</noinclude>Barbara Healy is the unstable, alcoholic, and abusive mother of Mark, David, Lisa, and Nicki Healy. She was portrayed by actress Sally Kirkland.
About Barbara[]
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. 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 Minnesota while he moves to Michigan with their daughters. David doesn't want to move with her and he and Darlene attempt to convince her parents to let him move in with them. Roseanne and Dan initially tell Darlene they will not be able to take David in and he will have to move with his mother.
After discovering how Barbara treated her son, Roseanne allowed David to move into their home, and treated him like family. According to Mark, Barbara, and her husband, kicked him out when he was only 16. We never see Barbara again after her move to Minnesota.
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.