Editing Barbara Whiting

{{Short description|American actress and singer (1931–2004)}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Barbara Whiting
| image              = Barbara Whiting 1955.JPG
| alt                = Barbara Whiting 1955
| caption            = Whiting in 1955
| birth_name         = 
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1931|05|19|mf=yes}}
| birth_place        = [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], U.S.
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|2004|06|09|1931|05|19|mf=yes}}
| death_place        = [[Pontiac, Michigan]], U.S.
| other_names        = Barbara Whiting Smith
| occupation         = {{hlist|Actress|Singer}}
| years_active       = 1945–1957
| spouse             = {{marriage|Gail Smith|1959|1991|reason=died}}
| children           = 1
| father             = [[Richard A. Whiting]] 
| relatives          = [[Margaret Whiting]] (sister)
}}
         
'''Barbara Whiting Smith''' (May 19, 1931 – June 9, 2004) was an American actress and singer.

== Early life ==
Whiting was born in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], the daughter of music manager Eleanor Youngblood Whiting and composer [[Richard A. Whiting]].<ref name="ij">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2963235/the_indexjournal/|title=Film Actress Barbara Whiting Smith Dies|newspaper=The Index-Journal |date=June 13, 2004|accessdate=August 6, 2015|agency=The Index-Journal|page=4|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Heckman|first=Dan|date=January 13, 2011|title=Margaret Whiting dies at 86; pop singer mentored by Johnny Mercer|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-margaret-whiting-20110113-story.html}}</ref> Her older sister was singer [[Margaret Whiting]].

==Career==
Her movie career began with the 1945 film, ''[[Junior Miss]]'', a movie based on her popular radio show by the same name.<ref name=ij/> This was followed by nine other starring roles until she married Gail Smith and retired.

On television, she co-starred with her sister, Margaret in ''Those Whiting Girls'' on [[CBS]]. The program debuted July 4, 1955, as a summer replacement for ''[[I Love Lucy]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Premiere Set for New Show|newspaper=The Daily Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2963438/the_daily_herald/|agency=The Daily Herald|date=June 27, 1955|page=17|via=Newspapers.com|accessdate=August 6, 2015}} {{Open access}}</ref>

Whiting's radio career was what she was most known for during her lifetime. In 1948 she began to star in [[CBS]]'s ''[[Junior Miss]]''. It was one of the most successful radio shows of the time especially with younger audiences.{{Citation needed |date=February 2020}}

On February 8, 1960, Barbara was honored with a star at 6443 Hollywood Boulevard, in the television section of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.walkoffame.com/barbara-whiting-smith|title=Barbara Whiting Smith|website=Hollywood Walk of Fame|accessdate=7 August 2015}}</ref>

==Personal life and death==
On May 7, 1959, Whiting married Gail Smith, an advertising professional. It was her first marriage and his second.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2963336/the_times/|title=Barbara Whiting And Ad Man Marry|newspaper=The Times |date=May 11, 1959|accessdate=August 6, 2015|agency=The Times|page=27|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> They had a son, Richard Whiting Smith.<ref name="ij" />

Barbara was a "longtime volunteer" at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital, Pontiac, Michigan.<ref name=ij/> She lived a quiet life, dedicated to her son Richard.

Whiting died of cancer, in [[Pontiac, Michigan]], aged 73, June 9, 2004. She was survived by her sister and a son.<ref name="ij" />

== Filmography ==
=== Select film credits ===
* ''[[Junior Miss (film)|Junior Miss]]'' (1945) - Fuffy Adams
* ''[[Centennial Summer]]'' (1946) - Susanna Rogers
* ''[[Home, Sweet Homicide]]'' (1946) - Jo-Ella Holbrook
* ''[[Carnival in Costa Rica]]'' (1947) - Maria Molina
* ''[[City Across the River]]'' (1949) - Annie Kane
* ''[[I Can Get It for You Wholesale (film)|I Can Get It for You Wholesale]]'' (1951) - Ellen Cooper
* ''[[Beware, My Lovely]]'' (1952) - Ruth Williams
* ''Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder'' (1952) - Suzy Milligan
* ''[[Dangerous When Wet]]'' (1953) - Suzie Higgins
* ''[[Paris Follies of 1956]]'' (1955)<ref>{{cite news|title=(movie ad)|newspaper=Brownwood Bulletin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2963385/brownwood_bulletin/|agency=Brownwood Bulletin|date=June 13, 1956|page=2|via=Newspapers.com|accessdate=August 6, 2015}} {{Open access}}</ref> (with sister [[Margaret Whiting]]) - Barbara Walton

=== Select television appearances ===
* ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]''
* ''[[Starlight Theatre (TV series)|Starlight Theatre]]'' (1950)
* ''[[The Bigelow Theatre]]'' (1951)
* ''[[Dragnet (TV series)|Dragnet]]'' (1954)
* ''[[The Public Defender (TV series)|The Public Defender]]'' (1954) - Elly Black / Torry
* [[Those Whiting Girls (1955-1957 TV series)|Those Whiting Girls]] - Desilu Studios (1955-1957) (TV serial)
* ''[[Fireside Theatre]]'' (1955) - Marian
* ''[[The Jimmy Durante Show]]'' (1955) - Herself - Suzy the Hatcheck Girl
* ''[[TV Reader's Digest]]'' (1956) - Birdie
* ''[[The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show]]'' (1956) - Herself - Singer
* ''[[Men of Annapolis]]'' (1957) - Willie (Wilhelmina)

=== Select radio credits ===
* ''[[Hollywood Star Time (dramatic anthology)|Hollywood Star Time]]''
* ''[[Meet Corliss Archer]]''
* ''[[The Screen Guild Theater]]''
* ''[[The Great Gildersleeve]]''
* ''[[Family Theater]]''
* ''[[The Bing Crosby Show (1964 TV series)|The Bing Crosby Show]]''
* ''[[Escape (radio program)|Escape]]''
* ''[[The Railroad Hour]]''
* ''[[Suspense (radio drama)|Suspense]]''
* ''[[Broadway Is My Beat]]''
* ''[[On Stage (radio show)|On Stage]]''
* ''[[Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar]]''

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.margaretwhiting.com/barbarawhiting.htm Short Biography]
* {{IMDb name|0925991}}
* {{Find a Grave|8931014}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whiting, Barbara}}
[[Category:1931 births]]
[[Category:2004 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American women singers]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American radio actresses]]
[[Category:American television actresses]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in Michigan]]
[[Category:Actresses from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:21st-century American women]]