TGC's post about the jacket that Kim Darby wore in True Grit sent us to IMDb to see if there were any recent pictures of her. We noticed she had done a fair amount of work before her role in TG, and came here to comment on it, and discovered there was no thread dedicated to her. Now we realize her character wasn't exactly a "pal" but she was certainly a memorable character. Anyway, we hope Keith won't mind that we are starting this thread. We have followed his pattern in arranging the information. So without further adieu . . .
KIM DARBY
kimdarby true grit.jpg
Information from IMDb
Date of Birth
8 July 1947
Los Angeles, California, USA
Birth Name
Deborah Zerby
Mini Biography
The child of professional dancers, Kim Darby began her career studying dance with her father as well as Nico Charisse. At fourteen, she was granted special admission to Tony Barr's acting workshop at Desilu Studios on the Paramount Pictures lot. He wrote later that it was her remarkable openness, honesty, emotional readiness and focus that convinced him to bring her into his adult class. These traits have become the signature of her work in a career that has now spanned a period of more than forty years.
As a teenager, she earned her first acting roles in episodes of television shows including Mr. Novak, Dr. Kildare, The Eleventh Hour, Star Trek, and The Fugitive. Her reputation continued to grow with more work in film and television.
She was twenty-one when producer Hal Wallis saw her in an episode of Run For Your Life and decided to offer her the coveted role of Mattie Ross, opposite John Wayne's Rooster Cogburn, in True Grit. The classic western earned Wayne his only Oscar and made Kim Darby a film star.
Ms. Darby went on to star in a variety of productions, receiving a Golden Globe nomination for her work in Generation, and an Emmy Nomination for her role in the Rich Man Poor Man. Her feature films include The Strawberry Statement, The Grissom Gang, Better Off Dead, and Mockingbird Don't Sing; television movies include The Story of Pretty Boy Floyd, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, and Enola Gay.
Still acting, since 1990 she has also been teaching her craft and is asked to give seminars at universities and film schools throughout the country. Her own training and lifelong experience over the last four decades has provided her with a rich perspective as well as a diverse collection of skills which she enjoys sharing with enthusiastic students.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Doug Kramer
Spouse
James Westmoreland (6 February 1970 - May 1970) (divorced)James Stacy (20 March 1968 - 26 June 1969) (divorced) 1 child
Trivia
Daughter of Jon Zerby.
Has one daughter with James Stacy.
When her parents, The Dancing Zerbys, were appearing in a Las Vegas showroom, she made her debut at the age of three, when the comedian introduced her on stage as the manager of the show. She kept the role and stayed in the act until she was old enough to go to school.
The daughter of dancers Jon Zerby and Inga Wiere, who were known as The Dancing Zerby's, a successful nightclub act in the 1940s and 1950s.
Gives seminars in acting and directing at film schools and universities. Taught film acting and directing at UCLA for 17 years.
Film acting and directing classes were mandated for all film students in the Entertainment Studies Department at UCLA, where she taught for 15 years (1990-2004).
Filmography Actress:
- Cold Ones (2007) .... Barbs
- The Storyteller (2005) .... Mildy Torres
- You Are So Going to Hell! (2004) .... Louise
- "For the People" .... Janine Woods (1 episode, 2002)
... aka Para la gente (USA: Spanish title)
- Textbook Perfect (2002) TV episode .... Janine Woods - "Dark Realm" .... Tilly Lawless (1 episode, 2001)
... aka Monde des ténèbres, Le (France)
- Emma's Boy (2001) TV episode .... Tilly Lawless - Mockingbird Don't Sing (2001) .... Louise Standon
- NewsBreak (2000) .... Frances Johnson
- "The X Files" .... Kathy Lee Tencate (1 episode, 2000)
... aka The X-Files (USA)
- Sein und Zeit (2000) TV episode .... Kathy Lee Tencate - "Becker" .... Katherine (1 episode, 1999)
- Point of Contact (1999) TV episode .... Katherine - The Last Best Sunday (1999) .... Mrs. Summers
- "Profiler" .... Ilene Klinger (1 episode, 1996)
- Cruel and Unusual (1996) TV episode .... Ilene Klinger - The Secret of Lizard Woman (1996) (TV) .... Jo Howland
- Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) .... Debra Strode
... aka Hall6ween (USA)
... aka Halloween 666: Curse of Michael Myers
... aka Halloween: The Origin of Michael Myers - "Murder, She Wrote" .... Joan Kemp / ... (2 episodes, 1984-1995)
- Film Flam (1995) TV episode .... Joan Kemp
- We're Off to Kill the Wizard (1984) TV episode .... Laurie Bascomb - Deadly Embrace (1989) (uncredited)
- Teen Wolf Too (1987) .... Professor Brooks
- "Crazy Like a Fox" .... Jenny Fenwick (1 episode, 1986)
- A Fox at the Races (1986) TV episode .... Jenny Fenwick - "Riptide" .... Beverly (1 episode, 1986)
- A Matter of Policy (1986) TV episode .... Beverly - "Scarecrow and Mrs. King" .... Elizabeth Sullivan (1 episode, 1985)
- Over the Limit (1985) TV episode .... Elizabeth Sullivan - Better Off Dead... (1985) .... Jenny Meyer
... aka Better Off Dead (USA) - Embassy (1985) (TV) .... Sue Davidson
- First Steps (1985) (TV) .... Sherry Petrofsky
- "This Is the Life" (1 episode, 1985)
- The Face of Gabriel Ortiz (1985) TV episode - "Hotel" .... Jean Lawrence (1 episode, 1984)
... aka Arthur Hailey's Hotel
- Ideals (1984) TV episode .... Jean Lawrence - "E/R" .... Mrs. Johnson (1 episode, 1984)
- Only a Nurse (1984) TV episode .... Mrs. Johnson - "The Facts of Life" .... Doris Garrett (1 episode, 1984)
- Joint Custody (1984) TV episode .... Doris Garrett - "The Mississippi" (1 episode, 1984)
- Abigail (1984) TV episode - "Trapper John, M.D." .... Cassie Thomas / ... (2 episodes, 1983-1984)
- A Little Knife Music (1984) TV episode .... Marsha Huber
- Past Imperfect (1983) TV episode .... Cassie Thomas - Summer Girl (1983) (TV) .... Mary Shelburne
... aka The Hands That Rob the Cradle - Close Ties (1983) (TV) .... Evelyn
- "The Love Boat" .... Wendy / ... (3 episodes, 1979-1982)
- Tomorrow Lady, The/Father, Dear Father/Still Life (1982) TV episode .... Sarah Curtis
- Disco Baby/Alas, Poor Dwyer/After the War/Ticket to Ride/Itsy Bitsy: Part 1 (1979) TV episode .... Wendy
- Disco Baby/Alas, Poor Dwyer/After the War/Ticket to Ride/Itsy Bitsy: Part 2 (1979) TV episode .... Wendy - The Capture of Grizzly Adams (1982) (TV) .... Kate Brady
- "Fantasy Island" .... Rebecca Walters (1 episode, 1982)
- Challenge, The/A Genie Named Joe (1982) TV episode .... Rebecca Walters - Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb (1980) (TV) .... Lucy Tibbets
- "The Last Convertible" (1979) TV mini-series .... Ann Rowan
- Flatbed Annie & Sweetiepie: Lady Truckers (1979) (TV) .... Ginny LaRosa (segment "Sweetiepie")
... aka Flatbed Annie
... aka Girls of the Road (UK) - The One and Only (1978) .... Mary Crawford
- "Family" .... Lily Barker (1 episode, 1978)
- Princess in the Tower (1978) TV episode .... Lily Barker - "Rich Man, Poor Man" (1976) TV mini-series .... Virginia Calderwood
... aka Rich Man, Poor Man - Book I - "Baretta" .... Anne (1 episode, 1975)
- The Goodbye Orphan Annie Blues (1975) TV episode .... Anne - "Wide World Mystery" .... Helen (1 episode, 1975)
- Mirror of Deception (1975) TV episode .... Helen - "Thriller" .... Helen (1 episode, 1975)
- Good Salary, Prospects, Free Coffin (1975) TV episode .... Helen - "Archer" .... Leslie Griffith (1 episode, 1975)
- The Body Beautiful (1975) TV episode .... Leslie Griffith - "Petrocelli" .... Donna (1 episode, 1975)
- The Kidnapping (1975) TV episode .... Donna - "Police Story" .... Barbara Nations / ... (2 episodes, 1974)
- Captain Hook (1974) TV episode .... Jennie Hill
- The Wyatt Earp Syndrome (1974) TV episode .... Barbara Nations - This Is the West That Was (1974) (TV) .... Calamity Jane
- The Story of Pretty Boy Floyd (1974) (TV) .... Ruby Hardgrave
... aka Pretty Boy Floyd - "Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law" .... Perry (1 episode, 1974)
- I've Promised You a Father: Part 2 (1974) TV episode .... Perry - "Marcus Welby, M.D." .... Perry (1 episode, 1974)
... aka Robert Young, Family Doctor
- I've Promised You a Father: Part 1 (1974) TV episode .... Perry - "Love Story" .... Ellie (1 episode, 1973)
- Joie (1973) TV episode .... Ellie - "Ironside" .... Samantha (1 episode, 1973)
... aka The Raymond Burr Show (USA: syndication title)
- Downhill All the Way (1973) TV episode .... Samantha - Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973) (TV) .... Sally Farnham
... aka Nightmare (Europe: English title: video box title) - "Ghost Story" .... Cindy (1 episode, 1973)
... aka Circle of Fear (USA: new title)
- Dark Vengeance (1973) TV episode .... Cindy - "Cool Million" (1 episode, 1972)
- Hunt for a Lonely Girl (1972) TV episode - "The Streets of San Francisco" .... Holly Jean Berry (1 episode, 1972)
- Pilot (1972) TV episode .... Holly Jean Berry - The People (1972) (TV) .... Melodye Amerson
- The Grissom Gang (1971) .... Barbara Blandish
- Red Sky at Morning (1971) (uncredited)
- Norwood (1970) .... Rita Lee Chipman
- The Strawberry Statement (1970) .... Linda
- Generation (1969) .... Doris Bolton Owen
... aka A Time for Caring
... aka A Time for Giving (UK) - True Grit (1969) .... Mattie Ross
- "Run for Your Life" .... Carol Sherman / ... (2 episodes, 1966-1968)
- Carol (1968) TV episode .... Carol Sherman
- Hang Down Your Head and Laugh (1966) TV episode .... Tina - Flesh and Blood (1968) (TV) .... Faye
- "Bonanza" .... Trudy Loughlin (1 episode, 1967)
... aka Ponderosa (USA: rerun title)
- The Sure Thing (1967) TV episode .... Trudy Loughlin - "Judd for the Defense" .... Cassie Rossiter (1 episode, 1967)
- Conspiracy (1967) TV episode .... Cassie Rossiter - "Gunsmoke" .... Angel / ... (3 episodes, 1967)
... aka Gun Law (UK)
... aka Marshal Dillon (USA: rerun title)
- Vengeance: Part 2 (1967) TV episode .... Angel
- Vengeance: Part 1 (1967) TV episode .... Angel
- The Lure (1967) TV episode .... Carrie Neely - "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." .... Sandy True (2 episodes, 1967)
- The Five Daughters Affair: Part II (1967) TV episode .... Sandy True
- The Five Daughters Affair: Part I (1967) TV episode .... Sandy True - Ironside (1967) (TV) .... Ellen Wells
- "The Road West" .... Sister Marie Aimee (1 episode, 1967)
- Fair Ladies of France (1967) TV episode .... Sister Marie Aimee - "Star Trek" .... Miri (1 episode, 1966)
... aka Star Trek: TOS (USA: promotional abbreviation)
... aka Star Trek: The Original Series (USA: informal title)
- Miri (1966) TV episode .... Miri - "The Fugitive" .... Ruth Simmons / ... (2 episodes, 1965-1966)
- Joshua's Kingdom (1966) TV episode .... Ruth Simmons
- An Apple a Day (1965) TV episode .... Sharon Wolfe - "Ben Casey" .... Gail McBride (1 episode, 1966)
- Where Did All the Roses Go? (1966) TV episode .... Gail McBride - The Restless Ones (1965) .... April
- "The John Forsythe Show" .... Deidre Miller (1 episode, 1965)
- 'Tis Better to Have Loved and Lost (1965) TV episode .... Deidre Miller - "The Donna Reed Show" .... Katy Dalton (1 episode, 1965)
- The Mysterious Smile (1965) TV episode .... Katy Dalton - Bus Riley's Back in Town (1965) .... Gussie
- "Mr. Novak" .... Judy Wheeler / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1965)
- The Silent Dissuaders (1965) TV episode .... Judy Wheeler
- To Lodge and Dislodge (1963) TV episode .... Julie Dean - "Wagon Train" .... Heather Heatherington (1 episode, 1964)
... aka Major Adams, Trail Master
- The Story of Hector Heatherington (1964) TV episode .... Heather Heatherington - "Dr. Kildare" .... Patsy Carey / ... (2 episodes, 1964)
- What's Different About Today? (1964) TV episode .... Sandy Kimball
- A Nickel's Worth of Prayer (1964) TV episode .... Patsy Carey - "The Eleventh Hour" .... Gina Fields (2 episodes, 1964)
- Does My Mother Have to Know?: Part 2 (1964) TV episode .... Gina Fields
- Does My Mother Have to Know?: Part 1 (1964) TV episode .... Gina Fields - "The Farmer's Daughter" .... Alexandra (1 episode, 1964)
- Katy and the Prince (1964) TV episode .... Alexandra - Bye Bye Birdie (1963) (uncredited) .... High school student
Filmograph - Herself:
- Halloween: 25 Years of Terror (2006) (V) .... Herself
- Lesley Ann Warren: A Cinderella Story (2000) (TV) .... Herself
... aka Celebrity: Lesley Ann Warren (Australia) - "The David Frost Show" .... Herself (1 episode, 1970)
- Episode dated 11 November 1970 (1970) TV episode .... Herself
Archive Footage:
- Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 1 (1999) (TV) (uncredited) .... Herself
- Rodgers & Hammerstein: The Sound of Movies (1996) (TV) (uncredited) .... Liesl (screen test)
- The Karate Killers (1967) .... Sandy True