Barbara Burns was the daughter of famed American comedian Robin "Bob" Burns. He was a musical comedian appearing on radio and in movies in the 1930s and 1940s, and also wrote a homey newspaper column from 1936-1940. Burns invented a novelty musical instrument which he called a "bazooka." During World War II, the Army's handheld anti-tank rocket launcher, also known as "stovepipe" was nicknamed the "bazooka." He had four children and died in 1956. Barbara Burns was a troubled teenager who began using hard drugs by the time she was eighteen. She attempted suicide several times and finally died of an overdose in January 1962. Barbara Burns after she was jailed for heroin addiction on January 9, 1958.
Type
image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;26 x 21 cm. Photographic prints
Burns, Bob,--1890-1956--Family Burns, Bob,--1890-1956--Family--Trials, litigation, etc Children of celebrities--United States Narcotic habit--California--Los Angeles Women--California--Los Angeles Criminals--California--Los Angeles Crime--California--Los Angeles Jails--California--Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles (Los Angeles, Calif.) Portrait photographs Los Angeles Evening Herald Express photographs Herald-Examiner Collection photographs
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
