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A Glimpse into Barbara Bennett’s Life
Barbara Bennett was an American stage and film actress and dancer. Born on August 13, 1906, in Palisades Park, New Jersey, she was the second of three daughters born to actor Richard Bennett and his wife, actress Adrienne Morrison. Her older sister Constance and her younger sister Joan also had successful film careers. Bennett married three times and had five children. She later worked as a literary representative for producer Walter Wanger, who was married to her sister Joan. In that position, Bennett scouted best-sellers and the like as potential movie properties, especially for her sister Joan.
The Final Chapter: Barbara Bennett’s Cause of Death
On August 8, 1958, five days before her 52nd birthday, Bennett passed away. The media described her cause of death as an unidentified “long illness” in Montreal. However, over the course of her life, Bennett attempted suicide four times. As the circumstances surrounding herself were vague and Bennett’s sister Joan refused to discuss the details of her death, rumors arose that Bennett had finally succeeded in ending her life. According to a longtime friend and actress Louise Brooks, “Barbara made a career of her emotions. Periods of work or marriage were terminated by her frightening, abandoned laughter of despair and failure. Only her death, in 1958, achieved in her fifth suicide attempt, could be termed a success.”
The Aftermath and Legacy
Despite the tragic circumstances of her death, Barbara Bennett’s legacy lives on through her contributions to the stage and film industry. Her life, marked by both personal triumphs and tragedies, serves as a poignant reminder of the pressures and challenges faced by those in the limelight. While the mystery surrounding Barbara Bennett’s cause of death may never be fully resolved, her memory continues to be celebrated by those who appreciate her work and the indelible mark she left on the world of entertainment.
