Barbara Rhoades is an American actress, known primarily for her comedy and mystery roles, especially as lady bandit Penelope ("Bad Penny") Cushings in The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968) with Don Knotts.
[2] Rhoades began acting in the late 1960s, appearing in guest roles on several television series, including It Takes a Thief, Ironside, Mannix, McMillan & Wife, Columbo, Kojak, Starsky & Hutch, Alias Smith and Jones, Love, American Style, The Odd Couple, The Six Million Dollar Man, Sanford and Son, Bewitched, Maude, Trapper John, M.D.,The Partridge Family, Murder, She Wrote, Cagney & Lacey, and Law & Order.
She was a regular cast member of the 1977 situation comedy Busting Loose, portraying Melody Feebeck, and in 1989, as Jessica Gardner on Generations[3] In 1967, Rhoades signed a long-term exclusive contract with Universal Pictures.
She played a police officer, "No Balls" Hadley, in 1977's The Choirboys and a Las Vegas hooker who picks up Art Carney along the road during his Oscar-winning performance in Harry and Tonto (1974).
[citation needed] In 2011, she had a recurring role on the American soap opera One Life to Live as Irene Manning, childhood best friend of Victoria Lord (Erika Slezak).