Barbara Rush, ‘All My Children’ and ‘7th Heaven’ alum, dead at 97

Barbara Rush, known for her role as Nola Orsini on the popular ABC soap opera “All My Children,” died Sunday. She was 97.

Rush’s death was confirmed by her daughter, senior FOX News correspondent Claudia Cowan, who said that she “passed away peacefully” shortly after Cowan returned home from work.

“My wonderful mother passed away peacefully at 5:28 this evening. I was with her this morning and know she was waiting for me to return home safely to transition,” Cowan, 60, told Fox News in a statement.

“It’s fitting she chose to leave on Easter as it was one of her favorite holidays and now, of course, Easter will have a deeper significance for me and my family.”

Rush also appeared in “Ben Casey,” “Dr. Kildare,” “The Fugitive” and “Ironside,” and was known for playing Ruth Camden on “7th Heaven.”

The Post reached out to Rush’s rep for comment.

Shortly before her passing, Cowan shared a touching Instagram tribute to her mother on her birthday.

“She is golden, she is a diamond, she glows like the moon and shines like the sun,” the reporter wrote next to a picture of the actress. “Age does not diminish the light in her eyes, the sweetness of her heart

, or the wisdom in her soul.”

“To me, she is 97 years young,” she added. “Happy birthday to my beautiful mother.”

Rush was born on Jan. 4, 1927, in Denver and later during her childhood moved to Santa Barbara, California.

Rush and her father worked as ushers at the Lobero Theatre.

After graduating from UC Santa Barbara in 1948, the burgeoning actress won a scholarship to the Pasadena Playhouse and was spotted by a talent scout.

In 1950, Rush signed her first acting contract, with Paramount Pictures, and was cast as Debbie Sherman in a film adaptation of “The Goldbergs.”

It was during this time that Rush married fellow actor Jeffrey Hunter. The pair had a son, Christopher, and were considered one of Hollywood’s most glamorous couples until they split in 1955.

Rush would go on to marry publicist Warren Cowan in 1959, with whom she had daughter Claudia Cowan. The couple then divorced in 1969.

The actress was married a third and final time in 1970, to sculptor Jim Gruzalski, but the pair split in 1973.

The actress was also the recipient of the now-defunct Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer — Female for her starring role in the 1953 sci-fi film “It Came From Outer Space.”

During her illustrious career, Rush was associated with various Tinseltown icons, such as Frank Sinatra, Rock Hudson, Dean Martin, Paul Newman and Kirk Douglas, even befriending Marilyn Monroe at one point.

“Oh yes, we were friends,” Rush told Fox Digital. “We were in the studio club together. At least with me, when you first come to Hollywood, and I went to Paramount, they put me immediately in the studio club. It’s kind of like a sorority house.”

“And Marilyn Monroe was there,” she continued. “I loved her. Marilyn was such a darling lady. She was very sweet and nice. All the girls in the studio club just had a good time.”

Rush later appeared as the villainous Nora Clavicle on the 1960s “Batman” TV series, which starred Adam West as the titular character and Burt Wade as his trusty sidekick, Robin.

After her time on the series, Rush joined the popular soap opera “Peyton Place” as Marsha Russell before eventually transitioning to “All My Children” in 1992. She stayed with the popular show for two years and 38 episodes.

Rush’s last on-screen role came in 2007 when she appeared in “7th Heaven” for nine episodes.

The actress is survived by Cowan, son Christopher Hunter and two grandchildren.