Barbara Crampton was born in Levittown, New York, but spent her childhood summers traveling the country with a roadside carnival that her father worked for, giving her a unique and adventurous upbringing. As a young girl, she began acting in school plays in seventh grade and continued to develop her passion for drama in high school. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Arts from Castleton State College, and after graduating, she made her professional stage debut as "Cordelia" in an American Theater of Actors production of "King Lear" in New York.
The young actress then made the move to Los Angeles, where she made her television debut in 1983 with a recurring role on the popular daytime soap opera "Days of Our Lives". The following year, she appeared in Brian De Palma's thriller "Body Double", which was followed by a memorable role in the 1985 comedy "Fraternity Vacation". Barbara achieved cult status with her performance as college coed Megan Halsey in Stuart Gordon's "Re-Animator", and went on to star in a string of successful horror films, including "From Beyond", "Chopping Mall", "Puppet Master", and "Castle Freak".
Outside of the horror genre, Barbara had recurring roles on several daytime television soap operas, including "Guiding Light", "The Bold and the Beautiful", and "The Young and the Restless", for which she won a Soap Opera Digest Award. After retiring from acting to raise a family, Barbara returned to the screen in 2011 with a role in Adam Wingard's "You're Next", and has since appeared in a number of new films, including "The Lords of Salem", "We Are Still Here", and "Beyond the Gates".
In her free time, Barbara enjoys a range of outdoor activities, including skiing, yoga, horseback riding, and running, as well as working out with weights and shopping for antiques at flea markets. She lives outside of San Francisco with her husband, Robert Bleckman, and their two children.
