Barbara Rush built a long and admired career on film and television, earning recognition across decades. She died on March 31, 2024, at the age of 97.
Her off-screen life was full of notable turns as well: Rush married three times, and her final marriage was to a sculptor. At the time of her passing she was not married and is survived by two children.
Her daughter, Claudia Cowan, confirmed the news, saying, “My wonderful mother passed away peacefully at 5:28 this evening,” Cowan told Fox News. Below, we take a closer look at the relationships that shaped her life.
Her First Marriage: Jeffrey Hunter
Barbara earned a Golden Globe for her role in the 1953 film It Came from Outer Space. In 1950 she married actor Jeffrey Hunter; they welcomed a son, Christopher Merrill Hunter, in 1952 and divorced in 1955.
After their split, Hunter went on to marry model Dusty Bartlett, a union that lasted from 1957 to 1967. During that marriage he adopted Bartlett’s son Steele and later had two more children, Todd and Scott. He married actress Emily McLaughlin shortly before his death in February 1969.
Warren Cowan — Her Second Husband
In 1959, Barbara — best known for her work on the television series Peyton Place (1968–1969) — married publicist Warren Cowan.
The marriage ended in 1969, but the pair had a daughter, Claudia Cowan, who went on to become a Fox News Channel reporter.
Reflecting on their relationship, Rush told SFGATE that holidays and the occasional weekend gave them rare stretches of time together despite busy schedules. “We actually get to spend some time together,” Barbara said. “Otherwise her busy life as a reporter and mine as an actress and travel addict intersect mostly only on holidays and the occasional stolen weekend.”
Claudia also shared memories of growing up on the move. “We traveled a lot as a family and my mom still has this habit of exploring cities on foot,” she said. “My earliest memories were trying to keep pace with her as she took me on walking adventures, sometimes to really depressing parts of whatever town we happened to be visiting.”
Claudia later married Steve Baker, a sports agent from San Francisco; the couple are parents to twins, Sabrina & Ben Baker.
Warren Cowan was married five times and divorced four times, including two divorces involving Rush. From his first marriage to Ronnie Cowan (1946–1955) he had two daughters, Bonnie and Linda; Linda died in a car accident in 1989. His third wife was French actress Josette Banzet, whom he married in the early 1970s. His fourth marriage was to Barbara Gilbert-Cowan and lasted until his death on May 14, 2008. Cowan left eight grandchildren, including those from his marriage to Gilbert-Cowan, who was the mother of actors Melissa, Sara and Jonathan Gilbert. He died of cancer in Los Angeles and was buried at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery.
Third Marriage — Sculptor Jim Gruzalski
Rush wed sculptor Jim Gruzalski in September 1970. They had met at an Engelbert Humperdinck concert at the Greek Theatre in Hollywood when he happened to sit beside her and immediately attracted her attention. Their relationship moved quickly, and when they reached a crossroads—either to separate or to marry—they chose marriage.
Speaking warmly of him to Beaver County Times, Barbara said, “We both agree that love gives life impetus. Love of fellow man. Love of creativity. Love for each other. Our word is love.”
This marriage, however, ended in divorce in 1973.
Family Background and Early Religious Influences
Barbara was the daughter of Marguerite and Roy Rush.
Her father, Roy, was a lawyer who had attended Harvard and later took a position with a mining company in the Midwest. He also spent a period in India studying Buddhism under a guru.
Each Sunday he would bring Barbara along to different houses of worship — from Jewish temples to Catholic churches and even Baptist revivals — exposing her to a variety of faith traditions.
Reflecting on that upbringing in an interview with the Beaver County Times, she said, “I’m not so cynical anymore. I don’t go to church, but I pray a lot.”
