Her career may have only lasted a dozen years, and the number of films slightly more than twenty, but Barbara appeared in some interesting productions. As a young girl, she was a model. While completing her studies at UCLA, she co-starred in half a dozen movies for 20th Century Fox. She appeared in the critically acclaimed A Letter to Three Wives (1949). In 1952, she was cast in Here Come the Nelsons (1952), which was the film version of their popular Radio show. The movie also had Rock Hudson in the cast. The next year, Barbara was cast with Gig Young in Arena (1953), which was a 3-D feature film from MGM. As originally shown, special 3-D glasses were required to view the picture to bring all the action of the Rodeo to your seat. In 1954, she was cast in Her Twelve Men (1954), which was the last film that Greer Garson made at MGM. In 1955, she was cast as Gertie Cummings in the movie Oklahoma! (1955). Oklahoma! (1955) was filmed in TODD-AO wide screen and Barbara reprises the role she played on the stage. After a couple of movies in 1957, Barbara retired.