Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Loretta Barnett Combs (born Loretta Grace Barnett) |
| Birth | September 7, 1922 — Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Death | January 27, 2000 — Burbank, California, U.S. (age 77) |
| Burial | Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Dancer, model, minor actress |
| Active Years | Early 1940s–mid-1950s (primarily uncredited roles) |
| Known For | Uncredited film work in the 1940s; long marriage to actor John Agar |
| Spouse | John Agar (married May 16, 1951; married 49 years, until her death) |
| Children | Martin Agar; John G. Agar III |
| Parents | David Alva Barnett (father); Aletta Loretta Kimmel (mother) |
| Residences | Los Angeles and Burbank, California |
Early Life in a City of Studios (1922–1940)
Loretta Grace Barnett was born into a Los Angeles already thrumming with backlot orchestras and marquee dreams. The daughter of David Alva Barnett and Aletta Loretta Kimmel, she grew up where Hollywood’s lights were close enough to silhouette everyday lives. Public records leave her schooling and siblings in shadow, yet her later credits as a dancer suggest early training and a comfort with performance. By the time she was 18, the Second World War was reshaping studio rosters, and young talents like Loretta slipped into the chorus lines that stitched musical numbers together with syncopated precision.
Dancer, Model, and the War-Era Soundstage (1941–1945)
The early 1940s left Loretta’s footprints on soundstage floors across multiple studios. She worked as a dancer and chorus girl—uncredited, but present—in mainstream musicals. Reports place her in Footlight Serenade (1942), Springtime in the Rockies (1942), and Holiday Inn (1942), often as a dancer tucked among plumes of feathers and flurries of tap. Klondike Kate (1943) continued that trajectory, a western with music where showgirls lit the saloon scenes like sparklers. Some listings also suggest possible appearances in Sleepytime Gal (1942) and even an unverified extra role in Citizen Kane (1941); these remain uncertain and are often the stuff of fan footnotes and archivist debates.
Outside of the studio gates, she modeled—typical work for dancers between shoots—which likely provided steady pay amid the ebb and flow of wartime production schedules. Her résumé from this era reads like many Hollywood careers of the day: prolific but often anonymous, woven into the tapestry rather than embroidered on top.
A Courtroom Glare and a Chapel in Vegas (1950–1951)
Hollywood romances can form in the glare of flashbulbs as quickly as in the hush of rehearsal halls. In 1950, Loretta’s life intersected with actor John Agar, recently divorced from Shirley Temple and battling alcohol-related troubles that dogged both his reputation and his livelihood. On July 20, 1950, she appeared in court to support Agar during a drunk driving case—an indelible snapshot of loyalty at a low point.
They married on May 16, 1951, in Las Vegas. The ceremony, famously delayed about an hour because of Agar’s intoxication, could have served as omen or anecdote. For Loretta, it became backstory. The marriage held for 49 years—nearly half a century of shared work, recovery, family events, and steadying routines.
Family at the Center: Children and Home Life (1950s–1990s)
The couple welcomed two sons: Martin Agar and John G. Agar III. Born after 1951, they grew up in California, their mother the steady presence while their father pivoted from A-list westerns to the creature-features and B-movies that would cement his cult following. Household life was not untouched by difficulty; Agar’s arrests for drunk driving in 1950, 1951, 1953, and 1960 suggest turbulence. Yet the marriage endured, and by all indications the family found a durable rhythm.
Loretta’s public profile receded. Occasionally she surfaced beside her husband at events, or in a small on-screen moment, but her day-to-day became domestic and grounded. Later, her son John III would speak publicly about his father’s career and the family’s experiences, offering glimpses of a home more ordinary than the posters and lobby cards might imply.
On-Screen Credits and a Creature-Feature Cameo
Loretta’s film appearances were mostly uncredited, the kind of roles that flash by between a trumpet’s blare and a dissolve. However, in 1955 she landed a bit part as a woman on a boat in Revenge of the Creature, the sequel to the Gill-man’s debut and one of John Agar’s best-known sci-fi outings. It felt like a quiet nod to her earlier film work—a circle closed on a studio backlot in black-and-white.
Some later listings suggest behind-the-scenes contributions (including makeup department mentions), but specific projects and duties remain undocumented. In the ledger of mid-century Hollywood, her name sits lightly, yet unmistakably, on a handful of beloved titles.
Selected Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | Footlight Serenade | Chorus girl | Uncredited |
| 1942 | Springtime in the Rockies | Dancer | Uncredited |
| 1942 | Holiday Inn | Dancer | Uncredited; reported appearance |
| 1943 | Klondike Kate | Dancer | Uncredited |
| 1955 | Revenge of the Creature | Woman on boat | Bit part |
| 1941 | Citizen Kane | Extra (unverified) | Attribution debated |
| 1942 | Sleepytime Gal | Dancer (unverified) | Attribution uncertain |
The Agar Household: Names, Dates, Places
| Family Member | Relationship | Lifespan/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| John Agar | Spouse | Actor (1921–2002); married Loretta on May 16, 1951 |
| Martin Agar | Son | Born after 1951; maintains a low public profile |
| John G. Agar III | Son | Born after 1951; later worked in IT and has spoken about his father publicly |
| Linda Susan Agar (Susan Black) | Stepdaughter | Daughter of John Agar and Shirley Temple; limited public overlap with Loretta |
| David Alva Barnett | Father | Los Angeles resident; occupational details not widely documented |
| Aletta Loretta Kimmel | Mother | Namesake influence; little published biographical data |
Money, Work, and Middle-Class Hollywood
Financially, Loretta lived within the contours of a working actor’s household. Agar’s prime years in the late 1940s gave way to lower-budget films and television, a shift that still offered steady earnings through roles, conventions, and residuals. Episodes of legal trouble likely stressed the family budget, but there is no clear evidence of collapse or wealth; the long marriage and residence in Los Angeles County suggest a stable, modestly comfortable life.
Later Years and Passing
By the 1980s and 1990s, Loretta had long since stepped away from public performance. She remained the keeper of the home front while John’s cult status rose with late-night TV reruns and fan conventions. Loretta died on January 27, 2000, in Burbank, California, at 77. She was interred at Riverside National Cemetery, a serene grid of markers and wind-brushed lawns. John Agar joined her in 2002.
Extended Timeline
- 1922: Born September 7 in Los Angeles.
- 1941–1943: Appears as a dancer or chorus girl in multiple studio films (largely uncredited).
- 1950: Seen supporting John Agar during his drunk driving court appearance (July 20).
- 1951: Marries John Agar on May 16 in Las Vegas.
- 1950s: Sons Martin and John G. Agar III are born in California.
- 1955: Appears in a bit role in Revenge of the Creature.
- 2000: Dies January 27 in Burbank; later joined by her husband at Riverside National Cemetery.
FAQ
Who was Loretta Barnett Combs?
She was a Los Angeles–born dancer, model, and minor actress whose life later centered on her family and long marriage to actor John Agar.
When and where was she born?
She was born on September 7, 1922, in Los Angeles, California.
What movies did she appear in?
She had uncredited dancer/chorus roles in early-1940s musicals and a bit part in Revenge of the Creature (1955).
Did Loretta marry actor John Agar?
Yes, they married on May 16, 1951, in Las Vegas and remained married for 49 years.
How many children did she have?
Two sons: Martin Agar and John G. Agar III.
Where is she buried?
At Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.
Is there recent news about her?
No; occasional mentions surface in discussions of John Agar, but she died in 2000.
Was she related to country singer Loretta Lynn?
No, they are not related.
Did she keep working in Hollywood after marriage?
Her public-facing roles largely ended after the early 1950s, with only a small 1955 appearance documented.
What were her parents’ names?
Her father was David Alva Barnett and her mother was Aletta Loretta Kimmel.
