Joanna Barnes, The Parent Trap and Tarzan Actress, Dead at 87

Glenn Garner
·2 min read
Joanna Barnes during "The Parent Trap" Los Angeles Premiere at Mann National Theatre in Westwood, California, United States. (Photo by Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Joanna Barnes during "The Parent Trap" Los Angeles Premiere at Mann National Theatre in Westwood, California, United States. (Photo by Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
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Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Joanna Barnes, an actress known for her roles in The Parent Trap and Tarzan: The Ape Man, has died. She was 87.

The actress passed Friday at her Sea Ranch, Calif., home after enduring "multiple health problems," her close friend Sally Jackson told The Hollywood Reporter.

Born Nov. 15, 1934 in Boston, Barnes graduated from Smith College in 1956 before making the move to Hollywood, where she appeared in such television shows as Maverick and Colt .45 before going on to play Jane Porter in 1959's Tarzan: The Ape Man.

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Barnes is perhaps most known for her performance as gold digger Vicky Robinson in 1961's The Parent Trap, and she later played the gold digger's mother Vicki Blake in Disney's 1998 remake.

She's also appeared onscreen in such shows as The Beverly Hillbillies, 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaii Five-O, The New Perry Mason, Planet of the Apes, SWAT, Fantasy Island, Charlie's Angels, Murder She Wrote, and Cheers. Barnes hosted the ABC daytime talk show Dateline: Hollywood in 1967 and was also a frequent panelist on the syndicated game show What's My Line?

Kino. Tarzan, Der Herr Des Urwaldes, Tarzan, The Ape Man, Tarzan, Der Herr Des Urwaldes, Tarzan, The Ape Man, Dennis Miller, Joanna Barnes, Cesare Danova Auf dem Ruecken eines Elefanten bringt Tarzan (Dennis Miller,l) Jane (Joanna Barnes) und Holt (Cesare Danova,r) in Sicherheit. , 1959. (Photo by FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images)

FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty

In addition, she earned a Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Gloria Upson in 1958's Auntie Mame. Barnes also starred with Kirk Douglas in 1960's Spartacus.

Also a writer, Barnes was the immediate successor to Sylvia Plath for Smith College's award for poetry, and she penned several novels, including The Deceivers (1970), Who Is Carla Hart? (1973), Pastora (1980), and Silverwood (1985). Additionally, she wrote a weekly book review for the Los Angles Times and the column "Touching Home" for The Chicago Tribune, which sparked her non-fiction book Starting from Scratch.

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Barnes was previously married to actor-director Richard Herndon, Naked City narrator Lawrence Dobkin, and architect Jack Lionel Warner, according to THR.

She is survived by her sisters Lally and Judith, as well as stepchildren John, Laura, and Louise.