Cook, Barbara (1927–)

views updated

Cook, Barbara (1927–)

American singer and actress. Born Barbara Nell Cook, Oct 25, 1927, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Began career in musicals on Broadway with debut in Flahooley (1950), followed by Plain and Fancy and Candide; came to prominence as Marion the Librarian in The Music Man (1957), for which she won a Tony; also appeared in The Gay Life, She Loves Me, Something More and The Grass Harp; retired from the stage; made a huge comeback as a cabaret singer; was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award (2002) for her performance in Barbara Cooks Sings Mostly Sondheim in London.

More From encyclopedia.com