Kim Darby: Actress, Age, Husband, Daughter, Movie List, and Star Trek
Kim Darby Actress
Kim Darby is a renowned American actress best known for her iconic portrayal of Mattie Ross in the 1969 Western classic True Grit, where she starred alongside John Wayne. She also gained recognition for her role as Jenny Meyer in the 1985 cult comedy Better Off Dead. With a career spanning several decades, Darby remains a memorable figure in both film and television history.
Darby began her career in the 1960s with TV appearances and soon transitioned to film. While her early success was significant, her later career saw her primarily in supporting roles, teaching, and stage performances. Her unique voice and delicate features made her stand out during Hollywood’s golden age of westerns and dramas.
Age and Birthday
As of 2025, Kim Darby is 77 years old. She was born Deborah Zerby on July 8, 1947, in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Nationality and Ethnicity
Darby is an American citizen by birth and proudly holds American nationality. She is of White-American descent and was raised in Los Angeles, where her journey into entertainment began.
Height
Kim Darby stands at an average height of 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 meters).
Family Background
Kim was born to Jon Zerby and Inga Wiere. Her father was a professional dancer, and her mother came from a family of entertainers—the Wiere Brothers, well-known comedic performers. Following her parents’ divorce, Kim adopted her mother’s maiden name, “Darby,” for her professional career.
Marriage and Relationships | Husband
Kim Darby has been married multiple times, though she is currently single.
Her first marriage was to actor James Stacy in 1968. The couple divorced a year later but share one daughter, Heather Elias, born on July 18, 1968.
In 1970, she married James Westmoreland; the union lasted only two months.
Later that same year, she wed William Tennant, but the marriage ended within the year.
Her fourth marriage was to Jack La Rue, Jr. in 1978, which lasted until their separation in 1981.
Kim Darby Spouse
Kim Darby has walked down the aisle multiple times over the course of her life, though none of her marriages endured. Her most well-known marriage was to actor James Stacy in 1968. The couple divorced the following year but had one daughter together. She later had brief marriages to James Westmoreland and William Tennant, both of which ended quickly in 1970. Her final marriage was to Jack La Rue Jr. in 1978, which lasted until 1981. As of now, Kim is not publicly known to be married or in a relationship.
Kim Darby Children | Daughter
Kim Darby has one daughter, Heather Elias, born on July 18, 1968, from her marriage to James Stacy. Heather appeared in a few acting roles in the 1990s, including in Small White House and Beverly Hills, 90210, though she has largely stayed out of the spotlight compared to her mother.
Is Kim Darby Still Alive?
Yes, Kim Darby is still alive as of 2025. She remains a living icon of classic American cinema, though she has stepped back from the public eye and retired from acting. Born on July 8, 1947, she is currently 77 years old.
Career Overview
Kim Darby began her acting career in the early 1960s with appearances in television series such as The Eleventh Hour, Mr. Novak, and Dr. Kildare. Her breakthrough came in 1969 with the film True Grit, where her role as the headstrong Mattie Ross earned her widespread acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Following True Grit, she appeared in several films throughout the 1970s, including:
Norwood (1970)
The Grissom Gang (1971)
The One and Only (1978)
She also guest-starred in popular television shows like Gunsmoke, Bonanza, and The Streets of San Francisco.
Despite early success, Darby found it challenging to maintain the momentum of her early fame and faced personal struggles that impacted her career. In the 1980s, she stepped back from acting to focus on her personal life and family, making only occasional appearances in TV movies and films.
Darby reemerged in the 1990s and 2000s with roles in:
Better Off Dead (1985)
The X-Files (1999)
She also embraced the stage, performing in theater productions such as Bus Stop and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, showcasing her versatility as an actress.
Selected Filmography
Summer Girl (1983, TV Movie) – Mary Shelburne
First Steps (1985, TV Movie) – Sherry Petrofsky
Embassy (1985, TV Movie) – Sue Davidson
Better Off Dead (1985) – Jenny Meyer
Teen Wolf Too (1987) – Professor Brooks
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) – Debra Strode
The Last Best Sunday (1999) – Mrs. Summers
Newsbreak (2000) – Frances Johnson
Mockingbird Don’t Sing (2001) – Louise Standon
You Are So Going to Hell! (2004) – Louise
Dead Letters (2007) – Barbs
The Evil Within (2017) – Mildy Torres
Kim Darby Movie List
Over the years, Kim Darby built a solid film career with notable roles in both major motion pictures and TV movies. Some of her most recognized films include:
True Grit (1969) – Mattie Ross
Norwood (1970) – Yvonne Phillips
The Grissom Gang (1971) – Barbara Blandish
The One and Only (1978) – Mary Crawford
Better Off Dead (1985) – Jenny Meyer
Teen Wolf Too (1987) – Professor Brooks
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) – Debra Strode
Mockingbird Don’t Sing (2001) – Louise Standon
The Evil Within (2017) – Mildy Torres
Kim Darby TV Shows
In addition to her film work, Kim Darby made significant contributions to television. Her early TV appearances helped launch her career. Notable shows include:
Gunsmoke
Bonanza
The Streets of San Francisco
Dr. Kildare
Mr. Novak
The X-Files (1999 episode: “Sein und Zeit”)
Murder, She Wrote
Ironside
Her roles were often dramatic and complex, showing her versatility across different genres and eras.
Kim Darby Star Trek
Kim Darby appeared in Star Trek: The Original Series, Season 3, Episode 10, titled “Miri,” which aired in 1966. She played the title character “Miri,” a young girl on a planet inhabited only by children due to a life-prolonging experiment gone wrong. Her performance was praised for its emotional depth and vulnerability, making it a standout episode in the early Star Trek canon.
Kim Darby True Grit Movie
Kim Darby’s defining role came in the 1969 film True Grit, where she portrayed Mattie Ross, a determined teenage girl seeking justice for her father’s murder. Starring alongside John Wayne and Glen Campbell, Darby’s performance was central to the film’s critical and commercial success. Her portrayal of Mattie remains one of the most iconic female roles in Western cinema. Although she did not receive an Oscar nomination herself (contrary to some belief), her performance played a major part in the film’s acclaim, and John Wayne won his only Academy Award for it.
Kim Darby – Where Is She Now?
Kim Darby has largely retired from acting and now lives a private life away from the Hollywood spotlight. In recent years, she has worked as an acting teacher, sharing her experience and expertise with a new generation of performers.
