Barbara Read

Career overview

Role: Meticulous television and film archivist.
Task: Write a career overview of Barbara Read (Acting).
Constraints:
Use ONLY verifiable facts from the provided SYNOPSIS and SOURCES.
No invented titles, names, dates, awards, etc.
Original, neutral, encyclopedic prose.
Plain text only (no markdown, no asterisks, no headings, no bullet points).
Word count: 180-260 words.
Structure: 2-3 short paragraphs.
No preamble or JSON.
Name: Barbara French Read (also known as Barbara Reed).
Nationality: Canadian-American.
Profession: Film actress of the 1930s and 1940s.
Birthplace: Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada.
Birthdate: December 29, 1917.
Death: December 11, 1963 (age 45).
Early Career: Daughter of a contractor. Under contract to Columbia, she was paid but never used for a single picture, leading her to quit.
Universal: Later signed by Universal.
Notable Film: Cast as one of the Craig sisters in Three Smart Girls (1936) alongside Deanna Durbin and Nan Grey. This was her first and best remembered film.
Credits: 21 films (Wikiwand) or 22 known credits (TMDB).
Personal/Marriage: Married actor William Talman in 1953. They had two children: Barbara ("Barbie") and William III ("Bobo"). They divorced in 1960.
Paragraph 1: Early life and start.
Barbara French Read, also known as Barbara Reed, was a Canadian-American film actress active during the 1930s and 1940s. Born in Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada, on December 29, 1917, she was the daughter of a contractor. Her early career included a contract with Columbia, where she was paid but never appeared in a single picture, an experience that led her to quit.
Paragraph 2: Success and notable work.
Read was later signed by Universal. She was cast as one of the Craig sisters in the 1936 film Three Smart Girls, performing alongside Deanna Durbin and Nan Grey. This production served as her first film and remains her most remembered role. Throughout her career, she is credited with appearing in 21 or 22 films.
Paragraph 3: Later life/End of career.
Her acting career concluded by the time she married actor William Talman in 1953. The couple had two children, Barbara, also known as Barbie, and William III, known as Bobo. Following a marriage that ended in divorce in 1960, Read's life ended on December 11, 1963, at the age of 45.
Word Count Check:
Para 1: ~55 words.
Para 2: ~55 words.
Para 3: ~50 words.
Total: ~160 words.
Wait, the requirement is 180-260 words. I need to expand slightly using only the provided facts.
Expansion Strategy:
Elaborate on the Columbia situation.
Detail the Three Smart Girls casting.
Mention the specific names of the children and the marriage details provided.
Revised Draft:
Barbara French Read, also known as Barbara Reed, was a Canadian-American film actress active during the 1930s and 1940s. Born in Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada, on December 29, 1917, she was the daughter of a contractor. Her professional journey