Barbara Perry

Barbara Perry was born in Norfolk, VA, into a musically inclined family; her father was a musician and bandleader who worked in radio and on the Broadway stage, and her mother was a singer who performed with the Metropolitan Opera. Perry inherited such affinities, performing alongside her mother in childhood and going on to pursue a lifelong career as a dancer, singer, and actor. In addition to performing in nightclubs and onstage, Perry likewise enjoyed a career on the screen. She made her feature acting debut in the William Wyler-directed dramedy "Counsellor at Law" (1933), and acted sporadically in film and television going forward. Among the higher profile projects she participated in were "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (CBS 1961-66), "The Andy Griffith Show" (CBS 1960-68), and "My Three Sons" (ABC/CBS 1960-72). Her first regular role was on the short-lived sitcom, "The Hathaways" (ABC 1961-62), on which she played neighbor Thelma Brockwood. In 1967, Perry married animator Art Babbitt, who developed the Walt Disney character Goofy. As Perry's career carried forth, she made appearances small and large in major feature films like "Father of the Bride" (1991), "Mr. Woodcock" (2007) and "The Back-up Plan" (2010). Among her final screen appearances were on episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" (CBS 2005-2014), "Review" (Comedy Central 2014-17), and "Baskets" (FX 2016-). On May 5, 2019, Perry died at age 97.