Crampton made her television debut on the daytime drama Days of Our Lives (1983–84) before a supporting role as Leanna Love on the soap opera The Young and the Restless (1987–93, 1998–2002, 2006–07). Later in her career, she would appear in television horror anthologies such as Syfy's Channel Zero: The Dream Door (2018), Hulu's Into the Dark (2019), and Shudder's Creepshow (2021).
She made her film debut in Body Double (1984), but received recognition in the comedy horror film Re-Animator (1985) as Megan Halsey and the science fiction film From Beyond (1986) as Dr. Katherine McMichaels. Later defining roles are Chopping Mall (1986), Puppet Master (1989), Castle Freak (1995), You're Next (2011), We Are Still Here (2015), Little Sister (2016), Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich (2018), and Jakob's Wife (2021), for which she was nominated for Critics' Choice Super Awards.
Crampton was born December 27, 1958, in Levittown, Long Island, New York. She was raised Roman Catholic. Crampton grew up in Vermont, and spent summers traveling the country with the carnival, as her father was a carny. She started acting in school plays when she was in seventh grade and went on to study acting in high school. She attended Castleton State College in Vermont graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Arts. After graduation, Crampton made a brief stop in New York, where she appeared as Cordelia in King Lear for the American Theater of Actors. She was a Theater Arts Major at Castleton State College from 1976 to 1981.

Return to Barbara Crampton Autograph Profile