BP
Barnett Parker
Actor
Born September 10, 1886Died August 5, 1941 (54 years)
Within the British colony of expatriate actors in Hollywood during the 1930's, Barnett Parker, born 11 September 1886, in Batley, Yorkshire, England, was among the most stereotypical. Harrowgate College-educated, straight-backed, balding and well-intoned, Parker caricatured a multitude of unctuous, stiff-upper-lip butlers, man-servants or waiters, though his performances could, at times, verge on the brink of being camp. When driven to frustration his characters commonly resorted to incoherent twitter or wild gesticulation.
Parker was trained under Marie Tempest and George Alexander in England. He first acted on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre as Wilfred Tavish in Arthur Wing Pinero's "The "Mind the Paint" Girl" in 1912. He was well served with further roles in hit plays like "Hobson's Choice" (1915), "Artists and Models" (1924) and "The Red Robe" (1928). He was at first prone to reject film offers, professing to favor acting on stage. Nonetheless, the celluloid medium eventually beckoned, enticing him to sign with the East Coast-based studio Thanhouser in 1915. He worked in films during the daytime (while treading the boards at night) and quickly landed a plum role as a weak socialite, rescuing Gladys Hulette in Prudence, the Pirate (1916). He was seldom thereafter afforded the opportunity for heroic acts. During the 1930's, he was primarily in demand for small roles as dandified or 'silly ass' Britishers, giving value for money in films like Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), Personal Property (1937), Live, Love and Learn (1937) and Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937). Looking rather older than his years, Barnett Parker died at the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles after multiple heart attacks on August 5, 1941.
Parker was trained under Marie Tempest and George Alexander in England. He first acted on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre as Wilfred Tavish in Arthur Wing Pinero's "The "Mind the Paint" Girl" in 1912. He was well served with further roles in hit plays like "Hobson's Choice" (1915), "Artists and Models" (1924) and "The Red Robe" (1928). He was at first prone to reject film offers, professing to favor acting on stage. Nonetheless, the celluloid medium eventually beckoned, enticing him to sign with the East Coast-based studio Thanhouser in 1915. He worked in films during the daytime (while treading the boards at night) and quickly landed a plum role as a weak socialite, rescuing Gladys Hulette in Prudence, the Pirate (1916). He was seldom thereafter afforded the opportunity for heroic acts. During the 1930's, he was primarily in demand for small roles as dandified or 'silly ass' Britishers, giving value for money in films like Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), Personal Property (1937), Live, Love and Learn (1937) and Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937). Looking rather older than his years, Barnett Parker died at the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles after multiple heart attacks on August 5, 1941.
Filmography
| 2004 | Walt Disney's Fables - Vol.6 · as The Dragon (voice) (archive Sound) |
| 2003 | Inside the Marx Brothers · as Whitcomb (clip From At The Circus (1939)) |
| 1964 | The Big Parade of Comedy · as Arthur Trevelyan In 'personal Property' (arch. Foot.) (uncred.) |
| 1941 | New Wine · as The Duke |
| 1941 | Kisses for Breakfast · as Phillips |
| 1941 | The Reluctant Dragon · as Dragon (segment "the Reluctant Dragon") (voice) |
| 1941 | A Man Betrayed · as George |
| 1941 | Tall, Dark and Handsome · as Quentin |
| 1940 | Love Thy Neighbor · as George - Fred's Chauffeur |
| 1940 | One Night in the Tropics · as Thompson, Steve's Butler (uncredited) |
| 1940 | Hullabaloo · as Samuel Stephens |
| 1940 | Hit Parade of 1941 · as Mr. Pasley |
| 1940 | If I Had My Way · as Floorwalker |
| 1940 | He Married His Wife · as Huggins |
| 1939 | At the Circus · as Whitcomb |
| 1939 | Babes in Arms · as William |
| 1939 | Hotel for Women · as Photographer |
| 1939 | She Married a Cop · as Bekins, The Butler |
| 1938 | The Girl Downstairs · as Hugo |
| 1938 | Listen, Darling · as Abercrombie |
| 1938 | Marie Antoinette · as Prince De Rohan |
| 1938 | Hold That Kiss · as Maurice |
| 1938 | Sally, Irene and Mary · as Oscar |
| 1938 | Love Is a Headache · as Hotchkiss, Carlotta's Butler |
| 1937 | Navy Blue and Gold · as Graves |
| 1937 | Live, Love and Learn · as Alfredo |
| 1937 | Double Wedding · as Mr. Flint, Margit's Bookkeeper |
| 1937 | Broadway Melody of 1938 · as Jerry Jason |
| 1937 | Wake Up and Live · as Foster |
| 1937 | The Emperor's Candlesticks · as Albert, Stephan's Butler |
| 1937 | Married Before Breakfast · as Tweed |
| 1937 | Personal Property · as Arthur Trevelyan |
| 1937 | Ready, Willing and Able · as Waiter |
| 1937 | Espionage · as Bill Cordell |
| 1937 | The Last of Mrs. Cheyney · as Purser |
| 1937 | When You're in Love · as Butler |
| 1937 | Dangerous Number · as Minehardi |
| 1936 | We Who Are About to Die · as John Barkley |
| 1936 | Born to Dance · as Floorwalker |
| 1936 | A Woman Rebels · as Lady Gaythorne's Lawyer |
| 1936 | The General Died at Dawn · as Dining Car Man (uncredited) |
| 1936 | Libeled Lady · as Butler (uncredited) |
| 1936 | Adventure in Manhattan · as John - Gregory's Butler |
| 1936 | The President's Mystery · as Roger |
| 1936 | The King Steps Out · as Ballet Master |
| 1936 | Roaming Lady · as Waters |
| 1936 | Mr. Deeds Goes to Town · as Butler (uncredited) |