Actress. She was best known for playing the character roles of party guests, wives, girlfriends, Mexicans, victims, women, country girls, maids, madames, daughters, sister-in-laws, and women of distinction with titles such as Lady, usually in romantic films, western films, and dramatic films, for the Biograph Company and many other studios. A star of Hollywood's silent film era, she is best remembered for her role as 'Gladys' in film director D.W. Griffith's film drama, "Choosing A Husband" (1909). The film which was also written for the screen by D.W. Griffith, and which also starred Mack Sennett, Billy Quirk, Charles Craig, Anthony O'Sullivan, Henry B. Walthall, Kate Bruce, Blanche Sweet, and Dorothy West, tells the story of when Gladys is sought by each of the four jolly bachelors on the third floor back, she resolves to test their sincerity. To this end she tells each to call on the morrow. This quartet of would-be benedicts are ignorant of each other's intentions. The morrow has arrived, and Gladys enlists the services of her pretty little sister to test their imperviousness, while she in hiding notes the result. They arrive one by one, at the appointed hour, to be told that Gladys is out, but unfortunately, they find their little sister most entertaining and fall one after the other. In their rooms, they learn the cause of each other's dejection and indignantly vow to visit her en masse for satisfaction. No sooner suggested than done. Off they go and arrive only to find sweet Gladys enfolded in the arms of Harry, her sweetheart, who has just arrived from abroad. She was born one of five children to Norman Barker (1856-1897), a farmer in Los Angeles, California, and his wife Sarah J. Boland Barker (1853-1892), on November 22, 1891. Sadly, both of her parents passed away when she was still very young. She began her acting career in amateur theatre with the Aldrich Stock Company during her early teens and eventually made her professional stage debut in the Ferris Company's stage production of the play, "The Altar Of Friendship," in 1907. At the age of eighteen, she was starring in leading roles at the Grand Theatre in Los Angeles, California. During this time she had fallen in love with the actor Joseph De Grasse (1873-1940), who was eighteen years her senior and they eventually moved in together, with him guiding her acting career. A versatile performer, she then entered films and made her actual film debut in, the short film drama, "An Awful Moment" (1908). The film which was directed by and which was written for the screen by D.W. Griffith, and which also starred George Gebhardt, Marion Leonard, Harry Solter, Florence Lawrence, Gladys Egan, Linda Arvidson, Dorothy Bernard, Kate Bruce, Charles Gorman, Gertrude Robinson, Mack Sennett, and Dorothy West, tells the story of as a judge passes sentence on a man, a gypsy woman in the audience vehemently protests, and she has to be physically removed from the courtroom. Soon afterwards, the judge returns home, and enjoys some time with his wife and child. But all the while, the gypsy woman is watching him closely, and is plotting a cruel revenge. Besides, "An Awful Moment" (1908), and "Choosing A Husband" (1909), her many other film credits include, "The Girls And Daddy" (1909), "The Salvation Army Lass" (1909), "The Faded Lillies" (1909), "Getting Even" (1909), "The Dancing Girl Of Butte" (1910), "Her Terrible Ordeal" (1910), "The Call" (1910), "The Last Deal" (1910), "The Course Of True Love" (1910), "One Night, And Then --" (1910), "The Englishman And The Girl" (1910), "The Newlyweds" (1910), "The Man" (1910), "The Love Of Lady Irma" (1910), "Faithful" (1910), "The Two Brothers" (1910), "The Kid" (1910), "The Tenderfoot's Triumph" (1910), "The Way Of The World" (1910), "Up A Tree" (1910), "The Gold Seekers" (1910), "An Affair Of Hearts" (1910), "A Knot In The Plot" (1910), "The Impalement" (1910), "A Victim Of Jealousy" (1910), "A Child's Impulse" (1910), "A Midnight Cupid" (1910), "A Child's Faith" (1910), "Serious Sixteen" (1910), "Unexpected Help" (1910), "Her Father's Pride" (1910), "The Usurer" (1910), "A Summer Tragedy" (1910), "The Oath And The Man" (1910), "The Passing Of A Grouch" (1910), "The Proposal" (1910), "Effecting A Cure" (1910), "Happy Jack, A Hero" (1910), "His Sister-In-Law" (1910), "The Recreation Of An Heiress" (1910), "An Affair Ends" (1910), "The Two Paths" (1911), "A Wreath Of Orange Blossoms" (1911), "Priscilla's Engagement Ring" (1911), "The Diamond Star" (1911), "His Daughter" (1911), "Priscilla's April Fool Joke" (1911), "Priscilla And The Umbrella" (1911), "The Elopement" (1911), "Little Emily" (1911), "Jane Shore" (1911), "Puppets Of Fate" (1912), "The Vicar Of Wakefield" (1912), "Priscilla's Capture" (1912, She starred in the film and also wrote the screenplay), "A Voice From The Deep" (1912), "Jane Shore" (1912), "His Madonna" (1912), "Dora" (1912), "The Burglar And The Rose" (1912), "The Golden Rule" (1912), "What The Milk Did" (1912), "Fate's Way" (1912), "Two Women" (1912), "On The Danger Line" (1912), "The Sealed Envelope" (1912), "Just A Woman" (1912), "A Dreamland Tragedy" (1912), "The First Glass" (1912), and "Her Yesterday" (1912). Her last film role was playing 'The Petticoat Detective' in the comedy short film of the same name, "The Petticoat Detective" (1912). The film which was produced by Pat Powers, tells the story of Harold who reads in a newspaper that his fiancée Dolly has been attacked by a bad man who is holding up women in the isolated parts of the city. He calls on her and announces that he will investigate the matter. He leaves in a pompous manner and the Rev. Hollister Crimshaw meets Dolly and the attraction is mutual. The minister decides to masquerade in the role of an amateur detective and distinguishes himself as the capturer of the bad man. Harold disguises in feminine garments and sallies forth to effect the capture of the man who is feared by the women. Dolly is a strong-minded young woman, who arms herself with a formidable hatpin, and goes out to wreak vengeance on the purse snatcher. Dolly meets up with Spike and he attacks her only to get worsted in the encounter with his hide punctured by the hatpin. In the meantime, Harold has trailed the minister, whom he suspects of being the man sought. The minister penetrates his disguise sufficiently to see that Harold is a man masquerading in feminine apparel and he suddenly attacks Harold and they go to the pavement in their struggles. In the meantime Dolly has Spike down, sitting on him, yelling for help. Harold and the minister struggle towards her and Dolly and the minister recognize each other. The minister announces he has caught the bad man while Dolly contends the honors of the capture belong to her. Harold tries to explain, but the minister will not listen. In the mix-up, Spike makes good his escape, and Harold is escorted to the police station by Dolly and the minister. Once there, Harold is shown up in a sorry plight and the Rev. Hollister Grimshaw walks away with Dolly in triumph while Harold is kicked out of the police station. Sadly, she became seriously ill while visiting her mother in early 1913. Tragically, her promising career was cut short when she passed away from pneumonia in Los Angeles, California, just a few days later on February 15, 1913, at the age of 21. Following her death, her funeral services were held through Bresee Brothers Mortuary in Los Angeles, California, and she was cremated with her ashes being buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. She is buried with her sister Zula Barker Sallada (1881-1919), who passed away from pulmonary tuberculosis in Los Angeles, California, on December 18, 1919, at the age of 38, and near her parents Norman Barker (1856-1897), and Sarah J. Boland Barker (1853-1892). She never married nor had any children. In her private life, she was known as Priscilla May. On an interesting note, she became one of the first American leading actresses to make films in Europe with the Pathé Frères Film Company in London, England, and in Paris, France. She was also performed with the Powers Picture Plays in 1912. The actress once said, "I love the work and would advise any actress to make a try for the pictures. The work is arduous to be sure. No one ever attained success unless it was accomplished by close and concerted application."