She originally studied to become a concert pianist before deciding to become an actress instead, spending several years on the theatre circuit along with radio dramas and modeling before becoming a film star for Fox Studios.

Cast in multiple major and minor film roles from 1934 through 1937, she then returned to theatre work to hone her acting skills before marrying actor Carlyle Moore Jr. in August 1937.

[5] Before signing, she had worked as a secretary for her father's Representative office[6] before obtaining acting experience by appearing for two years in the Phidelah Rice Players theatre group in Martha's Vineyard.

[9] In a 1936 contest to find the "Perfect Extra" that had 8,000 women competing, Barnes was chosen as the winner by a group of directors from Central Casting and given a film contract.

Joining the Mary Young Company in Centerville, Massachusetts, she aimed to appear in several theatre performances to obtain, as Marjory Adams for The Boston Globe stated, that "extra bit of polish which a girl needs nowadays to compete".