Bobby Barber
Born: 1894-12-17 in New York City, New York, USA
Died: 1976-05-24
Known For: Acting
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Bobby Barber (December 18, 1894 – May 24, 1976) was an American actor who appeared in over 100 films. Barber is notable for his work as a foil for Abbott and Costello on and off screen. Barber was often used by Bud Abbott and Lou Costello as a form of "court jester" on the set of their films. It was his job to keep the energy level up with pranks and practical jokes. Sometimes, he even suddenly appeared on camera during a take to break up the cast and crew. In Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), Costello answers a knock at the door expecting to see large actor Lon Chaney Jr. Instead, the very short Barber walks in wearing a funny hat with a feather. In another outtake from that film, Bela Lugosi, in full Dracula regalia, is solemnly descending a staircase to meet Abbott and Costello when all of a sudden the actors and crew burst out laughing. Lugosi, annoyed, turns around to see Barber following right behind him, mimicking his steps. Barber also appeared in bit parts, such as a delivery boy, waiter, bellhop, or man on the street, often uncredited in movies, and in many of Abbott and Costello's films and about half their television shows. Sometimes his likeness was in a picture on a wall or a "wanted" poster in a post office. His final film appearance was in Lou Costello's last movie, The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock (1959). His film career included bit parts in over 100 (known) feature films.
Filmography
1963
- The Wheeler Dealers as Workman in Night Club (uncredited)
1962
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour as Juror (uncredited)
- To Kill a Mockingbird as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
1957
- Wagon Train as Wagon Train Member (uncredited)
- Have Gun, Will Travel
- Man of a Thousand Faces as The Miracle Man Extra (uncredited)
- The Joker is Wild as Waiter (uncredited)
- The Midnight Story as Party Guest (uncredited)
- The Buster Keaton Story as Soda Fountain Customer (uncredited)
1956
- Pardners as Townsman (uncredited)
1954
- Living It Up as Bellboy (uncredited)
1952
- Adventures of Superman as Tony the Masseur
- The Abbott and Costello Show as Chauffeur
- Flesh and Fury
1951
- Across the Wide Missouri as Gardipe (uncredited)
- Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man as Sneaky (uncredited)
1950
- Let's Dance as George - Bartender (uncredited)
- Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in the Foreign Legion as Arab on Jeep's Hood (uncredited)
1949
- Undertow
- Africa Screams as Chauffeur (uncredited)
- Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff as Dry Cleaning Man (uncredited)
1948
1947
- Riff-Raff as Customs Inspector (uncredited)
- The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer as Birthday Cake Waiter (uncredited)
- I Walk Alone as Newsboy (uncredited)
- The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap as Waiter (uncredited)
- Vigilantes of Boomtown as Corbett's second
1946
- Calcutta as Taxi Driver (uncredited)
- From This Day Forward as Ice Man
- Road to Utopia as Bartender (uncredited)
- Two Sisters from Boston as Stagehand (uncredited)
1945
- Sensation Hunters as Waiter (uncredited)
- Anchors Aweigh as Salad Cook on Olvera Street (uncredited)
- Lady on a Train
- Earl Carroll Vanities as Cab Driver
1944
- Practically Yours as Man on Subway (uncredited)
- Rainbow Island as Native Banana Man
- Laura as Newsboy (uncredited)
- And Now Tomorrow as Mill Worker
- You Can't Ration Love as Barber
- I Love a Soldier as Funhouse Attendant
1943
- Dizzy Pilots as Private (uncredited)
- Swing Fever as Soft Drink Vendor (uncredited)
- The Sky's the Limit as Canteen Waiter (uncredited)
- Hi Diddle Diddle as Saloon Waiter (uncredited)
- Hit the Ice as Candy Butcher (uncredited)
- Crazy House as Bald Man / Director
- A Lady Takes a Chance as Gambler
- Presenting Lily Mars as Busboy
- Here Comes Mr. Zerk as Bellhop
- All by Myself as Waiter
- Reveille with Beverly as Collins (uncredited)
1942
- Who Done It? as Test Technician in Booth (uncredited)
- My Favorite Spy as Man in Park in Front of Kay
- Roxie Hart as Bald Juror (uncredited)
- Beyond the Blue Horizon as Member of La'oa's Gang (uncredited)
- Matri-Phony as Snake Charmer (uncredited)
- A Date with the Falcon as Spectator (uncredited)
- Powder Town as Waiter (uncredited)
1941
- Second Chorus as Room Service Waiter (uncredited)
- Cracked Nuts as Waiter
- Pot o' Gold as Prisoner (uncredited)
- The Monster and the Girl as Juryman (uncredited)
- Hold That Ghost as Waiter (uncredited)
- King of the Texas Rangers as Eduardo
- The Lady Eve as Ship's Waiter with Toupee (uncredited)
- Las Vegas Nights as Waiter Who Gets Slapped
- In the Navy as Sailor in Finale (uncredited)
- The Gay Falcon as Angelo (uncredited)
1940
- Primrose Path as Benny (uncredited)
- Road to Singapore as Man Hit with Soap Suds (uncredited)
- Broadway Melody of 1940 as Wedding Guest (uncredited)
- The Villain Still Pursued Her as Wedding Guest (uncredited)
- Stranger on the Third Floor as Giuseppe, the Italian Grocer (uncredited)
- The Leather Pushers
- Spring Parade as Waiter Who Spills Tray (uncredited)
- They Knew What They Wanted as Tony's Pal at Table (uncredited)
- Nothing But Pleasure as Snacking Bus Rider
1939
- Pest from the West as Musician (uncredited)
1938
- Carefree as (uncredited)
- Vivacious Lady as Italian Waiter at Nightclub (uncredited)
- Professor Beware as Handshaker - Paint-Brush Gag
- Give Me a Sailor as Sailor (uncredited)
- Having Wonderful Time as Bartender (uncredited)
- Topper Takes a Trip as Hotel Staffer Moving Bed (uncredited)
- Dangerous to Know as Waiter (uncredited)
- Everybody's Doing It as Short Slap Happy Henchman
- Cipher Bureau
1937
- Super-Sleuth as Photographer
- Breakfast for Two as Window Washer (uncredited)
- Fight for Your Lady as Hotel Porter (uncredited)
- History Is Made at Night as Paul - Waiter at Victor's (uncredited)
1936
- Modern Times as Worker (uncredited)
- Hollywood Boulevard as Man with Gong (uncredited)
- Great Guy as Grocery Clerk (Uncredited)
- Smartest Girl in Town as Hotel Porter
- The Preview Murder Mystery as Prop Man (Uncredited)
- Dodsworth as Italian Taxi Driver (uncredited)
- Walking on Air as Silent Waiter at Beach Club (uncredited)
1935
- We're Only Human as Counterman
- I Don't Remember as Dentist Patient
- Alimony Aches as Undertaker's Assistant
1933
- One Sunday Afternoon as Man in Greased Pig Contest (uncredited)
- I'm No Angel as Man in Crowd (uncredited)
1932
- Horse Feathers as Speakeasy Patron (uncredited)
- The Night of June 13 as Jury Foreman (uncredited)
1930
- Doughboys as Doughboy (uncredited)
- Soup to Nuts as Revolutionary (uncredited)
- The Life of the Party as Waiter
1929
- Pep Up as clothing salesman on street