# Babz Chula

Babz Chula (born as Barbara Ellen Zuckerman; March 22, 1947 – May 7, 2010) was an American-born Canadian actress and musician.

## Early life, education and career

Barbara Ellen Zuckerman was born in Springfield, Massachusetts but spent her early childhood in the working-class neighbourhood of Jamaica, Queens County, New York City. Her widowed mother, Abby Zuckerman, a booking agent for Leonard Bernstein, moved her with two young children, first to Hawaii and then to California, to pursue work in the entertainment field after Chula's father, Larry Zuckerman, an auto mechanic and stock-car racer, was killed in a car race.
Growing up in Los Angeles, where her mother eventually remarried, young Barbara won a scholarship to the California Institute of the Arts and returned to New York after graduation to perform as a folk singer. In 1971, she and her first husband, Phillip Ciulla, relocated to Slocan Valley in British Columbia before moving to Vancouver, where she resumed her acting and singing career as Babz Chula, under the respelled phonetic pronunciation of Ciulla. Her first major supporting role was in Sandy Wilson's award-winning film My American Cousin.

## Personal life and death

Chula was married to Larry Lynn. After her death on May 7, 2010, at the age of 63, Lynn was ordained a Catholic priest.
The 2013 National Film Board of Canada documentary Chi (2013 film) follows Chula to Kerala, India in 2010, where she travels in an effort to treat her 6-year battle with cancer. Directed by Anne Wheeler, the documentary follows Chula's battle with cancer until the end, detailing Chula and her family members' struggle to come to terms with her death, while celebrating her life and accomplishments.

## Selected filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Director |
| 1984 | Runaway | Construction Foreperson (as Babs Chulla) | Michael Crichton |
| 1985 | My American Cousin | Dolly Walker | Sandy Wilson |
| 1988 | The Accused | Woman Lawyer | Jonathan Kaplan |
| 1989 | In Search of the Last Good Man | Unknown | Peg Campbell |
| 1989 | American Boyfriends | Dolly, Butch's Mother | Sandy Wilson |
| 1989 | Immediate Family | Birthday Girl's Mom | Jonathan Kaplan |
| 1989 | Cousins | Mrs. Davidow | Joel Schumacher |
| 1991 | Run | Poker Player (as Babs Chula) | Geoff Burrowes |
| 1992 | The Date | Unknown | Niko Theoderaskis |
| 1992 | North of Pittsburgh | Linda | Richard Martin |
| 1994 | Valentine's Day | Barb | Mike Hoolboom |
| 1994 | Kanada | Charlie | Mike Hoolboom |
| 1995 | Live Bait | Helen MacIntosh | Bruce Sweeney |
| 1995 | The Love Charm | Unknown | Robert Rondau |
| 1995 | Power of Attorney | Angela | Howard Himelstein |
| 1995 | A Pyromaniac's Love Story | Ass pincher's wife | Josh Brand |
| 1997 | Silent Cradle | Cye Block | Paul Ziller |
| 1997 | Barbeque...A Love Story | Unknown | Stacey Kirk |
| 1997 | The Ex | Dr. Lillian Jonas | Mark Leste |
| 1998 | Dirty | Angie | Bruce Sweeney |
| 1999 | Double Jeopardy | Ruby | Bruce Beresford |
| 2000 | No More Monkeys Jumpin' on the Bed | Rick's Mother | Ross Weber |
| 2001 | Last Wedding | Bobbie | Bruce Sweeney |
| 2002 | Cheats | Mrs. Rosengarden | Andrew Gurland |
| 2002 | Bitten | Mother | Clauida Morgado |
| 2003 | Little Brother of War | Police Lieutenant | Damon Vignale |
| 2003 | Moving Malcolm | Gisha | Benjamin Ratner |
| 2004 | Kathleen's Closet | Kathleen | Sheila Jordon |
| 2004 | Gang of Love | Unknown | Rick Dobran |
| 2004 | Seven Times Lucky | Eddie | Gary Yates |
| 2004 | Croon | Unknown | Hillary Jones-Farrow |
| 2006 | Home by Christmas | Rita | Gail Harvey |
| 2006 | The French Guy | Elizabeth Murray | Ann Marie Fleming |
| 2006 | The Saddest Boy in the World | Dr. Judith D'Angelo | Jamie Travis |
| 2006 | The Secret | Psychiatrist | Vincent Perez |
| 2006 | Criminal Intent | Ruth | George Erchbamer |
| 2007 | American Venus | Peggy | Bruce Sweeney |
| 2008 | The X-Files: I Want to Believe | Surgeon | Chris Carter |
| 2009 | Mothers & Daughters | Micki | Carl Bessai |
| 2013 | Kids in Jail | Herself (posthumous) | Larry Lynn |
| 2013 | Chi | Herself (posthumous) | Anne Wheeler |

## Selected minor films

* 2002: Croon as Liz
* 2000: Becoming Dick as Waitress
* 2000: Wednesday Woman as Andrea Glissner
* 1999: Sweetwater as Rita
* 1997: Jitters as Mrs. Hoffman
* 1997: Intensity as Mrs. John Q. (Citizen)
* 1997: Seduction in a Small Town as Jesse Pence
* 1997: Echo as Caseworker
* 1996: For Hope as Doctor
* 1994: Roommates as Norma
* 1994: My Name is Kate as Nora
* 1993: Without a Kiss Goodbye as Unknown
* 1993: Double, Double, Toil and Trouble as Madame Lulu
* 1993: When a Stranger Calls Back as Agent
* 1986: Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry as Frieda

## Selected television appearances

* 1991: The Commish – 6 episodes
* 1993–1996: Madison – 8 episodes
* 1998: Police Academy – 1 episode
* 2000–2003: Cold Squad – 1 episode
* 1999–2001 These Arms of Mine – 5 episodes
* 2002: Bliss – 1 episode
* 2002: John Doe – 1 episode
* 2004: The L Word – 1 episode
* 2004: The Days – 3 episodes
* 2007: Final 24 – 1 episode

## Voice work

* Captain N: The Game Master
* Madeline
* Captain Zed and the Zee Zone
* Legend of the Hawaiian Slammers
* G.I. Joe
* Bucky O'Hare and the Toad Wars
* Yvon of the Yukon
* Camp Candy
* Toon of the Month
* Little Witch
* Action Man
* Christopher the Christmas Tree
* Littlest Pet Shop
* Funky Fables
* Super Trolls

## Recognition

* 2009: Leo Award Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Feature Length Drama
* 2008: Sam Payne Award
* 2006: Leo Award for Individual Outstanding Achievement
* 2002: Best supporting Actress New York Independent Film Festival (Bitten)
* 2001: Gemini Award for Best Actress in a Dramatic Series
* 1999/2002: Leo Awards Nomination "Best Performance by a Female/Picture"
* 1996: Leo Award Winner "Best Actress"
* 1996: Woman of the Year by Woman in Film and Video
* 1995–1996: Jessie Award Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
* 1992–1993: Jessie Award Outstanding Ensemble Cast