# Dana Barron

Dana Barron (born April 22, 1966) is an American actress who is best known for her role as the original Audrey Griswold in the 1983 film National Lampoon's Vacation which she reprised in 2003's National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure for NBC television.

## Early life

Barron's father, Robert Weeks Barron, was a director of commercials and a Congregationalist church pastor; Robert founded The Weist-Barron School of Television, the first commercial and soap opera acting for television school in the world. Barron is a fifth generation entertainer. Her grandfather was an opera singer, and her mother moved from Alabama to become an actress. Barron has a sister.

## Career

Barron's sister, Allison, had been doing TV commercials at a young age, and Barron told her father that she wished to do the same. She began acting at age 10, doing TV commercials as well. By age 11, she was appearing with Christine Baranski in Hide and Seek on Broadway. By age 13, her first film was the horror film He Knows You're Alone, with Tom Hanks, which was also Hanks' first film.
In 1983, Barron starred in the Chevy Chase comedy National Lampoon's Vacation, originating the role of Audrey Griswold. The film became a classic, and Barron would reprise the role 20 years later in the NBC TV movie spinoff, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure.
Barron received a Daytime Emmy Award in 1989 for her appearance in the CBS after-school special No Means No. Barron appeared on the soap opera One Life to Live from 1984 to 1985 as Michelle Boudin. She starred in the 1998 The Magnificent Seven as Casey.
She had a recurring role as Nikki Witt on the Fox series Beverly Hills, 90210, during which she was able to make her character's clothes and modify her lines.
In 1992, she starred with JoBeth Williams and Chris Burke in the NBC movie Jonathan: The Boy Nobody Wanted. Barron has made guest appearances on TV shows including The Equalizer; In the Heat of the Night; Murder, She Wrote; and Babylon 5 as a telepath named Lauren Ashley in the Season 5 episode "The Corps Is Mother, the Corps Is Father".

## Personal life

Barron was in a long term relationship with filmmaker Michael Vickerman. They have a son.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1980 | He Knows You're Alone | Diane Jensen | |
| 1983 | National Lampoon's Vacation | Audrey Griswold | |
| 1985 | Heaven Help Us | Janine | |
| 1987 | Death Wish 4: The Crackdown | Erica Sheldon | |
| 1988 | Heartbreak Hotel | Beth Devereux | |
| 1994 | Magic Kid 2 | Maggie Patterson | |
| 1994 | In the Living Years | Kathy | |
| 1997 | City of Industry | Gena | |
| 1998 | The Face of Alexandre Dumas: The Man in the Iron Mask | Louise de la Vallière | |
| 2000 | Dumped | Laura | Video |
| 2000 | Stageghost | Renee Bloomer | |
| 2001 | The Perfect Nanny | Fawn Lewis | |
| 2001 | Night Class | Heather | |
| 2006 | National Lampoon's Pucked | Tiny | |
| 2009 | A Letter to Dad | Kathy Brown | |
| 2010 | Happythankyoumoreplease | The Gynecologist | |
| 2010 | The Invited | Kristy | |
| 2012 | Mayfly | Deb | Short |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1983 | The Brass Ring | Darlene | TV film |
| 1984 | One Life to Live | Michelle Boudin | 2 episodes |
| 1985 | The Equalizer | Melinda | "The Children's Song" |
| 1987–1989 | Crossbow | Eleanor | Regular role |
| 1988 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | Megan Wells | "No Means No" |
| 1989 | In the Heat of the Night | Corrie Kroller | "Crackdown" |
| 1992 | Jonathan: The Boy Nobody Wanted | Laurie Moore | TV film |
| 1992 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Nikki Witt | Recurring role (season 3) |
| 1994 | Dream On | Reo Saunders | "Blame It on Reo" |
| 1994 | Jailbreakers | Sue | TV film |
| 1995 | The Watcher | Mary | "The Human Condition" |
| 1995 | Murder, She Wrote | Sarah Tyler | "School for Murder" |
| 1998 | Babylon 5 | Lauren Ashley | "The Corps Is Mother, the Corps Is Father" |
| 1998–2000 | The Magnificent Seven | Casey Wells | Recurring role |
| 2000 | Python | Kristin | TV film |
| 2003 | National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure | Audrey Griswold | TV film |
| 2005 | McBride: Murder Past Midnight | Marta Arnack | TV film |
| 2007 | Pandemic | Lindsey Mastrapa | TV miniseries |
| 2012 | Naughty or Nice | Brenda Weir | TV film |
| 2012 | Leverage | Betty | "The Corkscrew Job" |
| 2013 | Snow Bride | Doria | TV film |
| 2019 | The Goldbergs | Security Guard #2 | "Vacation" |