Barbara Healy is the unstable, alcoholic, and abusive mother of Mark, David, Lisa, and Nicki Healy. She was portrayed by actress Sally Kirkland.
Biography[]
Barbara is the mother of 4 children; Mark, David, Lisa and Nicki Healy. She is an unstable, alcoholic and abusive mother, especially towards David. When she first appeared, it is heavily implied Barbara is hiding something, possibly an extramarital affair, from her family and husband when she first appears. She claimed to be at her sister Maggie's house even though David proves this to be untrue when David tells Barbara that Maggie had been looking for her. Despite her actions, she refers to Darlene as "Conner trash" and "another slut like her sister before slapping David for questioning her whereabouts and storming off.
Later, after separating from her husband, she makes preparations to move to Michigan while he moves to Minnesota with Nicki and Lisa. David doesn't want to move with her because of her abusive ways and him and Darlene attempt to convince her parents to let him move in with them. At first, Roseanne and Dan initially tell Darlene and David they would not be able to take David in and he will have to move with his mother.
After David leaves, Darlene reveals to Roseanne that David plans to run away. Roseanne goes over to Barbara's house to inform Barbara about David running away.
After discovering how Barbara treated David, Roseanne allows David to move into their house, and treated him like family. According to Mark, Barbara and her husband kicked him out when he was only 16.
After the episode "It's a Boy!" we never see Barbara again after her move to Michigan.
Behind the Scenes[]
Sally Kirkland is an acting teacher, and a member of the Actor's Studio, and Roseanne Barr was one of her students.
She was a friend and protege of Shelly Winters, who made recurring appearances as Nana Mary, Roseanne and Jackie's grandmother. Kirkland married Winters to her final husband the day before she died and gave Winters nondenominational last rite's on her death bed.