Barbara Hershey's Real Name: Barbara Herzstein
Barbara Hershey → Barbara Herzstein
Quick answer: The actress is known professionally as Barbara Hershey. Encyclopedia.com records the name Barbara Herzstein and places the birth in Hollywood, California, on 5 February 1948. TV Guide independently records the name Barbara Lynn Herzstein and places the birth in Los Angeles, California, without a calendar date.
Real name and early life
Encyclopedia.com says she was born Barbara Herzstein in Hollywood, California, on 5 February 1948, and that she attended Hollywood High School. TV Guide independently lists the birth name as Barbara Lynn Herzstein and places the birth in Los Angeles, California, without giving a date. Encyclopedia.com also says that in 1973 she changed her name to Barbara Seagull, a name she kept for two years. TV Guide independently notes that she once went by the last name Seagull.
Career highlights
TV Guide says she started out acting in the series Gidget. Encyclopedia.com says she was a regular on the television series The Monroes in 1966–67 and made her screen debut in With Six You Get Eggroll (1968); a later credits list on the same Encyclopedia.com page marks that film debut as billed Barbara Seagull. Encyclopedia.com also lists later film roles in Hannah and Her Sisters, The Right Stuff, and The Natural, and records Cannes best-actress honors for Shy People (1987) and A World Apart (1988), an Emmy Award and a 1991 Golden Globe for A Killing in a Small Town, and later Academy Award, Golden Globe, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and National Society of Film Critics supporting-actress recognition for The Portrait of a Lady. TV Guide independently lists a Los Angeles Critics Award for best supporting actress for The Portrait of a Lady, a 1990 Primetime Emmy win for outstanding lead actress in a miniseries or a special, a 1991 Golden Globe win in the same television category, and a 1997 Oscar nomination for best actress in a supporting role.
Name notes for searchers
People looking up Barbara Hershey, Barbara Herzstein, Barbara Lynn Herzstein, or Barbara Seagull are looking for the same actress, including the later work in The Portrait of a Lady and A Killing in a Small Town most often associated with her name. Search traffic often uses the professional name Barbara Hershey.
FAQ
What is Barbara Hershey's real name?
She is known professionally as Barbara Hershey. Encyclopedia.com records Barbara Herzstein. TV Guide records Barbara Lynn Herzstein. Both sources also note the later name Barbara Seagull.
When and where was she born?
Encyclopedia.com gives 5 February 1948 in Hollywood, California. TV Guide places the birth in Los Angeles, California, without a calendar date.
What later work is cited here?
Both sources discuss The Portrait of a Lady. Encyclopedia.com also names the Cannes-honored films Shy People and A World Apart, and both sources record awards tied to A Killing in a Small Town.
Did she use another professional name?
Yes. Encyclopedia.com says she used Barbara Seagull for two years beginning in 1973, and TV Guide also notes the last name Seagull.