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 Midnight Story as Party Guest (uncredited)
- The Joker is Wild as Waiter (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
- Let's Dance as George - Bartender (uncredited)
- Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in the Foreign Legion as Arab on Jeep's Hood (uncredited)
1949
- Africa Screams as Chauffeur (uncredited)
- Undertow
- Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff as Dry Cleaning Man (uncredited)
1947
- I Walk Alone as Newsboy (uncredited)
- The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer as Birthday Cake Waiter (uncredited)
- Riff-Raff as Customs Inspector (uncredited)
- The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap as Waiter (uncredited)
- Vigilantes of Boomtown as Corbett's second
1946
- Road to Utopia as Bartender (uncredited)
- Calcutta as Taxi Driver (uncredited)
- Two Sisters from Boston as Stagehand (uncredited)
- From This Day Forward as Ice Man
1945
- Anchors Aweigh as Salad Cook on Olvera Street (uncredited)
- Lady on a Train
- Earl Carroll Vanities as Cab Driver
- Sensation Hunters as Waiter (uncredited)
1944
- Laura as Newsboy (uncredited)
- Follow the Boys as Soldier - W.C. Fields Routine (uncredited)
- Rainbow Island as Native Banana Man
- I Love a Soldier as Funhouse Attendant
- Practically Yours as Man on Subway (uncredited)
- And Now Tomorrow as Mill Worker
- You Can't Ration Love as Barber
1943
- Hit the Ice as Candy Butcher (uncredited)
- A Lady Takes a Chance as Gambler
- Swing Fever as Soft Drink Vendor (uncredited)
- The Sky's the Limit as Canteen Waiter (uncredited)
- Crazy House as Bald Man / Director
- Presenting Lily Mars as Busboy
- Hi Diddle Diddle as Saloon Waiter (uncredited)
- All by Myself as Waiter
- Dizzy Pilots as Private (uncredited)
- Reveille with Beverly as Collins (uncredited)
- Here Comes Mr. Zerk as Bellhop
1942
- Roxie Hart as Bald Juror (uncredited)
- A Date with the Falcon as Spectator (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)
- Beyond the Blue Horizon as Member of La'oa's Gang (uncredited)
- Powder Town as Waiter (uncredited)
1941
- The Lady Eve as Ship's Waiter with Toupee (uncredited)
- Hold That Ghost as Waiter (uncredited)
- Pot o' Gold as Prisoner (uncredited)
- Second Chorus as Room Service Waiter (uncredited)
- The Gay Falcon as Angelo (uncredited)
- In the Navy as Sailor in Finale (uncredited)
- King of the Texas Rangers as Eduardo
- The Monster and the Girl as Juryman (uncredited)
- Las Vegas Nights as Waiter Who Gets Slapped
- Cracked Nuts as Waiter
1940
- Road to Singapore as Man Hit with Soap Suds (uncredited)
- 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)
- Primrose Path as Benny (uncredited)
- The Villain Still Pursued Her as Wedding Guest (uncredited)
- The Leather Pushers
- Nothing But Pleasure as Snacking Bus Rider
- Spring Parade as Waiter Who Spills Tray (uncredited)
1939
- Pest from the West as Musician (uncredited)
1938
- Dangerous to Know as Waiter (uncredited)
- Having Wonderful Time as Bartender (uncredited)
- Vivacious Lady as Italian Waiter at Nightclub (uncredited)
- Carefree as (uncredited)
- Cipher Bureau
- Professor Beware as Handshaker - Paint-Brush Gag
- 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
1937
- Super-Sleuth as Photographer
- History Is Made at Night as Paul - Waiter at Victor's (uncredited)
- Fight for Your Lady as Hotel Porter (uncredited)
- Breakfast for Two as Window Washer (uncredited)
1936
- Modern Times as Worker (uncredited)
- Dodsworth as Italian Taxi Driver (uncredited)
- Great Guy as Grocery Clerk (Uncredited)
- Walking on Air as Silent Waiter at Beach Club (uncredited)
- The Preview Murder Mystery as Prop Man (Uncredited)
- Hollywood Boulevard as Man with Gong (uncredited)
- Smartest Girl in Town as Hotel Porter
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
- The Life of the Party as Waiter
- Soup to Nuts as Revolutionary (uncredited)
- Doughboys as Doughboy (uncredited)
1929
- Pep Up as clothing salesman on street