Barbara Rush, who ruled the 1950s melodramas like The Young Philadelphians, Magnificent Obsession and Bigger Than Life, passed away at the age of 97.
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Rush’s daughter Claudia Cowan, who is also a senior correspondent at Fox News confirmed the death of her mother on Sunday.
“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 said.
She added, “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, who was a rising star across Paramount, Universal, and Fox, saw her career flourish as the era of the Hollywood studio system drew to a close.
She notably starred alongside Frank Sinatra in Come Blow Your Horn (1963) and Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964), the latter being the final installment of the Rat Pack movies.
Production of the latter film faced interruptions twice: first following President Kennedy's assassination and then when Sinatra's son was kidnapped.
In Douglas Sirk’s 1954 retelling of Magnificent Obsession, Rush took on the role of the endearing sister to Jane Wyman's character, who earned an Oscar nomination.
The plot revolves around Wyman's character being blinded in an accident caused by a reckless playboy, played by Rock Hudson.
It is pertinent to note, Rush never garnered an Oscar or Emmy nomination throughout her career.
However, she did receive a Golden Globe in 1954 for her role in It Came From Outer Space, where she portrayed the fiancée of an astronomer, Richard Carlson, as well as a seductive alien duplicate.
She was honored with the award for Most Promising Female Newcomer for her performance in the film.
