CineScope
Barbara McNair picture

Barbara McNair

Acting
Known For

73 Years Old

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Barbara McNair (March 4, 1934 – February 4, 2007) was an African-American singer and actress. Born Barbara Joan McNair in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Racine, Wisconsin, McNair studied music at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago. Her big break came with a win on Arthur Godfrey's TV show Talent Scouts, which led to bookings at The Purple Onion and the Cocoanut Grove. She soon became one of the country's most popular headliners and a guest on such television variety shows as The Steve Allen Show, Hullabaloo, The Bell Telephone Hour, and The Hollywood Palace, while recording for the Coral, Signature, and Motown labels. Among her hits were "You're Gonna Love My Baby" and "Bobby". In the early 60s, Barbara made several musical shorts for Scopitone, a franchise of coin-operated machines that showed what were the forerunners of today's music videos. McNair's acting career began on television, guesting on series such as Dr. Kildare, The Eleventh Hour, I Spy, Mission: Impossible, Hogan's Heroes and McMillan and Wife. McNair posed nude for Playboy in the October 1968 issue. She caught the attention of the movie-going public with her much-publicized nude sequences in the gritty crime drama If He Hollers Let Him Go (1968) opposite Raymond St. Jacques, then donned a nun's habit alongside Mary Tyler Moore for Change of Habit (1969), Elvis Presley's last feature film. She portrayed Sidney Poitier's wife in They Call Me MISTER Tibbs! (1970) and its sequel, The Organization (1971). McNair's Broadway credits include The Body Beautiful (1958), No Strings (1962), and a revival of The Pajama Game (1973). McNair starred in her own 1969 television variety series, but it lasted only one season, despite the wattage provided by A-list guests like Tony Bennett and Sonny and Cher, and offers began to dwindle. On December 15, 1976, her husband, Rick Manzi, was murdered, and Mafia boss-turned-FBI-informant Jimmy Fratianno later claimed in his book The Last Mafioso that Manzi had been a Mafia associate who tried to put a contract on the life of a mob-associated tax attorney with whom he had a legal dispute. The ensuing publicity did little to help McNair's floundering career. Her recordings include Livin' End, I Enjoy Being a Girl, and The Ultimate Motown Collection, a 2-CD set with 48 tracks that include her two albums for the label plus a non-album single and B-side and an entire LP that never was released. Into her seventies, McNair resided in the Los Angeles area, playing tennis and skiing to keep in shape on a regular basis and touring on occasion. She died on February 4, 2007, of throat cancer, survived by her husband Charles Blecka. Description above from the Wikipedia article  Barbara McNair, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.  

Born

Chicago, Illinois on 4th March 1934

Died

4th April 2007

All Credits

Kraft Music Hall Image
Kraft Music Hall
Self
Dr. Kildare Image
Dr. Kildare
Mareema Kamba
The Merv Griffin Show Image
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
Police Woman Image
Police Woman
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Image
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
The Carol Burnett Show Image
The Carol Burnett Show
Self - Guest
The Carol Burnett Show Image
The Carol Burnett Show
Self
The Danny Kaye Show Image
The Danny Kaye Show
Self
Hogan's Heroes Image
Hogan's Heroes
Kumasa
The Mike Douglas Show Image
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
The Steve Allen Show Image
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Singer
The Mod Squad Image
The Mod Squad
Tony Awards Image
Tony Awards
Self - Performer
Vega$ Image
Vega$
Hullabaloo Image
Hullabaloo
Self
The Oscars Image
The Oscars
Self
The Flip Wilson Show Image
The Flip Wilson Show
Self
The Hollywood Palace Image
The Hollywood Palace
Self - Singer
The Ed Sullivan Show Image
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
No Image
The Barbara McNair Show
Self - Host
To Rome with Love Image
To Rome with Love
Mission: Impossible Image
Mission: Impossible
Hell Town Image
Hell Town
Snoops Image
Snoops
Virginia Martin
The Jeffersons Image
The Jeffersons
American Bandstand Image
American Bandstand
Self
No Image
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
Self
No Image
The Jim Nabors Hour
Spencer's Mountain Image
Spencer's Mountain
Graduation Singer (uncredited)
Change of Habit Image
Change of Habit
Sister Irene Hawkins
The Organization Image
The Organization
Valerie Tibbs
They Call Me Mister Tibbs! Image
They Call Me Mister Tibbs!
Valerie Tibbs
Venus in Furs Image
Venus in Furs
Rita
If He Hollers, Let Him Go! Image
If He Hollers, Let Him Go!
Lily
Stiletto Image
Stiletto
Ahn Dessie
Rowan & Martin at the Movies Image
Rowan & Martin at the Movies
Self
Fatal Charm Image
Fatal Charm
English Teacher
The Lonely Profession Image
The Lonely Profession
Donna Travers
The Unkissed Bride Image
The Unkissed Bride
Herself
Neon Signs Image
Neon Signs
Grace