Barbara Ruick

Barbara Ruick (December 23, 1932 – March 3, 1974) was an American actress and singer best known for her role as Carrie Pipperidge in the film version of Carousel (1956) and for being married to composer John Williams. She appeared in several MGM films and TV productions before her sudden death from a cerebral hemorrhage in Reno, Nevada, at age 41.

Career Highlights:

Film: Signed with MGM in the early 1950s, appearing in Invitation, Scaramouche, and Fearless Fagan (1952). Her final film role was a barmaid in California Split (1974), which was released posthumously and dedicated to her.

Television & Theater: Played Esmerelda in the 1965 TV version of Cinderella. She was also a regular on The Johnny Carson Show (1955) and appeared in The College Bowl (1950).

Musical Roles: Known for her role as Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel (1956), singing "When I Marry Mr. Snow".

Personal Life:

Family: Daughter of radio actor/announcer Mel Ruick
and actress/radio performer
Lurene Tuttle.

Marriage: She was briefly married to actor Robert Horton. In 1956, she married Academy Award-winning composer John Williams, with whom she had three children.

She passed away on March 3, 1974, in her hotel room while on location for a film.

Posted by Mk80Reply0 02026-03-03 12:30 (edited 2026-03-03 12:31)  🛈  ⚠