Vince Barnett
Encyclopedia
Vince Barnett was an American film actor. He appeared on stage originally before appearing in over 180 films between 1930
and 1975
.
He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
the son of Luke Barnett, a well-known comedian who specialized in insulting and pulling practical jokes on his audiences (Luke's professional nickname was "Old Man Ribber" and "the King of Ribbing".) Vince remained in the family business by hiring himself out to Hollywood parties, where he would insult the guests in a thick German accent, spill the soup and drop the trays—all to the great delight of hosts who enjoyed watching their friends squirm and mutter "Who hired that jerk?" The diminutive, chrome-domed Barnett also appeared in the 1926 edition of Earl Carroll's Vanities. He began appearing in films in 1930, playing hundreds of comedy bits and supporting parts until retiring in 1975. Among Vince Barnett's more sizeable screen roles was the moronic, illiterate gangster "secretary" in Scarface (1931).
Former vaudevillian, who acquired a solid reputation as a practical joker and master of insult, second only to the great Groucho Marx
. Celebrity hosts would often hire Vince to perform gags and put-on jokes at their lavish parties, where he would insult the guests and create mayhem in his wake. He often posed as heavily-accented journalists with names like 'Timothy Glutzspiegel'. Among the many victims of his pranks were such luminaries as Winston Churchill
, Charles Lindbergh
, Henry Ford
and the Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen
.
After studying at the Carnegie Institute of Technology, Vince, who was an avid amateur pilot, flew mail planes for a couple of years before making his stage debut with 'Earl Carroll's Vanities' in 1926. The following year, he acted on Broadway in 'George White's Scandals'. Movie roles soon followed.
From 1930, Vince appeared, usually as comedy relief, in films and on television in a career spanning 45 years. Among his best-regarded early roles were 'Scarface
' (1932,as a dumb gangster), 'The Big Cage' (1933), 'Thirty Day Princess' (1934) and, in a perfectly-suited Runyonesque part, 'Princess O'Hara' (1935). In later years, Vince often relinquished his comedy image and was seen in innumerable small roles, often as careworn little men, undertakers, janitors, bartenders and drunks in pictures ranging from films noir ('The Killers',1946) to westerns ('Springfield Rifle',1952).
In one of his last public appearances, Vince showcased his unique brand of humour with a monologue, delivered at Madison Square Garden in the vaudeville revue 'The Big Show of 1936'. Barnett died in Encino, California August 10, 1977.
1930 in film
-Events:* November 1: The Big Trail featuring a young John Wayne in his first starring role is released in both 35mm, and a very early form of 70mm film and was the first large scale big-budget film of the sound era costing over $2 million. The film was praised for its aesthetic quality and realism...
and 1975
1975 in film
The year 1975 in film involved some significant events, with Steven Spielberg's thriller Jaws topping the box office.-Events:*March 26 - The film version of The Who's Tommy premieres in London....
.
He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
the son of Luke Barnett, a well-known comedian who specialized in insulting and pulling practical jokes on his audiences (Luke's professional nickname was "Old Man Ribber" and "the King of Ribbing".) Vince remained in the family business by hiring himself out to Hollywood parties, where he would insult the guests in a thick German accent, spill the soup and drop the trays—all to the great delight of hosts who enjoyed watching their friends squirm and mutter "Who hired that jerk?" The diminutive, chrome-domed Barnett also appeared in the 1926 edition of Earl Carroll's Vanities. He began appearing in films in 1930, playing hundreds of comedy bits and supporting parts until retiring in 1975. Among Vince Barnett's more sizeable screen roles was the moronic, illiterate gangster "secretary" in Scarface (1931).
Former vaudevillian, who acquired a solid reputation as a practical joker and master of insult, second only to the great Groucho Marx
Groucho Marx
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx was an American comedian and film star famed as a master of wit. His rapid-fire delivery of innuendo-laden patter earned him many admirers. He made 13 feature films with his siblings the Marx Brothers, of whom he was the third-born...
. Celebrity hosts would often hire Vince to perform gags and put-on jokes at their lavish parties, where he would insult the guests and create mayhem in his wake. He often posed as heavily-accented journalists with names like 'Timothy Glutzspiegel'. Among the many victims of his pranks were such luminaries as Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
, Henry Ford
Henry Ford
Henry Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry...
and the Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen
Roald Amundsen
Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer of polar regions. He led the first Antarctic expedition to reach the South Pole between 1910 and 1912 and he was the first person to reach both the North and South Poles. He is also known as the first to traverse the Northwest Passage....
.
After studying at the Carnegie Institute of Technology, Vince, who was an avid amateur pilot, flew mail planes for a couple of years before making his stage debut with 'Earl Carroll's Vanities' in 1926. The following year, he acted on Broadway in 'George White's Scandals'. Movie roles soon followed.
From 1930, Vince appeared, usually as comedy relief, in films and on television in a career spanning 45 years. Among his best-regarded early roles were 'Scarface
Scarface
Scarface may refer to:*Scarface , a film based on the life of Al Capone and starring Paul Muni**Scareface, by Armitage Trail, the novel the 1932 film was based on...
' (1932,as a dumb gangster), 'The Big Cage' (1933), 'Thirty Day Princess' (1934) and, in a perfectly-suited Runyonesque part, 'Princess O'Hara' (1935). In later years, Vince often relinquished his comedy image and was seen in innumerable small roles, often as careworn little men, undertakers, janitors, bartenders and drunks in pictures ranging from films noir ('The Killers',1946) to westerns ('Springfield Rifle',1952).
In one of his last public appearances, Vince showcased his unique brand of humour with a monologue, delivered at Madison Square Garden in the vaudeville revue 'The Big Show of 1936'. Barnett died in Encino, California August 10, 1977.
Selected filmography
- All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) uncredited
- Scratch-As-Catch-CanScratch-As-Catch-CanScratch-As-Catch-Can is a 1932 short comedy film directed by Mark Sandrich. It was nominated for an Academy Award in 1932 for Best Short Subject .-Cast:* Bobby Clark* Paul McCullough* James Finlayson* Phil Dunham* Charlotte Ogden...
(1931) - ScarfaceScarface (1932 film)Scarface is a 1932 American gangster film starring Paul Muni and George Raft, produced by Howard Hughes, directed by Howard Hawks and Richard Rosson, and written by Ben Hecht based on the 1929 novel of the same name by Armitage Trail...
(1932) - The Death KissThe Death KissThe Death Kiss is a mystery film starring David Manners as a crusading studio writer, Adrienne Ames as an actress, Bela Lugosi as a studio manager, and Edward Van Sloan as a film director. The comedy thriller features three leading players from the previous year's Dracula , and was the first film...
(1932) - The Prizefighter and the LadyThe Prizefighter and the LadyThe Prizefighter and the Lady is a 1933 black-and-white MGM crime romance comedy starring Myrna Loy, Max Baer, Primo Carnera, Jack Dempsey, and Walter Huston. It was the film debut for professional boxers Baer and Carnera. Carnera was the world heavyweight boxing champion at the time of the film's...
(1933) - Thirty-Day PrincessThirty-Day PrincessThirty-Day Princess is a 1934 black-and-white comedy film starring Sylvia Sidney, Cary Grant and Edward Arnold. Based on a story of the same name by Clarence Budington Kelland, which appeared in Ladies' Home Journal in 1933, adapted by Sam Hellman and Edwin Justus Mayer and written by Preston...
(1934) - Now I'll TellNow I'll TellNow I'll Tell is a 1934 American drama film starring Spencer Tracy, Helen Twelvetrees, and Alice Faye. The film was directed and written by Edwin J. Burke and is based on a novel by Mrs. Arnold Robinson. The film is about a gambler who gets in trouble with the mob by fixing fights and loses his...
(1934) - Young and BeautifulYoung and Beautiful (film)Young and Beautiful is a romantic comedy film about a press agent who goes to great lengths to make his actress girlfriend a star, only to risk losing her in the process...
(1934) - Riffraff (1936)
- Heroes of the SaddleHeroes of the SaddleHeroes of the Saddle is a 1940 American Western "Three Mesquiteers" B-movie directed by William Witney.- Cast :* Robert Livingston as Stony Brooke* Raymond Hatton as Rusty Joslin* Duncan Renaldo as Renaldo...
(1940) - East Side KidsEast Side Kids (film)East Side Kids is a 1940 film and the first in the East Side Kids film series. It is, however, the only one not to star any of the original six Dead End Kids.-Overview:...
(1940) - Seven Sinners (1940)
- Captive Wild WomanCaptive Wild WomanCaptive Wild Woman is a sci-fi horror film, starring John Carradine, Milburn Stone, Evelyn Ankers, and Acquanetta. It was released by Universal Pictures and was directed by Edward Dmytryk.-Plot:...
(1943) - Carson CityCarson City (1952 film)Carson City is a 1952 western film starring Randolph Scott, Lucille Norman, Raymond Massey, and Richard Webb. Carson City was Warner Bros.' first film shot in WarnerColor.-Plot:...
(1952) - Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini MachineDr. Goldfoot and the Bikini MachineDr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine is a 1965 American International Pictures film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Vincent Price, Frankie Avalon, Dwayne Hickman, Susan Hart and Deborah Walley...
(1965) - Andy Griffith Show as "Elmo" (1967–1968)
- Mayberry R.F.D.Mayberry R.F.D.Mayberry R.F.D. is a spin-off and direct continuation of The Andy Griffith Show under a new title, for the same sponsor, General Foods...
as "Elmo" (1968–1970)