
Barnett Parker
Acting
1886-09-10 - Present
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.
Credits

Mr. Deeds Goes to TownasButler (uncredited)

The Reluctant DragonasDragon (segment "The Reluctant Dragon") (voice)

Babes in ArmsasWilliam

Libeled LadyasButler (uncredited)

Born to DanceasFloorwalker

Marie AntoinetteasPrince de Rohan

At the CircusasWhitcomb

The Big Parade of ComedyasArthur Trevelyan in 'Personal Property' (arch. foot.) (uncred.)

One Night in the TropicsasThompson, Steve's Butler (uncredited)

Walt Disney's Fables - Vol.6asThe Dragon (voice) (archive sound)

Double WeddingasMr. Flint, Margit's Bookkeeper

Listen, DarlingasAbercrombie

A Man BetrayedasGeorge

The Last of Mrs. CheyneyasPurser

The Emperor's CandlesticksasAlbert, Stephan's Butler

Roaming LadyasWaters

Love Is a HeadacheasHotchkiss, Carlotta's Butler

Broadway Melody of 1938asJerry Jason

Personal PropertyasArthur Trevelyan

Ready, Willing and AbleasWaiter

Sally, Irene and MaryasOscar

The Girl DownstairsasHugo

The Misleading LadyasSteve

Love Thy NeighborasGeorge - Fred's Chauffeur

The General Died at DawnasDining Car Man (uncredited)

Navy Blue and GoldasGraves

EspionageasBill Cordell

He Married His WifeasHuggins

The President's MysteryasRoger

Live, Love and LearnasAlfredo

Hotel for WomenasPhotographer

HullabalooasSamuel Stephens

Hold That KissasMaurice

We Who Are About to DieasJohn Barkley

Dangerous NumberasMinehardi

Tall, Dark and HandsomeasQuentin

La Conga NightsasHammond

She Married a CopasBekins, the Butler

Kisses for BreakfastasPhillips

Wake Up and LiveasFoster

New WineasThe Duke

A Girl's Best YearsasPrimrose

Married Before BreakfastasTweed

The Flight of the DuchessasThe Duke
The Traffic CopasBook Agent

Prudence the PirateasJohn Astorbilt
Bill Bunks the BanditasBill - a Gentleman from the East