue Eyes *''

Rosie the Riveter Rosie the Riveter is an allegorical cultural icon in the United States who represents the women who worked in factories and shipyards during World War II, many of whom produced munitions and war supplies. These women sometimes took entirely new ...

'' (1944) – Vera Watson *'' Girl Rush'' (1944) – Suzie Banks *'' Lake Placid Serenade'' (1944) – Countess *''

Snafu SNAFU is an acronym that is widely used to stand for the sarcastic expression Situation normal: all fucked up. It is a well-known example of military acronym slang. It is sometimes bowdlerized to "all fouled up" or similar. It means that the ...

'' (1945) – Madge Stevens *''

Earl Carroll Sketchbook ''Earl Carroll Sketchbook'' is a 1946 American musical film directed by Albert S. Rogell and written by Frank Gill Jr. and Parke Levy. The film stars Constance Moore, William Marshall, Bill Goodwin, Johnny Coy, Barbara Jo Allen and Edward Everett ...

'' (1946) – Sherry Lane *''

Square Dance Katy ''Square Dance Katy'' is a 1950 American musical film directed by Jean Yarbrough and written by Warren Wilson. The film stars Barbara Jo Allen, Jimmie Davis, Phil Brito, Virginia Welles, Warren Douglas and Sheila Ryan. The film was released on ...

'' (1950) – Gypsy Jones *''

Mohawk Mohawk may refer to: Related to Native Americans * Mohawk people, an indigenous people of North America (Canada and New York) *Mohawk language, the language spoken by the Mohawk people * Mohawk hairstyle, from a hairstyle once thought to have been ...

'' (1956) – Aunt Agatha *'' The Opposite Sex'' (1956) – Dolly DeHaven *''

'' (1959) – Fauna (voice) *'' Born to Be Loved'' (1959) – Irene Hoffman *'' The Sword in the Stone'' (1963) – Scullery Maid (voice) (final film role) Short Subjects: *''Major Difficulties'' (1938) *''Moving Vanities'' (1939) – Mrs. Errol *''Ring Madness'' (1939) – Mrs. Errol *''Kennedy the Great'' (1939) – Mrs. John Potter *''Meet the Stars #1: Chinese Garden Festival'' (1940) – Vera Vague *''You Dear Boy'' (1943) – Vera *''Doctor, Feel My Pulse'' (1944) – Vera Vague *''Strife of the Party'' (1944) – Vera Clayton *''She Snoops to Conquer'' (1944) – Vera, the Reporter *''Screen Snapshots Series 24, No. 3'' (1944) – Vera Vague *''The Jury Goes Round 'n' Round'' (1945) – Vera Vague *''Screen Snapshots: Radio Shows'' (1945) – Vera Vague *''Calling All Fibbers'' (1945) – Vera Vague *''Hiss and Yell'' (1946) – Vera Vague *''Headin' for a Weddin (1946) – Vera Vague *''Reno-Vated'' (1946) – Vera Butts *''Cupid Goes Nuts'' (1947) – Vera Vague *''Screen Snapshots: Off the Air'' (1947) – Vera Vague *''Screen Snapshots: Smiles and Styles'' (1948) – Vera Vague *''Sitka Sue'' (1948) – Vera Vague *''A Lass in Alaska'' (1948) – Vera Vague *''A Miss in a Mess'' (1949) – *''Clunked in the Clink'' (1949) – Vera Vague *''Wha' Happen?'' (1949) – Vera *''Clunked in the Clink'' (1949) – Vera Vague *''Nursie Behave'' (1950) – Vera Vague *''She Took a Powder'' (1951) – Vera Vague *''Happy Go Wacky'' (1952) – Vera Vague *''Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Life'' (1954) – Vera Vague *''

'' (1960) – Goliath II's Mother (voice, uncredited)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Barbara Jo 1906 births 1974 deaths Actresses from New York City American expatriates in France American film actresses American radio actresses University of Paris alumni 20th-century American actresses Columbia Pictures contract players