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
- The Midnight Story as Party Guest (uncredited)
- The Joker is Wild as Waiter (uncredited)
- Man of a Thousand Faces as The Miracle Man Extra (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
- Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man as Sneaky (uncredited)
- Across the Wide Missouri as Gardipe (uncredited)
1950
- Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in the Foreign Legion as Arab on Jeep's Hood (uncredited)
- Let's Dance as Bartender (uncredited)
1949
- Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff as Dry Cleaning Man (uncredited)
- Africa Screams as Chauffeur (uncredited)
- Undertow
1948
- Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein as Waiter
- On an Island with You as (uncredited)
1947
- The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer as Birthday Cake Waiter (uncredited)
- I Walk Alone as Newsboy (uncredited)
- Riff-Raff as Customs Inspector (uncredited)
- The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap as Waiter (uncredited)
- Vigilantes of Boomtown as Corbett's second
1946
- Two Sisters from Boston as Stagehand (uncredited)
- From This Day Forward as Ice Man
- Road to Utopia as Bartender (uncredited)
- Calcutta as Taxi Driver (uncredited)
1945
- Anchors Aweigh as Salad Cook (uncredited)
- Lady on a Train
- Earl Carroll Vanities as Cab Driver
- Sensation Hunters as Waiter (uncredited)
1944
- Laura as Newsboy (uncredited)
- Passage to Marseille as Frenchman (uncredited)
- I Love a Soldier as Funhouse Attendant
- And Now Tomorrow as Mill Worker
- Practically Yours as Man on Subway (uncredited)
- You Can't Ration Love as Barber
- Follow the Boys as Soldier - W.C. Fields Routine (uncredited)
- Rainbow Island as Native Banana Man
1943
- The Sky's the Limit as Canteen Waiter (uncredited)
- Swing Fever as Soft Drink Vendor (uncredited)
- A Lady Takes a Chance as Gambler
- Hit the Ice as Candy Butcher (uncredited)
- Presenting Lily Mars as Busboy
- Reveille with Beverly as Collins (uncredited)
- Here Comes Mr. Zerk as Bellhop
- Hi Diddle Diddle as Saloon Waiter (uncredited)
- All by Myself as Waiter
- Crazy House as Bald Man / Director
- Dizzy Pilots as Private (uncredited)
1942
- Roxie Hart as Bald Juror (uncredited)
- A Date with the Falcon as Spectator (uncredited)
- Beyond the Blue Horizon as Member of La'oa's Gang (uncredited)
- Who Done It? as Test Technician in Booth (uncredited)
- My Favorite Spy as Man in Park in Front of Kay
- Matri-Phony as Snake Charmer (uncredited)
- Powder Town as Waiter (uncredited)
1941
- Hold That Ghost as Waiter (uncredited)
- The Lady Eve as Ship's Waiter with Toupee (uncredited)
- The Monster and the Girl as Juryman (uncredited)
- King of the Texas Rangers as Eduardo
- In the Navy as Sailor in Finale (uncredited)
- Second Chorus as Room Service Waiter (uncredited)
- The Gay Falcon as Angelo (uncredited)
- Pot o' Gold as Prisoner (uncredited)
- Cracked Nuts as Waiter
- Las Vegas Nights as Waiter Who Gets Slapped
1940
- Broadway Melody of 1940 as Wedding Guest (uncredited)
- Stranger on the Third Floor as Giuseppe, the Italian Grocer (uncredited)
- They Knew What They Wanted as Tony's Pal at Table (uncredited)
- Road to Singapore as Man Hit with Soap Suds (uncredited)
- The Villain Still Pursued Her as Wedding Guest (uncredited)
- Primrose Path as Benny (uncredited)
- Spring Parade as Waiter Who Spills Tray (uncredited)
- Nothing But Pleasure as Snacking Bus Rider
- The Leather Pushers
1939
- Pest from the West as Musician (uncredited)
1938
- Vivacious Lady as Italian Waiter at Nightclub (uncredited)
- Give Me a Sailor as Sailor (uncredited)
- Topper Takes a Trip as Hotel Staffer Moving Bed (uncredited)
- Everybody's Doing It as Short Slap Happy Henchman
- Dangerous to Know as Waiter (uncredited)
- Carefree as (uncredited)
- Having Wonderful Time as Bartender (uncredited)
- Professor Beware as Handshaker - Paint-Brush Gag
- Cipher Bureau
1937
- History Is Made at Night as Paul - Waiter at Victor's (uncredited)
- Breakfast for Two as Window Washer (uncredited)
- Super-Sleuth as Photographer
- Fight for Your Lady as Hotel Porter (uncredited)
1936
- Modern Times as Worker (uncredited)
- Dodsworth as Italian Taxi Driver (uncredited)
- The Preview Murder Mystery as Prop Man (Uncredited)
- Great Guy as Grocery Clerk (Uncredited)
- Smartest Girl in Town as Hotel Porter (uncredited)
- Hollywood Boulevard as Man with Gong (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
- I'm No Angel as Man in Crowd (uncredited)
- One Sunday Afternoon as Man in Greased Pig Contest (uncredited)
1932
- Horse Feathers as Speakeasy Patron (uncredited)
- The Night of June 13 as Jury Foreman (uncredited)
1930
- Soup to Nuts as Revolutionary (uncredited)
- The Life of the Party as Waiter
- Doughboys as Doughboy (uncredited)
1929
- Pep Up as clothing salesman on street