Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Tribune News Service
Tribune News Service
Entertainment
Peter Sblendorio

‘The Parent Trap’ actress Joanna Barnes dead at 87

Joanna Barnes, who played different but memorable roles in two iterations of “The Parent Trap,” has died at age 87.

A friend of the actress, Sally Jackson, told The Hollywood Reporter that Barnes had battled “multiple health problems.”

An official cause of death has not been released for Barnes, who reportedly died Friday at her Sea Ranch, California, home.

Born in Boston in 1934, Barnes had 100 on-screen acting credits during a career that spanned more than 50 years.

She starred in 1961′s original “The Parent Trap” as Vicky Robinson, who intends to marry Brian Keith’s Mitch Evers for his money. Mitch is the father of the film’s central twins, who were separated at birth.

The characters received new names in the 1998 edition of “The Parent Trap,” and Barnes portrayed a different character entirely with Vicki Blake, whose daughter is after the twins’ dad’s money.

Earlier in her career, Barnes earned a Golden Globes nomination for her performance as Gloria Upson in the 1958 comedy-drama “Auntie Mame.”

Other notable roles for Barnes included Jane in the 1959 adventure flick “Tarzan” and Claudia in 1960′s Kirk Douglas-led “Spartacus.”

Her final acting credit came in 2000 when she appeared on an episode of the comedy series “Then Came You.”

Barnes, who is survived by two sisters and three step-children, according to The Hollywood Reporter, was married three times, including to fellow actor and narrator Lawrence Dobkin.

In addition to her acting career, Barnes hosted the entertainment-focused show “Dateline: Hollywood” for ABC, penned multiple novels and wrote book reviews for The Los Angeles Times.

———

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.