Raymond Charles Barrett(2 May 1927 – 8 September 2009) was an Australian actor. During the 1960s, he was aleading actoron British television, where he was best known for his appearances inThe Troubleshooters(1965–1971). From the 1970s, he appeared in lead andcharacter rolesin Australian films and television series.
Ray Barrett | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Raymond Charles Barrett 2 May 1927 Brisbane,Queensland,Australia |
| Died | 8 September 2009(aged 82) Southport,Queensland, Australia |
| Education | Brisbane State High School |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1957–2008 |
| Spouses |
|
| Partner | Celia Sherman[1] |
| Children | 3[2][1] |
| Awards | AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role(1982) Raymond Longford Award(2005) |
Early life
editBarrett was born on 2 May 1927 inBrisbane,Queenslandand was educated at Windsor State Primary School and atBrisbane State High School.Fascinated by radio from an early age, he won an on-air talent competition in 1939 at the age of 12 for aneisteddfodthat was broadcast on4BHradio, with a musical monologue about a dog called "Paddy". This was to place him on a path different from his dream of becoming a boatbuilder.
In 1949, Barrett was initiated intoFreemasonryas an initiate and member of Empire Lodge #197 of theUnited Grand Lodge of Queensland.[citation needed]
Acting career
editUnited Kingdom
editRay Barrett first appeared on radio inBrisbane,and later inSydney,to where he moved in 1954. In 1957, he moved toBritain,where his background as a singer earned him a part in a revue alongsideBeryl Reid,Patrick WymarkandSheila Hancock.[3]
Owing to his supposedly tough look, Barrett was given character andtough guyroles from an unusually young age. In Britain, he played one of the lead roles in the TV seriesEmergency Ward 10and later one of the main characters, the hard-nosed oil worker Peter Thornton, in the long-runningBBCseriesThe Troubleshooters.[3]
While Barrett mostly appeared in television, he also made several films including Hammer'sThe Reptile(1966).[4]
He also voiced characters inGerry Anderson-produced "Supermarionation"series of the 1960s:Stingray(1964–65), as Commander Shore and Titan, andThunderbirds(1965–66) asJohn Tracy,the Hoodand various extras. Also in 1965, he appeared as Bennett/Koquillion in theDoctor WhoserialThe Rescue.[5]Also as a bankrupt businessman in a 1972 edition ofPublic Eye.
Australia
editIn later years, Barrett starred in film and TV roles in his native Australia, living onStradbroke Island,Queenslandduring the 1970s. He appeared as thePrime Minister(a character who is assassinated) inBurn the Butterflies,and as a miner inGolden Soak.In 1980, he played the part of the controversial Australian historical figureGovernor Blighin theABC TelevisionproductionThe Timeless Land.[3]He had secondary roles in many other productions, includingSomething in the Air.
Barrett also appeared in such films asDon's PartyandThe Carmakers(about the 1973 release of theLeyland P76car, co-starringNoel FerrierandNick Tate). In 2005, he received anAustralian Film Institute Longford Life Achievement Award.[6]
Death
editBarrett died on 8 September 2009 at theGold Coast HospitalinSouthport,Queensland,aged 82, after suffering abrain haemorrhage.[7]His final acting appearance had been in the 2008 filmAustralia.
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | The Desperate Women | Agent | |
| 1960 | The Sundowners | Uncredited | |
| 1961 | Touch of Death | Maxwell | |
| 1962 | Edgar Wallace Mysteries:Time to Remember(akaEdgar Wallace Mystery Theatre) | Sammy | |
| 1962 | Mix Me a Person | Insp. Wagstaffe | |
| 1962 | Jigsaw | Sgt. Gorman | |
| 1962 | Scales of Justice:Moment of Decision | Anthology series, episode 3 | |
| 1963 | Edgar Wallace Mysteries:To Have and to Hold(aka:Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre) | Henry Fraser | |
| 1963 | 80,000 Suspects | Health Inspector Bennett | |
| 1964 | Valley of the Kings | Mr. Marsh | |
| 1966 | The Reptile | Harry George Spalding | |
| 1966 | Thunderbirds Are Go | John Tracy / The Hood (voice) | |
| 1967 | Just Like a Woman | Australian | |
| 1971 | Revenge | Harry | |
| 1972 | Peer Gynt | Button moulder | |
| 1973 | Little Laura and Big John | Cates | |
| 1975 | The Amorous Milkman | John | |
| 1975 | The Hostages | Joe Blake | |
| 1976 | Don's Party | Mal | |
| 1976 | Let the Balloon Go | Dr. McLeod | |
| 1978 | No Room to Run | Jack Deakin | TV movie |
| 1978 | The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith | Farrell | |
| 1979 | Burn the Butterflies | Prime Minister | TV movie |
| 1979 | Tim | Man outside hotel (uncredited) | |
| 1980 | The Earthling | Parnell | |
| 1980 | Departmental | TV movie | |
| 1982 | A Shifting Dreaming | ||
| 1982 | A Dangerous Summer | F.C.O. Webster | |
| 1983 | Goodbye Paradise | Michael Stacy | |
| 1984 | Where the Green Ants Dream | Cole | |
| 1984 | Conferenceville | TV movie | |
| 1985 | The Empty Beach | MacLeary | |
| 1985 | Rebel | Bubbles | |
| 1985 | Relatives | Geoffrey | |
| 1987 | Frenchman's Farm | Harry Benson | |
| 1987 | Contagion | Bael | |
| 1988 | As Time Goes By | J.L. Weston | |
| 1990 | Prisoners of the Sun(akaBlood Oath) | President of the Bench | |
| 1991 | Waiting | Frank | |
| 1994 | No Worries | Old Burkey | |
| 1995 | Hotel Sorrento | Wal Moynihan | |
| 1995 | Dad and Dave: On Our Selection | Dwyer | |
| 1995 | Asian Connection: Old Flames | ||
| 1996 | Brilliant Lies | Brian Connor | |
| 1996 | Hotel de Love | Jack Dunne | |
| 1997 | Heaven's Burning | Cam | |
| 1998 | In the Winter Dark | Maurice Stubbs | |
| 2002 | Dalkeith | Tarquin St John Smythe | |
| 2003 | Visitors | Bill Perry | |
| 2008 | Australia | Ramsden (final film role) |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | The Adventures of Long John Silver | Paul | Series |
| 1959 | Educating Archie | Ray | Series |
| 1960 | Armchair Mystery Theatre | Detective-Sergeant Cullen | Anthology series |
| 1960–62 | Armchair Theatre | Alan Whint / Donnie / Ben | Anthology series |
| 1960–61 | Emergency Ward 10 | Dr. Don Nolan | Series |
| 1962 | Out of This World | Dr. Alan Whint | Series |
| 1962 | Man of the World | Charlie West | Series |
| 1963 | The Avengers | Strong | Series |
| 1963 | Z-Cars | Len Wilson | Series |
| 1963 | ITV Playhouse | Larry Ransome | Play |
| 1963 | First Night | Frank Angelo | Series |
| 1963–64 | ITV Play of the Week | Sergeant Weston / Jack Bailey | Play |
| 1963–64 | Ghost Squad | Peter Clarke / Mr. Hicks | Series |
| 1964 | The Saint | Willie Kinsall | Series |
| 1964–65 | The Brothers Karamazov | Mitya Karamazov | |
| 1965 | Doctor Who | Bennett / Koquillion | Series |
| 1965 | Thursday Theatre | Jacko | Anthology series |
| 1964–65 | Stingray | Commander Sam Shore / Sub-Lieutenant John Horatio Fisher / King Titan (voice) | Series |
| 1962–65 | Drama 61–67 | Captain Murchison | Anthology series |
| 1965 | BBC Play of the Month | Knight | Anthology series |
| 1965 | Blackmail | Patek | |
| 1965 | Gideon C.I.D. | Series | |
| 1963–65 | No Hiding Place | Johnny Crown / Larry Hobbs | Series |
| 1966 | The Spies | Walker | Series |
| 1966 | The Man in Room 17 | Al Gover | Series |
| 1965–66 | Thunderbirds | John Tracy / The Hood / Lieutenant Burroughs / Various characters (voice) | Series |
| 1967 | Till Death Us Do Part('Till Closing Time us do Part ', episode) | Self | Series. (1 appearance). |
| 1969 | The Corbett Follies | ||
| 1965–72 | Mogul | Peter Thornton | Series |
| 1972 | Public Eye | Melville Hayden-Peters | Series |
| 1974 | Barlow at Large | Johnny Duchene | Series |
| 1974 | The Adventures of Black Beauty | T. Otis Waygood | Series |
| 1964–74 | Dixon of Dock Green | Phil Burgh / Nat Singer | Series |
| 1974 | Colditz | Flt. Lt. Jack Collins | Series |
| 1974 | The Double Dealers | Geoffrey Burch | |
| 1973 | Churchill's People | Leo Hennessey | Series |
| 1976 | Arena | Col Burrows | Miniseries |
| 1976 | The Outsiders | Harry | Series |
| 1976–77 | Moynihan | Series | |
| 1978 | Run from the Morning | Detective Sergeant Grogon | Miniseries, 6 episodes |
| 1979 | Golden Soak | Alec Hamilton | Miniseries |
| 1980 | The Timeless Land | Governor Bligh | Miniseries |
| 1981 | Levkas Man | Miniseries | |
| 1981 | Sporting Chance | Robbo | |
| 1984 | The Last Bastion | Gen. Thomas Blamey | Miniseries |
| 1984 | Five Mile Creek | Harry | Series |
| 1984 | Waterfront | Sam Elliott | Miniseries |
| 1986 | The Flying Doctors | Frank Watson | Series |
| 1986 | Tusitala | Harry Moors | Miniseries |
| 1986 | The Challenge | Robert McCullough | Miniseries |
| 1989 | G.P. | Rex Mitchell | Series. (2 episodes). |
| 1990 | The Paper Man | Maurice Grimm | Miniseries |
| 1995 | Correlli | Harry Powell | Series |
| 1995 | Bordertown | Colonel Forsythe | Miniseries |
| 1996 | Fire | Charles | Series |
| 1997 | Adrenaline Junkies | ||
| 2000 | Something in the Air | Len Taylor | Series |
| 2000 | Stingers | Mr. Rafferty | Series |
| 2003 | White Collar Blue | Barry Hill | Series |
| 2003 | After the Deluge | Old Cliff Kirby | Miniseries |
| 2004 | All Saints | Doc Connelly | Series. (1 episode). |
References
edit- ^abhttp:// theaustralian.au/arts/film/ray-barrett-led-an-actors-life-with-few-regrets/story-e6frg8pf-1225770720891[dead link]
- ^"Veteran Australian actor Ray Barrett dies".Telegraph.co.uk.9 September 2009.
- ^abcThe Timeless Land,TV guide compiled by Kate Reid, photographs by Martin Webby, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, page 56, Sydney, 1980,ISBN0642974691
- ^Vagg, Stephen (28 June 2020). "Ten random Australian connections with Hammer Films".Filmink.
- ^Howson, Spencer:Ray Barrett'sDr WhoEpisodes Released on DVDArchived10 March 2012 at theWayback Machine,ABC Radio and Regional Content,11 May 2009.
- ^AFI Raymond Longford AwardArchived20 September 2009 at theWayback Machine,Australian Film Institute.
- ^Veteran Actor Ray Barrett Dies at 82,Herald Sun,8 September 2009.
External links
edit- Ray Barrett Collection 1927-2007,State Library of Queensland - Collection of papers, scrapbooks, visual and audiovisual material relating to the life and career of Ray Barrett.