Most of America's audiences see me as the matriarch of the family known as the Barkley's on TV western "The Big Valley" , where I played Victoria. Later I starred on the hit drama "The Colbys" . But for millions of other fans, I had a movie career that spanned from 1927 until 1964 and then was on television until 1986. It was a film career that lasted for 59 years. I was born, Ruby Stevens, on July 16, 1907, in Brooklyn, New York. I went to work at the local telephone company for $14 dollars a week, but I had the urge to somehow enter show business. Dreams, that was all it was. When not working, I pounded the pavement in search of dancing jobs. The persistance paid off. I was hired as a chorus girl for the princely sum of $40 a week. This was so much better than the wages I was getting from the phone company. I was 17, and I was going to make the most out of the opportunity that had been given me.
In 1928, I moved to Hollywood where I was to start out one of the most lucrative careers filmdom had ever seen. I was an extremely versatile actress, who could adapt to any role. I was equally at home in diverse genres such as the melodrama Forbidden and Stella Dallas , along with one of my best films, Double Indemnity . The latter starred Fred MacMurray as you have never seen him before. I excelled in comedies such as Remember the Night and The Lady Eve . One of my first westerns was Union Pacific , and finally my most memorable role, in TV's "The Big Valley" . In 1983, I played in the ABC hit mini-series "The Thorn Birds" , which did much to keep me in the eye of the public. I turned out an outstanding performance as Mary Carson.I was nominated for four Academy Awards, though I never won. The roles I was nominated for were all roles in which I turned in magnificent performances, but the "powers that be" always awarded the Oscar to someone else. I was considered gem to work with, for my serious but easygoing attitude on the set. I worked hard at being an actress, and I never allowed my star quality to go to my head. However, in 1982, I was awarded an honorary Academy Award for "superlative creativity and unique contribution to the art of screen acting." Sadly, I died on January 20, 1990, leaving 93 movies and a host of TV appearances as my legacy to you.
