# Adrienne Barbeau

Adrienne Jo Barbeau (born June 11, 1945) is an American actress and author. She came to prominence in the 1970s as Broadway's original Rizzo in the musical Grease, and as Carol Traynor, the divorced daughter of Maude Findlay (played by Bea Arthur) on the sitcom Maude (1972–1978). In 1980, she began appearing in horror and science fiction films, including The Fog (1980), Escape from New York (1981), Creepshow (1982), and Swamp Thing (1982). She also provided the voice of Catwoman in the DC Animated Universe. In the 2000s, she appeared on the HBO series Carnivàle (2003–2005) as Ruthie.

## Early life

Barbeau was born on June 11, 1945, in Sacramento, California, the daughter of Armene (née Nalbandian) and Joseph Barbeau, who was a public relations executive for Mobil Oil. Her mother was of Armenian descent and her father's ancestry was French Canadian, Irish, and German. She has a sister, Jocelyn, and a half brother on her father's side, Robert Barbeau, who still resides in the Sacramento area. She attended Del Mar High School in San Jose, California. After graduating in 1963, she enrolled at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, California, but dropped out at age 19 to participate in a USO Tour with the San Jose Light Opera. In her autobiography, Barbeau says that she first caught the show business bug while entertaining troops at army bases throughout Southeast Asia, touring with the San Jose Civic Light Opera.

## Career
### 1960s–1989

In the late 1960s, Barbeau moved to New York City and worked "for the mob" as a go-go dancer. She made her Broadway debut in the chorus of Fiddler on the Roof and later took the role of Hodel, Tevye's daughter; Bette Midler played her character's sister Tzeitel. She left Fiddler in 1971 to play the leading role of Cookie Kovac in the off-Broadway nudie musical Stag Movie. Barbeau, as Cookie Kovac, and Brad Sullivan, as Rip Cord, were "quite jolly and deserve to be congratulated on the lack of embarrassment they show when, on occasion, they have to wander around stark naked. They may not be sexy but they certainly keep cheerful," wrote The New York Times theater critic Clive Barnes in an otherwise negative review. Barbeau went on to star in more than 25 musicals and plays, including Women Behind Bars, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and Grease. She received a Theater World Award and a 1972 Tony Award nomination for her portrayal of tough-girl Rizzo in Grease.
During the 1970s, Barbeau starred as Carol Traynor, the daughter of Bea Arthur's title character, on the comedy series Maude, which ran from 1972 to 1978 (actress Marcia Rodd had originated the role of Carol in a 1972 episode of All in the Family, also titled "Maude," alongside Arthur). In her autobiography, There Are Worse Things I Could Do, Barbeau remarked: "What I didn't know is that when I said [my lines] I was usually walking down a flight of stairs and no one was even listening to me. They were just watching my breasts precede me." During the last season of Maude, Barbeau did not appear in the majority of the episodes. In a 2009 Entertainment Tonight TV interview, Barbeau mentioned that she had good on- and off-camera chemistry with Arthur; she said that the two stayed close until Arthur's death on April 25, 2009. Barbeau and Arthur reunited on camera during a 2007 taping of The View, reminiscing about their long-running friendship and their years as co-stars on Maude. About her relationship with Arthur, Barbeau said in a 2018 interview with Dread Central:
   "I was doing an interview for this one-woman show that I am doing and the interviewer asked, 'What do people usually ask you,' and I said, 'They always want to know what it was like working with Bea.' She was fantastic and, you know, I realized years later how much I took it for granted because it was my first experience on television. I just assumed that everyone was as giving as she was, as professional as she was, that everyone who was doing a TV show showed up knowing their lines and showed up on time and was willing to say to the writers, 'I think this line was funnier if Adie had said it or Conrad had said it or Bill had said it.' I mean, she was just the best, she was the best, very funny. She was not Maude when she wasn't saying those lines. I don't know if I'd say she was quiet. She was a homebody. She had her sons, her dog and her cooking and she wasn't into the celebrity scene and she was a great lady. I loved her dearly and we had a great cast and they were my family for six years. I loved each of them and all of them and it was the best experience anyone could've had, being introduced to television like that!"
Barbeau was cast in numerous television films and series such as The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Valentine Magic on Love Island, and Battle of the Network Stars. In her autobiography, she claimed: "I actually thought CBS asked me to be on Battle of the Network Stars because they thought I was athletic. My husband clued me in: who cared if I won the race, as long as I bounced when I ran?"
The popularity of Barbeau's 1978 cheesecake poster confirmed her status as a sex symbol. Barbeau's popularity stemmed partly from what critic Joe Bob Briggs referred to as the "two enormous talents on that woman," and her typecasting as a "tough broad". Despite her initial success, she said at the time that she thought of Hollywood as a "flesh market" and that she would rather appear in films that "explore the human condition" and "deal with issues".
Barbeau's then-husband, director John Carpenter, cast her in his horror film, The Fog (1980), which was her first theatrical film appearance. The film was released on February 1, 1980, and was a theatrical success, grossing over $21 million in the United States alone, and establishing Barbeau as a genre film star. She subsequently appeared in a number of early-1980s horror and science fiction films, including Escape from New York (1981) (also from Carpenter), Creepshow (1982) and Swamp Thing (1982). Of her screen work with Carpenter, Barbeau has stated: "John is a great director. He knows what he wants and he knows how to get it. It's simple and it's easy [working with him]."
She also appeared in the Burt Reynolds comedy The Cannonball Run (1981), and as the shrewish wife of Rodney Dangerfield's character in Back to School (1986). Barbeau also starred in the comedy Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death (1989).

### 1990s–present

In the 1990s, Barbeau mostly appeared in made-for-television films such as Scott Turow's The Burden of Proof (1992), as well as playing Oswald's mother on The Drew Carey Show and gaining new fame among animation fans as Catwoman on Batman: The Animated Series and Gotham Girls.
She also worked as a television talk show host and a weekly book reviewer for KABC talk radio in Los Angeles. In 1999, she guest starred in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges" as Romulan Senator Kimara Cretak.
In 1998, Barbeau released her debut album as a folk singer, the self-titled Adrienne Barbeau. She starred in the cartoon series Totally Spies! doing the voice of villainess Helga Von Guggen in seasons 1, 2 and 4.
From 2003 to 2005, she starred on the HBO series Carnivàle. From March to May 2006, she starred as Judy Garland in the off-Broadway play The Property Known as Garland.
in 2007, Barbeau played a cameo role in Rob Zombie's Halloween, a "reimagining" of the 1978 film of the same name, written and directed by her first husband, John Carpenter. Her scene was cut from the theatrical version of the film but is included in the DVD version.
In 2009, Barbeau was cast as "The Cat Lady" in the family comedy The Dog Who Saved Christmas, as Scooter's mother in the 3D animated feature Fly Me to the Moon, and as a hospice patient in the love story Reach for Me.
Also in 2009, Barbeau had guest spots in the first episode of Showtime's hit series Dexter (Season 4).
She voiced the Greek goddess Hera in the video game God of War III released for the PlayStation 3 in March 2010. In August 2010, she began a role on the long-running ABC daytime drama General Hospital.That same year, she had a short-lived role as Victoria Grayson’s (Madelyn Stowe)mother on the hit ABC drama Revenge. In 2014 Barbeau returned in the final season of Revenge. On her death bed she revealed a shocking secret about Victoria’s real father.
In 2012, she voiced UNSC scientist Dr. Tilson in the highly anticipated game Halo 4, released on the Xbox 360 in November 2012. She voiced characters in the 2015 Mad Max video game.
She appears in Argo (2012), playing the former wife of Alan Arkin's character.
Barbeau reprised her role as Catwoman in an animated remake of the third trailer for The Dark Knight Rises. This trailer was made to both celebrate the upcoming film as well as to promote Hub's ten episode marathon of Batman: The Animated Series.
In 2015, she assumed the role of Berthe in Pippin with the Broadway Touring Company of the renowned musical.
In 2021, Barbeau voiced the role of Queen Gehenna in the sci-fi musical audio series, The World to Come.

## Personal life

In 1978, Barbeau met director John Carpenter on the set of his television film Someone's Watching Me! The couple wed on January 1, 1979, and lived in Coldwater Cyn, Studio City side, reportedly remaining "totally outside Hollywood's social circles." They remained together for five years, but separated shortly after the birth of their son John "Cody" Carpenter on May 7, 1984. The couple divorced later that year.
In 1991, Barbeau met actor/playwright/producer Billy Van Zandt, when she was cast in the West Coast premiere of his play Drop Dead!. They wed in 1992. On March 17, 1997, at the age of almost 52, Barbeau gave birth to twin boys, Walker Steven and William Dalton Van Zandt, quipping that she was the only one on the maternity ward who was a member of AARP. The couple filed for divorce in 2018.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1980 | The Fog | Stevie Wayne | |
| 1981 | Escape from New York | Maggie | |
| 1981 | The Cannonball Run | Marcie | |
| 1982 | Swamp Thing | Alice Cable | |
| 1982 | The Thing | Chess Computer | Voice |
| 1982 | Creepshow | Wilma Northrup | Segment: "The Crate" |
| 1984 | The Next One | Andrea | |
| 1984 | Terror in the Aisles | Stevie Wayne | Archival footage |
| 1986 | Back to School | Vanessa | |
| 1987 | Open House | Lisa Grant | |
| 1989 | Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death | Dr. Kurtz | |
| 1990 | The Easter Story | Mary Magdalene | Voice, direct-to-video short |
| 1990 | Two Evil Eyes | Jessica Valdemar | Segment: "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar" |
| 1993 | Father Hood | Celeste | |
| 1993 | Demolition Man | Main Frame Computer (voice) | Uncredited |
| 1994 | Silk Degrees | Violet | |
| 1995 | Judge Dredd | Central | Voice, uncredited |
| 1998 | Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island | Simone Lenoir | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 1999 | A Wake in Providence | Aunt Lidia | |
| 2000 | Across the Line | Mrs. Randall | |
| 2000 | The Convent | Adult Christine | |
| 2002 | No Place Like Home | Evie | |
| 2003 | Ghost Rock | Mattie Baker | |
| 2007 | Halloween | Adoption Agency Secretary | Her role was cut from the final finished film, but was later included on the DVD Special Edition |
| 2007 | Unholy | Martha | |
| 2008 | Fly Me to the Moon | Scooter's mother | Voice |
| 2008 | Reach for Me | Valerie | |
| 2009 | Alice Jacobs Is Dead | Alice Jacobs | Short film |
| 2012 | Complacent | Judy Sanderson | |
| 2012 | Argo | Nina / Serski | |
| 2015 | Divine Access | Catherine | |
| 2016 | ISRA 88 | Dr. Withersford | |
| 2017 | Death House | Narrator | |
| 2018 | Big Legend | Rita Laird | |
| 2018 | For the Love of Jessee | Katharyn | |
| 2020 | Unearth | Kathryn Dolan | |
| 2022 | Hellblazers | Georgia | |
| 2022 | Early Retirement | Pat | (Short) |
| 2023 | Oddities | Susan | (Short) |
| 2024 | Watchmen Chapter 1 | Sally Jupiter / Silk Specter I, TV Broadcaster | Voice; Direct-to-Video |
| 2024 | Watchmen Chapter 2 | Sally Jupiter / Silk Specter I, Police Dispatcher | Voice; Direct-to-Video |
| 2025 | The Pitch-Fork | Elle | Pre-production |
| TBA | Kindling | Mother Ruth | Pre-production |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1972–1978 | Maude | Carol Traynor | Regular role (93 episodes) |
| 1974-1975 | The Match Game | Herself | Celebrity panelist in episodes airing in September and December 1974 and August of 1975 |
| 1976 | The Great Houdini | Daisy White | Television film |
| 1976 | Julie Farr, M.D. | Allie Duggin | Television film |
| 1977 | Eight Is Enough | Jennifer Linden | Episode: "Turnabout" |
| 1977 | Red Alert | Judy Wyche | Television film |
| 1977 | Quincy, M.E. | Carol Bowen | Episode: "Let Me Light the Way" |
| 1977 | Have I Got a Christmas for You | Marcia Levine | Television film |
| 1978 | The Fighting Nightingales | Maj. Kate Steele | Television film |
| 1978 | The Love Boat | Cathy Randall | 2 episodes |
| 1978 | Crash | Veronica Daniels | Television film |
| 1978 | Someone's Watching Me! | Sophie | Television film |
| 1978 | Fantasy Island | Margo Dean | Episode: "Return to Fantasy Island" |
| 1979 | $weepstake$ | Bonnie Jones | 1 episode |
| 1979 | Fantasy Island | Brenda Richards | Episode: "The Pug/Class of '69" |
| 1979 | The Darker Side of Terror | Margaret Corwin | Television film |
| 1980 | Top of the Hill | Elizabeth Stone | Television film |
| 1980 | Valentine Magic on Love Island | Beverly McGraw | Television film |
| 1980 | Tourist | Barbara Huggins | Television film |
| 1981 | Charlie and the Great Balloon Chase | Susan O'Neill | Television film |
| 1983 | Fantasy Island | Adele Anthony | Episode: "Midnight Waltz/Let Them Eat Cake" |
| 1983-1988 | The $25,000 Pyramid | Herself | Celebrity guest star in 45 episodes airing between January 1983 and April 1988 |
| 1984 | Hotel | Barbara Harrington | Episode: "Tomorrows" |
| 1985 | Seduced | Barbara Orloff | Television film |
| 1985 | Murder, She Wrote | Kathryn | Episode: "Jessica Behind Bars" |
| 1985 | Bridge Across Time | Lynn Chandler | Television film |
| 1985 | The Twilight Zone | Miss Peters | Episode: "Teacher's Aide" |
| 1985-1987 | The $100,000 Pyramid | Herself | Celebrity guest star in 35 episodes airing between November 1985 and January 1988 |
| 1986 | Hotel | Ellie | Episode: "Shadow Play" |
| 1987 | Murder, She Wrote | Lynette Bryant | Episode: "The Bottom Line Is Murder" |
| 1987 | Ultraman: The Adventure Begins | Lt. Beth O'Brien | Voice, television film |
| 1989 | Monsters | Fiona FLynn | Episode: "All in a Days Work" |
| 1989 | Head of the Class | Gloria | Episode: "The Little Sister" |
| 1990 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | Mary Martelli | Episode: "The Fourth Man" |
| 1991 | Blood River | Georgina | Television film |
| 1991 | Doublecrossed | Debbie Seal | Television film |
| 1991 | The $100,000 Pyramid | Herself | Celebrity guest star for 10 episodes airing February 18 to February 22, 1991 and December 2 to December 6, 1991 |
| 1992 | The Burden of Proof | Silvia Hartnell | Television film |
| 1992 | Dream On | Gloria Gantz | Episode: "Bad Girls" |
| 1992–1995 | Batman: The Animated Series | Selina Kyle / Catwoman | Voice, 7 episodes |
| 1993 | FBI: The Untold Stories | Marguerite Dobson | Episode: "Dapper Drew" |
| 1993 | ABC Weekend Special | Lucinda 'Lucy' Condraj | Episode: "The Parsley Garden" |
| 1993 | Daddy Dearest | Annette | Episode: "You Bet Your Life" |
| 1994 | One West Waikiki | Edna Jaynes | Episode: "A Model for Murder" |
| 1994 | The George Carlin Show | Barbara Rossetti | Episode: "George Gets Caught in the Middle" |
| 1994 | Babylon 5 | Amanda Carter | Episode: "Spider in the Web" |
| 1994 | Jailbreakers | Mrs. Norton | Television film |
| 1995 | Bram Stoker's Burial of the Rats | The Queen | Television film |
| 1996 | Flipper | Sydney Brewster | 2 episodes |
| 1996 | The Wayans Bros. | Trish Neidermeyer | Episode: "New Lease on Life" |
| 1997 | Weird Science | Lily | Episode: "Show Chett" |
| 1997–1998 | The New Batman Adventures | Selina Kyle / Catwoman | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 1997 | Sliders | Mother Morehouse | Episode: "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" |
| 1998 | A Champion's Fight | Nancy Muldenhower | Television film |
| 1998 | Diagnosis: Murder | Vivien Sanderson | Episode: "Rain of Terror" |
| 1998 | The Angry Beavers | Toluca Lake | Voice, episode: "The Day the Earth Got Really Screwed Up" |
| 1998 | Adventures from the Book of Virtues | Greta | Voice, episode: "Honor" |
| 1998–2004 | The Drew Carey Show | Kim Harvey | Recurring role (6 episodes) |
| 1999 | Love Boat: The Next Wave | Grace Brooks | Episode: "Three Stages of Love" |
| 1999 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Senator Cretak | Episode: "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges" |
| 2000 | Batman Beyond | Singer | Voice, episode: "Out of the Past" |
| 2000–2002 | Gotham Girls | Selina Kyle / Catwoman, Renee Montoya | Voice, main role |
| 2001 | Nash Bridges | Annie Corell | Episode: "Something Borrowed" |
| 2001 | Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Herself | Episode: "The Gift of Gab" |
| 2002–2004 | Totally Spies! | Helga Von Guggen | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2002 | The Chronicle | Evelyn Hall | Episode: "Tears of a Clone" |
| 2002 | The Santa Trap | Alice | Television film |
| 2003–2005 | Carnivàle | Ruthie | Regular role (24 episodes) |
| 2004 | Ring of Darkness | Alex | Television film |
| 2006 | Deceit | Kathleen Darrow | Television film |
| 2006 | Christmas Do-Over | Trudi | Television film |
| 2007 | K-Ville | Marquetta Dinovi | Episode: "Bedfellows" |
| 2008 | Cold Case | Helen McCormick | Episode: "Wings" |
| 2009 | War Wolves | Gail Cash | Television film |
| 2009 | Dexter | Suzanna Coffey | Episode: "Living the Dream" |
| 2009 | Grey's Anatomy | Jodie Crawley | Episode: "I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watchin' Me" |
| 2009 | The Dog Who Saved Christmas | Cat Lady Mildred | Television film |
| 2010 | The New Adventures of Old Christine | Herself | Episode: "A Whale of a Tale" |
| 2010 | Proposition 8 Trial Re-Enactment | Dr. Letitia Peplau | Television documentary |
| 2010 | The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation | Mildred | Television film |
| 2010–2011 | General Hospital | Suzanne Stanwyck | Regular role |
| 2011 | CSI: NY | Dr. Theola Kumi | Episode: "Smooth Criminal" |
| 2012, 2015 | Revenge | Marion Harper | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Sons of Anarchy | Alice | Episode: "Sweet and Vaded" |
| 2014 | Criminal Minds | Cissy Howard | Episode: "Blood Relations" |
| 2019 | Swamp Thing | Dr. Palomar | Episode: "Long Walk Home" |
| 2019 | Creepshow | Dixie Parmalee, Radio Host | 2 episodes |
| 2020 | AJ and the Queen | Helen | Episode: "Columbus" |
| 2020 | Curious George: Go West, Go Wild | Ginny's mother | Voice, television film |
| 2021 | American Horror Stories | Verna | Episode: "Drive In" |
| 2021 | Cowboy Bebop | Maria Murdock | Episode: "Callisto Soul" |
| 2023 | 9-1-1 | Lois Gilbertson (soon to be Mrs. Phillip Garrity) | Episode: "Love Is in the Air" |
| 2023 | Harlan Corben's Shelter | Ellen Bolitar | Recurring |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1999 | Descent 3 | Dr. Katelyn Harper |
| 2006 | Marvel: Ultimate Alliance | Sif |
| 2009 | Batman: Arkham Asylum | Dr. Gretchen Whistler / Voice of Arkham Asylum |
| 2010 | God of War III | Hera |
| 2012 | Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning | Ciara Sydanus |
| 2012 | Halo 4 | Dr. Tillson |
| 2012 | Hitman: Absolution | Hotel Manager's Wife |
| 2013 | God of War: Ascension | Aletheia |
| 2015 | Mad Max | Pink Eye |
| 2018 | Fallout 76 | The Overseer |
| 2020 | Wastelanders | The Overseer |
| 2020 | Steel Dawn | Vault 76 overseer |
| 2023 | Spider-Man 2 | Cafe Lady / Civilians |
| 2023 | Starfield | Betty Howser |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 1972 | Theatre World Awards | Performance | Grease | Won |
| 1972 | Tony Awards | Best Supporting or Featured Actress in a Musical | Grease | Nominated |
| 1977 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Maude | Nominated |
| 1991 | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Supporting Actress – Television Film | Due occhi diabolici | Nominated |
| 1999 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | OFTA Television Award | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Nominated |
| 2002 | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Supporting Actress | The Convent | Won |
| 2004 | Satellite Awards | Best Supporting Actress – Television Series | Carnivàle | Nominated |
| 2010 | Chicago Horror Film Festival | Festival Award for Best Actress | Alice Jacobs Is Dead | Won |
| 2016 | New York City Horror Film Festival | Lifetime Achievement Award | — | Won |
| 2023 | Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival | Best Actress in a Short Film | Early Retirement | Won |
| 2023 | FANtastic Horror Film Festival, San Diego | Best Supporting Actress in a Short Film | Oddities | Won |
| 2023 | Los Angeles CINEVERSE Film Festival | Best Performance | Early Retirement | Won |