Raymond Charles Barrett (2 May 1927 – 8 September 2009) was an Australian actor. During the 1960s, he was a leading actor on British television, where he was best known for his appearances in The Troubleshooters (1965–1971). From the 1970s, he appeared in lead and character roles in Australian films and television series.

Ray Barrett
Born
Raymond Charles Barrett

(1927-05-02)2 May 1927
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Died8 September 2009(2009-09-08) (aged 82)
Southport, Queensland, Australia
EducationBrisbane State High School
OccupationActor
Years active1957–2008
Spouses
  • Audrey Bettanay
    (m. 1951, divorced)
  • Miren Cork
    (m. 1969, divorced)
  • Gaye O'Brien
    (m. 1986)
PartnerCelia Sherman[1]
Children3[2][1]
AwardsAACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (1982)
Raymond Longford Award (2005)

Early life

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Barrett was born on 2 May 1927 in Brisbane, Queensland and was educated at Windsor State Primary School and at Brisbane State High School. Fascinated by radio from an early age, he won an on-air talent competition in 1939 at the age of 12 for an eisteddfod that was broadcast on 4BH radio, with a musical monologue about a dog called "Paddy". This was to place him on a path different from his dream of becoming a boatbuilder.

In 1949, Barrett was initiated into Freemasonry as an initiate and member of Empire Lodge #197 of the United Grand Lodge of Queensland.[citation needed]

Acting career

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United Kingdom

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Ray Barrett first appeared on radio in Brisbane, and later in Sydney, to where he moved in 1954. In 1957, he moved to Britain, where his background as a singer earned him a part in a revue alongside Beryl Reid, Patrick Wymark and Sheila Hancock.[3]

Owing to his supposedly tough look, Barrett was given character and tough guy roles from an unusually young age. In Britain, he played one of the lead roles in the TV series Emergency Ward 10 and later one of the main characters, the hard-nosed oil worker Peter Thornton, in the long-running BBC series The Troubleshooters.[3]

While Barrett mostly appeared in television, he also made several films including Hammer's The Reptile (1966).[4]

He also voiced characters in Gerry Anderson-produced "Supermarionation" series of the 1960s: Stingray (1964–65), as Commander Shore and Titan, and Thunderbirds (1965–66) as John Tracy, the Hood and various extras. Also in 1965, he appeared as Bennett/Koquillion in the Doctor Who serial The Rescue.[5] Also as a bankrupt businessman in a 1972 edition of Public Eye.

Australia

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In later years, Barrett starred in film and TV roles in his native Australia, living on Stradbroke Island, Queensland during the 1970s. He appeared as the Prime Minister (a character who is assassinated) in Burn the Butterflies, and as a miner in Golden Soak. In 1980, he played the part of the controversial Australian historical figure Governor Bligh in the ABC Television production The Timeless Land.[3] He had secondary roles in many other productions, including Something in the Air.

Barrett also appeared in such films as Don's Party and The Carmakers (about the 1973 release of the Leyland P76 car, co-starring Noel Ferrier and Nick Tate). In 2005, he received an Australian Film Institute Longford Life Achievement Award.[6]

Death

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Barrett died on 8 September 2009 at the Gold Coast Hospital in Southport, Queensland, aged 82, after suffering a brain haemorrhage.[7] His final acting appearance had been in the 2008 film Australia.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Type
1954 The Desperate Women Agent
1960 The Sundowners Uncredited
1961 Touch of Death Maxwell
1962 Edgar Wallace Mysteries: Time to Remember (aka Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre) Sammy
1962 Mix Me a Person Insp. Wagstaffe
1962 Jigsaw Sgt. Gorman
1962 Scales of Justice: Moment of Decision Anthology series, episode 3
1963 Edgar Wallace Mysteries: To Have and to Hold (aka: Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre) Henry Fraser
1963 80,000 Suspects Health Inspector Bennett
1964 Valley of the Kings Mr. Marsh
1966 The Reptile Harry George Spalding
1966 Thunderbirds Are Go John Tracy / The Hood (voice)
1967 Just Like a Woman Australian
1971 Revenge Harry
1972 Peer Gynt Button moulder
1973 Little Laura and Big John Cates
1975 The Amorous Milkman John
1975 The Hostages Joe Blake
1976 Don's Party Mal
1976 Let the Balloon Go Dr. McLeod
1978 No Room to Run Jack Deakin TV movie
1978 The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith Farrell
1979 Burn the Butterflies Prime Minister TV movie
1979 Tim Man outside hotel (uncredited)
1980 The Earthling Parnell
1980 Departmental TV movie
1982 A Shifting Dreaming
1982 A Dangerous Summer F.C.O. Webster
1983 Goodbye Paradise Michael Stacy
1984 Where the Green Ants Dream Cole
1984 Conferenceville TV movie
1985 The Empty Beach MacLeary
1985 Rebel Bubbles
1985 Relatives Geoffrey
1987 Frenchman's Farm Harry Benson
1987 Contagion Bael
1988 As Time Goes By J.L. Weston
1990 Prisoners of the Sun (aka Blood Oath) President of the Bench
1991 Waiting Frank
1994 No Worries Old Burkey
1995 Hotel Sorrento Wal Moynihan
1995 Dad and Dave: On Our Selection Dwyer
1995 Asian Connection: Old Flames
1996 Brilliant Lies Brian Connor
1996 Hotel de Love Jack Dunne
1997 Heaven's Burning Cam
1998 In the Winter Dark Maurice Stubbs
2002 Dalkeith Tarquin St John Smythe
2003 Visitors Bill Perry
2008 Australia Ramsden (final film role)

Television

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Year Title Role Type
1957 The Adventures of Long John Silver Paul Series
1959 Educating Archie Ray Series
1960 Armchair Mystery Theatre Detective-Sergeant Cullen Anthology series
1960–62 Armchair Theatre Alan Whint / Donnie / Ben Anthology series
1960–61 Emergency Ward 10 Dr. Don Nolan Series
1962 Out of This World Dr. Alan Whint Series
1962 Man of the World Charlie West Series
1963 The Avengers Strong Series
1963 Z-Cars Len Wilson Series
1963 ITV Playhouse Larry Ransome Play
1963 First Night Frank Angelo Series
1963–64 ITV Play of the Week Sergeant Weston / Jack Bailey Play
1963–64 Ghost Squad Peter Clarke / Mr. Hicks Series
1964 The Saint Willie Kinsall Series
1964–65 The Brothers Karamazov Mitya Karamazov
1965 Doctor Who Bennett / Koquillion Series
1965 Thursday Theatre Jacko Anthology series
1964–65 Stingray Commander Sam Shore / Sub-Lieutenant John Horatio Fisher / King Titan (voice) Series
1962–65 Drama 61–67 Captain Murchison Anthology series
1965 BBC Play of the Month Knight Anthology series
1965 Blackmail Patek
1965 Gideon C.I.D. Series
1963–65 No Hiding Place Johnny Crown / Larry Hobbs Series
1966 The Spies Walker Series
1966 The Man in Room 17 Al Gover Series
1965–66 Thunderbirds John Tracy / The Hood / Lieutenant Burroughs / Various characters (voice) Series
1967 Till Death Us Do Part ('Till Closing Time us do Part ', episode) Self Series. (1 appearance).
1969 The Corbett Follies
1965–72 Mogul Peter Thornton Series
1972 Public Eye Melville Hayden-Peters Series
1974 Barlow at Large Johnny Duchene Series
1974 The Adventures of Black Beauty T. Otis Waygood Series
1964–74 Dixon of Dock Green Phil Burgh / Nat Singer Series
1974 Colditz Flt. Lt. Jack Collins Series
1974 The Double Dealers Geoffrey Burch
1973 Churchill's People Leo Hennessey Series
1976 Arena Col Burrows Miniseries
1976 The Outsiders Harry Series
1976–77 Moynihan Series
1978 Run from the Morning Detective Sergeant Grogon Miniseries, 6 episodes
1979 Golden Soak Alec Hamilton Miniseries
1980 The Timeless Land Governor Bligh Miniseries
1981 Levkas Man Miniseries
1981 Sporting Chance Robbo
1984 The Last Bastion Gen. Thomas Blamey Miniseries
1984 Five Mile Creek Harry Series
1984 Waterfront Sam Elliott Miniseries
1986 The Flying Doctors Frank Watson Series
1986 Tusitala Harry Moors Miniseries
1986 The Challenge Robert McCullough Miniseries
1989 G.P. Rex Mitchell Series. (2 episodes).
1990 The Paper Man Maurice Grimm Miniseries
1995 Correlli Harry Powell Series
1995 Bordertown Colonel Forsythe Miniseries
1996 Fire Charles Series
1997 Adrenaline Junkies
2000 Something in the Air Len Taylor Series
2000 Stingers Mr. Rafferty Series
2003 White Collar Blue Barry Hill Series
2003 After the Deluge Old Cliff Kirby Miniseries
2004 All Saints Doc Connelly Series. (1 episode).

References

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  1. ^ a b http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/film/ray-barrett-led-an-actors-life-with-few-regrets/story-e6frg8pf-1225770720891 [dead link]
  2. ^ "Veteran Australian actor Ray Barrett dies". Telegraph.co.uk. 9 September 2009.
  3. ^ a b c The Timeless Land, TV guide compiled by Kate Reid, photographs by Martin Webby, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, page 56, Sydney, 1980, ISBN 0642974691
  4. ^ Vagg, Stephen (28 June 2020). "Ten random Australian connections with Hammer Films". Filmink.
  5. ^ Howson, Spencer: Ray Barrett's Dr Who Episodes Released on DVD Archived 10 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, ABC Radio and Regional Content, 11 May 2009.
  6. ^ AFI Raymond Longford Award Archived 20 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Australian Film Institute.
  7. ^ Veteran Actor Ray Barrett Dies at 82, Herald Sun, 8 September 2009.
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  • Ray Barrett Collection 1927-2007, State Library of Queensland - Collection of papers, scrapbooks, visual and audiovisual material relating to the life and career of Ray Barrett.