Barbara S. Harris (Novelist/Urban Redeveloper, 1927—2008)

From actress to novelist to urban redeveloper, Barbara Harris was always a blessing to those around her. Harris had an interesting youth: she attended Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for two years and then dropped out to pursue her career in acting. She attended the Goodman Theater acting school in Chicago for four years, which is where she met her husband, singer and actor Dale Harris.

Shortly after their marriage, the couple moved to Los Angeles, where Barbara continued to act, performing at her neighborhood theater. Soon Harris became involved in real estate, becoming a property broker for San Fernando Valley in the 1950s. In the early 1970s, Harris delved into her creative side and published her science fiction novel titled Who is Julia? – a story about a beautiful young girl whose brain is transplanted into a different, rather plain looking girl. Family members recall that, to Barbara, the novel represented the struggle with women’s identity in the 1970s. The novel was made into a TV movie in 1986.

Later in her life, after the 1992 Los Angeles riots, Barbara Harris became very involved in the Ross Minority Program in Real Estate. This program, connected to The University of Southern California, is an intensive two week program for college graduates interested in urban redevelopment. Since its founding, 650 people have graduated from the Ross Minority Program.

Barbara Harris died of the disease mesothelioma at the age of 80 in August of 2008. She passed away in her home in Thousand Oaks, California. She is survived by her husband, son and brother.