Barbara's career began inauspiciously with many uncredited movie roles in the 1940's. But by the early 50s, she received leading roles on TV. Her big break and most well known character came in 1957 as June Cleaver in "Leave it to Beaver," a role she would return to play in "The New Leave it to Beaver" and as a guest shot on "Roseanne" with other famous TV moms. Here career had stalled after the "Beaver" run but seemed to be revived after playing the 'Jive Lady', the 'hip' old woman who was the only one to understand the conversation between two black men in the motion picture "Airplane."