Barbara Bel Geddes

Barbara Bel Geddes (October 31, 1922 – August 8, 2005) was an American actress, artist and children's author. She is best known for her role in the television drama series Dallas as matriarch Eleanor "Miss Ellie" Ewing. Bel Geddes also starred in the original Broadway production of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof in the role of Maggie, and also appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo (1958). She was the recipient of several awards and award nominations for her thespian performances. Bel Geddes retired from Dallas (and acting) in 1990 and settled in her home in Northeast Harbor, Maine, where she continued to work as a fine artist. She was the author of two children's books and the creator of a line of greeting cards. She was twice married, the mother of two daughters, and died of lung cancer on August 8, 2005. Description above from the Wikipedia article Barbara Bel Geddes, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia​

Blood on the Moon (1948)

Down-and-out cowhand Jim Garry is asked by his old friend Tate Riling to help mediate a cattle dispute. When Garry arrives, however, it soon becomes clear that Riling has not been entirely forthright. Garry uncovers Riling's plot to dupe local rancher John Lufton ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Wise
CAST:  Robert Mitchum  •  Barbara Bel Geddes  •  Robert Preston  •  Walter Brennan

Down-and-out cowhand Jim Garry is asked by his old friend Tate Riling to help mediate a cattle dispute. When Garry arrives, however, it soon becomes clear that Riling has not been entirely forthright. Garry uncovers Riling's plot to dupe local rancher John Lufton ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Wise
CAST:  Robert Mitchum  •  Barbara Bel Geddes  •  Robert Preston  •  Walter Brennan

Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There (2003)

Broadway: The Golden Age is the most important, ambitious and comprehensive film ever made about America's most celebrated indigenous art form. Award-winning filmmaker Rick McKay filmed over 100 of the greatest stars ever to work on Broadway or in Hollywood. He ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Rick McKay
CAST:  Edie Adams  •  Bea Arthur  •  Alec Baldwin  •  Kaye Ballard

Broadway: The Golden Age is the most important, ambitious and comprehensive film ever made about America's most celebrated indigenous art form. Award-winning filmmaker Rick McKay filmed over 100 of the greatest stars ever to work on Broadway or in Hollywood. He ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Rick McKay
CAST:  Edie Adams  •  Bea Arthur  •  Alec Baldwin  •  Kaye Ballard

Panic in the Streets (1950)

One night in the New Orleans slums, vicious hoodlum Blackie and his friends kill an illegal immigrant who won too much in a card game. The next morning, Dr. Clint Reed of the Public Health Service confirms the dead man had pneumonic plague. To prevent a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Elia Kazan
CAST:  Richard Widmark  •  Paul Douglas  •  Barbara Bel Geddes  •  Jack Palance

One night in the New Orleans slums, vicious hoodlum Blackie and his friends kill an illegal immigrant who won too much in a card game. The next morning, Dr. Clint Reed of the Public Health Service confirms the dead man had pneumonic plague. To prevent a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Elia Kazan
CAST:  Richard Widmark  •  Paul Douglas  •  Barbara Bel Geddes  •  Jack Palance

The Long Night (1947)

City police surround a building, attempting to capture a suspected murderer. The suspect knows there is no escape but refuses to give in.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Anatole Litvak
CAST:  Henry Fonda  •  Barbara Bel Geddes  •  Vincent Price  •  Ann Dvorak

City police surround a building, attempting to capture a suspected murderer. The suspect knows there is no escape but refuses to give in.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Anatole Litvak
CAST:  Henry Fonda  •  Barbara Bel Geddes  •  Vincent Price  •  Ann Dvorak

Vertigo (1958)

Thought provokingSuspensefulBrilliantClassic

A retired San Francisco detective suffering from acrophobia investigates the strange activities of an old friend's wife, all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Alfred Hitchcock
CAST:  James Stewart  •  Kim Novak  •  Barbara Bel Geddes  •  Tom Helmore

A retired San Francisco detective suffering from acrophobia investigates the strange activities of an old friend's wife, all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Alfred Hitchcock
CAST:  James Stewart  •  Kim Novak  •  Barbara Bel Geddes  •  Tom Helmore

Fourteen Hours (1951)

A young man, morally destroyed by his parents not loving him and by the fear of being not capable to make his girlfriend happy, rises on the ledge of a building with the intention of committing suicide. A policeman makes every effort to argue him out of it.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henry Hathaway
CAST:  Paul Douglas  •  Richard Basehart  •  Barbara Bel Geddes  •  Debra Paget

A young man, morally destroyed by his parents not loving him and by the fear of being not capable to make his girlfriend happy, rises on the ledge of a building with the intention of committing suicide. A policeman makes every effort to argue him out of it.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henry Hathaway
CAST:  Paul Douglas  •  Richard Basehart  •  Barbara Bel Geddes  •  Debra Paget

Five Branded Women (1960)

Five Yugoslav women who consorted with the German occupiers are publicly humiliated and banished by the Yugoslav partisans but they take up arms to fend for themselves.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Martin Ritt
CAST:  Silvana Mangano  •  Jeanne Moreau  •  Vera Miles  •  Barbara Bel Geddes

Five Yugoslav women who consorted with the German occupiers are publicly humiliated and banished by the Yugoslav partisans but they take up arms to fend for themselves.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Martin Ritt
CAST:  Silvana Mangano  •  Jeanne Moreau  •  Vera Miles  •  Barbara Bel Geddes

The Todd Killings (1971)

Based on the true story of '60s thrill-killer Charles Schmidt ("The Pied Piper of Tucson"), Skipper Todd (Robert F. Lyons) is a charismatic 23-year old who charms his way into the lives of high school kids in a small California town. Girls find him attractive and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Barry Shear
CAST:  Robert F. Lyons  •  Richard Thomas  •  Belinda Montgomery  •  Ed Asner

Based on the true story of '60s thrill-killer Charles Schmidt ("The Pied Piper of Tucson"), Skipper Todd (Robert F. Lyons) is a charismatic 23-year old who charms his way into the lives of high school kids in a small California town. Girls find him attractive and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Barry Shear
CAST:  Robert F. Lyons  •  Richard Thomas  •  Belinda Montgomery  •  Ed Asner

Summertree (1971)

Jerry, not a member of the 'protest generation' but is instead, an 'All American boy,' is drafted into the Army, just as things begin to go well for him. He decision to flee to Canada sparks off conflict with his parents, ending in the film's conclusion - in Vietnam.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Anthony Newley
CAST:  Michael Douglas  •  Brenda Vaccaro  •  Jack Warden  •  Barbara Bel Geddes

Jerry, not a member of the 'protest generation' but is instead, an 'All American boy,' is drafted into the Army, just as things begin to go well for him. He decision to flee to Canada sparks off conflict with his parents, ending in the film's conclusion - in Vietnam.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Anthony Newley
CAST:  Michael Douglas  •  Brenda Vaccaro  •  Jack Warden  •  Barbara Bel Geddes

I Remember Mama (1948)

Norwegian immigrant Marta Hanson keeps a firm but loving hand on her household of four children, a devoted husband and a highly-educated lodger who reads great literature to the family every evening. Through financial crises, illnesses and the small triumphs of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  George Stevens
CAST:  Irene Dunne  •  Barbara Bel Geddes  •  Oskar Homolka  •  Philip Dorn

Norwegian immigrant Marta Hanson keeps a firm but loving hand on her household of four children, a devoted husband and a highly-educated lodger who reads great literature to the family every evening. Through financial crises, illnesses and the small triumphs of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  George Stevens
CAST:  Irene Dunne  •  Barbara Bel Geddes  •  Oskar Homolka  •  Philip Dorn

Our Town (1977)

3-act play by American playwright Thornton Wilder.  (more)

DIRECTION:  George Schaefer
CAST:  Hal Holbrook  •  Ned Beatty  •  Sada Thompson  •  Barbara Bel Geddes

3-act play by American playwright Thornton Wilder.  (more)

DIRECTION:  George Schaefer
CAST:  Hal Holbrook  •  Ned Beatty  •  Sada Thompson  •  Barbara Bel Geddes

By Love Possessed (1961)

An unhappily married woman engages in an affair with her husband's law partner.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Sturges
CAST:  Lana Turner  •  Efrem Zimbalist Jr.  •  Jason Robards  •  George Hamilton

An unhappily married woman engages in an affair with her husband's law partner.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Sturges
CAST:  Lana Turner  •  Efrem Zimbalist Jr.  •  Jason Robards  •  George Hamilton

Caught (1949)

It was Leonora Eames' childhood dream come true. She had married Smith Ohlrig, a man worth millions. But her innocent dream became a nightmare once she realizes the truth about her husband - he is power mad and insane! Since he will not grant her a divorce, she ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Max Ophüls
CAST:  James Mason  •  Barbara Bel Geddes  •  Robert Ryan  •  Frank Ferguson

It was Leonora Eames' childhood dream come true. She had married Smith Ohlrig, a man worth millions. But her innocent dream became a nightmare once she realizes the truth about her husband - he is power mad and insane! Since he will not grant her a divorce, she ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Max Ophüls
CAST:  James Mason  •  Barbara Bel Geddes  •  Robert Ryan  •  Frank Ferguson

The Five Pennies (1959)

Dixieland cornetist Red Nichols runs into opposition to his sound, but breaks through to success. He marries a warm, patient woman and even finds time to raise a family. Then tragedy strikes when their daughter contracts polio.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Melville Shavelson
CAST:  Danny Kaye  •  Barbara Bel Geddes  •  Louis Armstrong  •  Harry Guardino

Dixieland cornetist Red Nichols runs into opposition to his sound, but breaks through to success. He marries a warm, patient woman and even finds time to raise a family. Then tragedy strikes when their daughter contracts polio.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Melville Shavelson
CAST:  Danny Kaye  •  Barbara Bel Geddes  •  Louis Armstrong  •  Harry Guardino

Obsessed with Vertigo: New Life for Hitchcock's Masterpiece (1997)

A documentary about the making and restoration of Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece "Vertigo." Narrated by Roddy McDowall, with behind-the-scenes talk from Barbara Bel Geddes, Henry Bumstead, Robert A. Harris, Patricia Hitchcock, James C. Katz, Kim Novak, Peggy ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Harrison Engle
CAST:  Roddy McDowall  •  Patricia Hitchcock  •  Robert A. Harris  •  James C. Katz

A documentary about the making and restoration of Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece "Vertigo." Narrated by Roddy McDowall, with behind-the-scenes talk from Barbara Bel Geddes, Henry Bumstead, Robert A. Harris, Patricia Hitchcock, James C. Katz, Kim Novak, Peggy ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Harrison Engle
CAST:  Roddy McDowall  •  Patricia Hitchcock  •  Robert A. Harris  •  James C. Katz