Kim Darby
Encyclopedia
Kim Darby is an American
actress perhaps best known for co-starring with John Wayne
and country singer/actor Glen Campbell
in the 1969 western True Grit.
, the daughter of professional dancers Inga and Jon Zerby. Her father insisted on calling her "Derby" Zerby because he believed it was a great stagename.
Darby began acting at age fifteen and has appeared in many films and television shows. Her first appearance was as a dancer in the 1963 film Bye Bye Birdie
. Among her best known roles are True Grit (1969) playing a fourteen-year-old when she was twenty-one years old; Gunsmoke (1967 episodes "The Lure" and "Vengeance"); The One and Only
(1978); Better Off Dead (1985); and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
(1995).
series The Eleventh Hour
, The Fugitive
, Ironside
and in the first season of Star Trek
as the title character in "Miri". She appeared in the episode "'Tis Better Have Loved and Lost" in the 1965 NBC sitcom The John Forsythe Show
. She was cast as "Angel" in the classic two-part Gunsmoke episode "Vengeance." She appeared in the 1967 episode "Faire Ladies of France
" of the NBC western
series The Road West
starring Barry Sullivan
. She appeared in the 1972 movie The People, which also starred William Shatner
, reuniting them from their Star Trek appearance. She also played the unhinged Virginia Caulderwood in the first miniseries ever, Rich Man, Poor Man
with Nick Nolte
, Peter Strauss
and Susan Blakely
in 1976.
Darby also had the central role of Sally Farnham in the 1973 made-for-TV horror film Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. Kim Darby has made numerous guest appearances, including in such TV shows as Crazy Like a Fox
, The Love Boat
, Riptide
, and Becker
. In the late 1980s she began to teach acting in the Los Angeles area and has been an instructor in the Extension Program at the University of California
since 1992. Darby also appeared as a female convict in a 1999 episode of The X-Files
, "Sein und Zeit" who falsely confesses to the murder of her son who disappeared under mysterious circumstances related to a current occurrence being investigated by Fox Mulder
and Dana Scully
. She continues to make guest appearances on television and to make occasional films.
(1968–1969). They had one child, Heather. Her second marriage was to actor James Westmoreland (also known as Rad Fulton) (February to March 1970). Her fourth marriage was the longest, and was to producer William (Bill) Tennant. She was romantically involved with actors John David Carson
and Pete Duel
. She currently lives in Studio City, California.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress perhaps best known for co-starring with John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
and country singer/actor Glen Campbell
Glen Campbell
Glen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
in the 1969 western True Grit.
Early life and film career
Darby was born Deborah Zerby in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, the daughter of professional dancers Inga and Jon Zerby. Her father insisted on calling her "Derby" Zerby because he believed it was a great stagename.
Darby began acting at age fifteen and has appeared in many films and television shows. Her first appearance was as a dancer in the 1963 film Bye Bye Birdie
Bye Bye Birdie (film)
Bye Bye Birdie is a 1963 musical comedy film from Columbia Pictures. It is a film adaptation of the stage production of the same name. The screenplay was written by Michael Stewart and Irving Brecher, with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams....
. Among her best known roles are True Grit (1969) playing a fourteen-year-old when she was twenty-one years old; Gunsmoke (1967 episodes "The Lure" and "Vengeance"); The One and Only
The One and Only (film)
The One and Only is a 2002 British romantic comedy film directed by Simon Cellan Jones, and starring Richard Roxburgh, Justine Waddell and Sharon Scurfield. The film is a remake of Susanne Bier's 1999 Danish box-office hit Den Eneste Ene...
(1978); Better Off Dead (1985); and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers is a 1995 American horror film and the sixth installment in the Halloween series. Directed by Joe Chappelle from a screenplay by Daniel Farrands, the plot involves the "Curse of Thorn", a mystical symbol first shown in Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers...
(1995).
TV roles
Her television roles included an appearance in the 1960s NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
series The Eleventh Hour
The Eleventh Hour (1962 TV series)
The Eleventh Hour is an American medical drama about psychiatry starring Wendell Corey, Jack Ging, and Ralph Bellamy, which aired sixty-two new episodes plus selected rebroadcasts on NBC from October 3, 1962, to September 9, 1964.-Series premise:...
, The Fugitive
The Fugitive (TV series)
The Fugitive is an American drama series produced by QM Productions and United Artists Television that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1967. David Janssen stars as Richard Kimble, a doctor from the fictional town of Stafford, Indiana, who is falsely convicted of his wife's murder and given the death...
, Ironside
Ironside (TV series)
Ironside is a Universal television series which ran on NBC from September 14, 1967 to January 16, 1975. The show starred Raymond Burr as the wheelchair-using Chief of Detectives, Robert T. Ironside. The character's debut was in a TV-movie on March 28, 1967. The original title of the show in the...
and in the first season of Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
as the title character in "Miri". She appeared in the episode "'Tis Better Have Loved and Lost" in the 1965 NBC sitcom The John Forsythe Show
The John Forsythe Show
The John Forsythe Show began as a situation comedy in the fall of 1965 on NBC, but at mid-season it switched to a spy show. In the first phase of the series, John Forsythe appeared as United States Air Force veteran John Foster, who inherited the private Foster School for Girls in San Francisco,...
. She was cast as "Angel" in the classic two-part Gunsmoke episode "Vengeance." She appeared in the 1967 episode "Faire Ladies of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
" of the NBC western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
series The Road West
The Road West
The Road West is an American Western television series that aired on NBC from September 12, 1966 to May 1, 1967 for twenty-nine episodes with rebroadcasts continuing until August 28. The hour-long series, sponsored by Kraft Foods, aired in the 9 p.m...
starring Barry Sullivan
Barry Sullivan (actor)
Barry Sullivan was an American movie actor who appeared in over 100 movies from the 1930s to the 1980s.Born in New York City, Sullivan fell into acting when in college playing semi-pro football...
. She appeared in the 1972 movie The People, which also starred William Shatner
William Shatner
William Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
, reuniting them from their Star Trek appearance. She also played the unhinged Virginia Caulderwood in the first miniseries ever, Rich Man, Poor Man
Rich Man, Poor Man (TV miniseries)
Rich Man, Poor Man was a 1976 American television miniseries that aired on ABC in one-hour episodes at 10:00pm ET/PT on Monday night for twelve weeks, beginning February 1. It was produced by Universal Television and was the second time programming of this nature had been attempted. The first TV...
with Nick Nolte
Nick Nolte
Nicholas King "Nick" Nolte is an American actor whose career has spanned over five decades, peaking in the 1990s when his commercial success made him one of the most popular celebrities of that decade.-Early life:...
, Peter Strauss
Peter Strauss
Peter Strauss is an American television and movie actor, known for his roles in several television miniseries in the 1970s and 1980s.-Personal life:...
and Susan Blakely
Susan Blakely
Susan Blakely is an American film actress who has mainly played supporting roles.-Early life:Blakely was born in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1948. She is the daughter of Weezie, a former art teacher, and Colonel Lawrence Blakely, a career Army officer. Her first career break came while she was living...
in 1976.
Darby also had the central role of Sally Farnham in the 1973 made-for-TV horror film Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. Kim Darby has made numerous guest appearances, including in such TV shows as Crazy Like a Fox
Crazy Like a Fox (TV series)
Crazy Like a Fox is an American television series set in San Francisco, California, that aired on CBS from December 30, 1984 to May 3, 1986.-Overview:...
, The Love Boat
The Love Boat
The Love Boat is an American television series set on a cruise ship, which aired on the ABC Television Network from September 24,1977, until May 24,1986.The show starred Gavin MacLeod as the ship's captain...
, Riptide
Riptide (TV series)
Riptide is a TV detective series that ran on NBC from 1983 to 1986, starring Perry King, Joe Penny, and Thom Bray. Riptide was created by Frank Lupo and Stephen J. Cannell, and produced by Stephen J. Cannell Productions. The main theme was composed by Mike Post and Pete Carpenter...
, and Becker
Becker (TV series)
Becker is an American television sitcom that ran from 1998 to 2004 on CBS. Set in the New York City borough of The Bronx, the show starred Ted Danson as John Becker, a misanthropic doctor who operates a small practice and is constantly annoyed by his patients, co-workers, friends, and practically...
. In the late 1980s she began to teach acting in the Los Angeles area and has been an instructor in the Extension Program at the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
since 1992. Darby also appeared as a female convict in a 1999 episode of The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
, "Sein und Zeit" who falsely confesses to the murder of her son who disappeared under mysterious circumstances related to a current occurrence being investigated by Fox Mulder
Fox Mulder
FBI Special Agent Fox William Mulder is a fictional character and protagonist in the American Fox television shows The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen, two science fiction shows about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of Alien existence. Mulder's peers consider his theories on...
and Dana Scully
Dana Scully
FBI Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully, M.D. is a fictional character and protagonist on the Fox television series The X-Files , played by Gillian Anderson. She also appeared in two theatrical films based on the series...
. She continues to make guest appearances on television and to make occasional films.
Personal life
She has been married five times, three times to well-known people in Hollywood. Her first marriage was to actor James StacyJames Stacy
James Stacy is an American actor. A motorcycle crash left him a multiple amputee and took the life of his girlfriend in 1973. After his recovery, he returned to acting in 1975 before retiring in 1991.-Early life and career:...
(1968–1969). They had one child, Heather. Her second marriage was to actor James Westmoreland (also known as Rad Fulton) (February to March 1970). Her fourth marriage was the longest, and was to producer William (Bill) Tennant. She was romantically involved with actors John David Carson
John David Carson
John David Carson was an American actor. He was born in North Hollywood, California. Carson began his career at a young age, acting in television advertisements, and later doing cartoon voice-acting for Hanna-Barbera. He attended Los Angeles Valley College where he played a lead role in their 1969...
and Pete Duel
Pete Duel
Pete Duel was an American actor, best known for his role in the television series Alias Smith and Jones.-Early life:Peter Ellstrom Deuel was born in Rochester, New York, and grew up in nearby Penfield....
. She currently lives in Studio City, California.
Filmography
- Bye Bye BirdieBye Bye Birdie (film)Bye Bye Birdie is a 1963 musical comedy film from Columbia Pictures. It is a film adaptation of the stage production of the same name. The screenplay was written by Michael Stewart and Irving Brecher, with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams....
(19631963 in filmThe year 1963 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* June 12 - Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rex Harrison and Richard Burton premieres at the Rivoli Theatre in New York City....
) - Bus Riley's Back in TownBus Riley's Back in TownBus Riley's Back in Town is a movie written by William Inge, directed by Harvey Hart, and starring Ann-Margret and Michael Parks.The intense drama depicts a man returning home from three years in the Navy only to find that his girlfriend has married an older man...
(1965) - "Hang Down Your Head and Laugh" (1966), episode of Run for Your LifeRun for Your Life (TV series)Run for Your Life is an American television drama series starring Ben Gazzara as a man with only a short time to live. It ran on NBC from 1965 to 1968. The series was created by Roy Huggins, who had previously explored the "man on the move" concept with The Fugitive.-Synopsis:Gazzara plays lawyer...
- "Joshua's Kingdom" (1966), episode of The FugitiveThe Fugitive (TV series)The Fugitive is an American drama series produced by QM Productions and United Artists Television that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1967. David Janssen stars as Richard Kimble, a doctor from the fictional town of Stafford, Indiana, who is falsely convicted of his wife's murder and given the death...
- "Miri" (1966), episode of Star TrekStar Trek: The Original SeriesStar Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
- Ironside (1967), television pilotTelevision pilotA "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
film for the series of the same nameIronside (TV series)Ironside is a Universal television series which ran on NBC from September 14, 1967 to January 16, 1975. The show starred Raymond Burr as the wheelchair-using Chief of Detectives, Robert T. Ironside. The character's debut was in a TV-movie on March 28, 1967. The original title of the show in the... - The Karate KillersThe Karate KillersThe Karate Killers is a 1967 film based on the television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. The film was based on the two-part episode of the series 'The Five Daughters Affair' which aired in April 1967 by NBC.-Synopsis:...
(1967) - True Grit (19691969 in filmThe year 1969 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Last year for prize giving at the Venice Film Festival until it is revived in 1980...
) - Generation (19691969 in filmThe year 1969 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Last year for prize giving at the Venice Film Festival until it is revived in 1980...
) - The Strawberry StatementThe Strawberry Statement (film)The Strawberry Statement is a 1970 cult film about the counterculture and student revolts of the 1960s, loosely based on the non-fiction book by James Simon Kunen about the Columbia University protests of 1968.-Cast:* Bruce Davison: Simon...
(19701970 in filmThe year 1970 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 9 - Larry Fine, the second member of The Three Stooges, suffers a massive stroke, therefore ending his career....
) - NorwoodNorwood (film)Norwood is a 1970 film that reunites True Grit co-stars Glen Campbell and Kim Darby, also featuring Joe Namath. It was based on the book of the same title, written by Charles Portis , but updated from the original 1950s setting to 1970.The film marked the final screen appearance of actor Jack...
(1970) - The Grissom GangThe Grissom GangThe Grissom Gang is a 1971 American period gangster film directed and produced by Robert Aldrich. The screenplay was by Leon Griffiths, based on the novel No Orchids for Miss Blandish by James Hadley Chase. The cinematographer was Joseph Biroc...
(1971) - The Streets of San Francisco (1972), made-for-TV pilot for the TV seriesThe Streets of San FranciscoThe Streets of San Francisco is a 1970s television police drama filmed on location in San Francisco, California, and produced by Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros...
- "Dark Vengeance" (1973), episode of the TV series Circle of Fear
- Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (19731973 in filmThe year 1973 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces his second wife, Barbara Blakely. Blakely would later marry actor/singer Frank Sinatra....
, TV) - The One and OnlyThe One and Only (1978 film)The One and Only is a 1978 film comedy starring Henry Winkler, directed by Carl Reiner and written by Steve Gordon.Gordon went on to write and direct the movie Arthur.-Plot:...
(1978) - Better Off Dead (19851985 in film-Events:* 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films. He is replaced by Timothy Dalton.* The Academy Award for Best Picture was won by Out Of Africa, while the highest grossing film was Back to the Future.* Bliss wins AFI Award for best Movie...
) - Teen Wolf TooTeen Wolf TooTeen Wolf Too is an American comedy film first released on November 20, 1987 by Atlantic Releasing Corporation. The film was directed by Christopher Leitch based on a script by R. Timothy Kring, Jeph Loeb, Bret Granville and Matthew Weisman. The film is a sequel to Teen Wolf...
(19871987 in film-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
) - Halloween: The Curse of Michael MyersHalloween: The Curse of Michael MyersHalloween: The Curse of Michael Myers is a 1995 American horror film and the sixth installment in the Halloween series. Directed by Joe Chappelle from a screenplay by Daniel Farrands, the plot involves the "Curse of Thorn", a mystical symbol first shown in Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers...
(19951995 in film-Top grossing films:-Events:* March 22 - The Dogme 95 movement is officially announced in Paris by Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg.* March 28 - Actress Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett announce their plans for separation....
) - News Break (20002000 in filmThe year 2000 in film involved some significant events.The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible II. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor ....
) - Mockingbird Don't SingMockingbird Don't SingMockingbird Don't Sing is a 2001 American independent film based on the true story of Genie, a modern-day feral child. The film is told from the point of view of Dr. Susan Curtiss , a professor of linguistics at University of California, Los Angeles. Although the film is based on a true story, all...
(20012001 in filmThe year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
) - You Are So Going to Hell! (20042004 in filmThe year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
) - Dead LettersDead Letters (film)Dead Letters is a 2007 independent feature film written and directed by Garrett Clancy, executive produced by Paul Hellweg, produced by Josephina Sykes, and co-produced by Brad Sykes. It stars C. Thomas Howell, Geoffrey Lewis, Kim Darby, Joe Unger and Duane Whitaker. It was originally entitled Cold...
(20072007 in filmThis is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007...
)