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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
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Mr. Deeds Goes to TownasButler (uncredited)
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The Reluctant DragonasDragon (segment "The Reluctant Dragon") (voice)
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Babes in ArmsasWilliam
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Libeled LadyasButler (uncredited)
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Born to DanceasFloorwalker
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Marie AntoinetteasPrince de Rohan
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At the CircusasWhitcomb
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The Big Parade of ComedyasArthur Trevelyan in 'Personal Property' (arch. foot.) (uncred.)
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One Night in the TropicsasThompson, Steve's Butler (uncredited)
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Walt Disney's Fables - Vol.6asThe Dragon (voice) (archive sound)
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Double WeddingasMr. Flint, Margit's Bookkeeper
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Listen, DarlingasAbercrombie
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A Man BetrayedasGeorge
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The Last of Mrs. CheyneyasPurser
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The Emperor's CandlesticksasAlbert, Stephan's Butler
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Roaming LadyasWaters
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Love Is a HeadacheasHotchkiss, Carlotta's Butler
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Broadway Melody of 1938asJerry Jason
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Personal PropertyasArthur Trevelyan
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Ready, Willing and AbleasWaiter
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Sally, Irene and MaryasOscar
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The Girl DownstairsasHugo
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The Misleading LadyasSteve
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Love Thy NeighborasGeorge - Fred's Chauffeur
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The General Died at DawnasDining Car Man (uncredited)
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Navy Blue and GoldasGraves
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EspionageasBill Cordell
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He Married His WifeasHuggins
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The President's MysteryasRoger
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Live, Love and LearnasAlfredo
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Hotel for WomenasPhotographer
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HullabalooasSamuel Stephens
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Hold That KissasMaurice
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We Who Are About to DieasJohn Barkley
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Dangerous NumberasMinehardi
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Tall, Dark and HandsomeasQuentin
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La Conga NightsasHammond
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She Married a CopasBekins, the Butler
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Kisses for BreakfastasPhillips
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Wake Up and LiveasFoster
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New WineasThe Duke
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A Girl's Best YearsasPrimrose
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Married Before BreakfastasTweed
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The Flight of the DuchessasThe Duke
The Traffic CopasBook Agent
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Prudence the PirateasJohn Astorbilt
Bill Bunks the BanditasBill - a Gentleman from the East