Barbara Pepper (Marion Pepper 1915-1969) was an American stage, television, radio, and film actress, often uncredited as "the blonde" in Thirties and Forties films. She had a lead role opposite Wallace Ford in the 1936 murder mystery, The Rogues' Tavern. During the Sixties, she was again uncredited in the 1963 comedies, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, and Who's Minding the Store?. The following year she was cast as Dr. Doolittle's dance partner in My Fair Lady. Gaining weight and fame late in her career, she was the television mom, Doris or Ruth, to the multi-talented pig, Arnold Ziffel, on the surreal Green Acres sitcom. A long-time friend of Lucille Ball, Pepper was initially considered for the role of Ethel Mertz on the I Love Lucy series. However, due to her drinking problem, she was not hired. Having both Mertz characters, adding William Frawley, with an off-camera alcohol problem was a concern to the producers. Yet Pepper was cast in several episodes of the series (above). Her final film appearance was in 1969's Hook, Line & Sinker, playing Jerry Lewis's secretary.
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