Robert Harriot Barrat (July 10, 1891 – January 7, 1970) was an American stage, motion picture, and television character actor.

Early years

Barratt was born on July 10, 1891, in New York City and was educated in the public schools there. He left college and home during his sophomore year, traveling on a tramp steamer to Central America, England, France, and South America. After he returned to the United States, he worked for two years on his brother's farm near Springfield, Massachusetts, until he learned of an opening in the chorus for a musical comedy.

Career

Early in his career, Barrat traveled around the United States, sometimes acting with stock theater companies and sometimes performing in vaudeville on the Keith and Orpheum circuits. Returning to New York City, he had a role in ''The Weavers'' at the Garden Theatre. Barrat acted on Broadway, where his credits include ''Lilly Turner'' (1932), ''Bulls, Bears and Asses'' (1931), ''This Is New York'' (1930), ''Judas'' (1928), ''The Lady Lies'' (1928), ''A Lady for a Night'' (1927), ''Marco Millions'' (1927), ''Chicago'' (1926), ''Kid Boots'' (1923), ''The Breaking Point'' (1923), ''The Unwritten Chapter'' (1920), ''The Crimson Alibi'' (1919), ''The Invisible Foe'' (1918), and ''Some One in the House'' (1918). Robert Barrat in A Very Honorable Guy trailer

Robert Barrat in A Very Honorable Guy trailer

Barrat appeared in around 150 films, uncredited in some of them, in a Hollywood career that lasted four decades. He appeared in seven pictures with

James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor, dancer and film director. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He ...

during the 1930s. Two of his most noted roles were as the murder victim Archer Coe in Michael Curtiz's '' The Kennel Murder Case'' (1933) and as the treacherous Major Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazy in the 1937

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment in ...

winning film ''

The Life of Emile Zola ''The Life of Emile Zola'' is a 1937 American biographical film about the 19th-century French author Émile Zola starring Paul Muni and directed by William Dieterle. It premiered at the Los Angeles Carthay Circle Theatre to great critical and ...

''. He played several other historical characters as well, among them

Davy Crockett David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier, and politician. He is often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier". He represented Tennessee in the U.S. House of ...

in '' Man of Conquest'',

Zachary Taylor Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to th ...

in '' Distant Drums'',

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

in '' Trailin' West'', Cornelius Van Horne in ''

Canadian Pacific The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canad ...

'' and General Douglas MacArthur twice, in ''

They Were Expendable ''They Were Expendable'' is a 1945 American war film directed by John Ford, starring Robert Montgomery and John Wayne, and featuring Donna Reed. The film is based on the 1942 novel of the same name by William Lindsay White, relating the st ...

'' and '' American Guerrilla in the Philippines''. He also appeared with the

Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act that was successful in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in motion pictures from 1905 to 1949. Five of the Marx Brothers' thirteen feature films were selected by the American Film Institute (AF ...

in '' Go West'' (1940). In the mid 1950s, Barrat transitioned to television roles. His final acting appearance was in an episode of ''

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was rena ...

'' in 1964.

Death

He died of a heart ailment in Hollywood in 1970, aged 78. Subscription required for full article. He was survived by his wife, Mary Dean. He was buried at Green Hill Cemetery,

Martinsburg, West Virginia Martinsburg is a city in and the seat of Berkeley County, West Virginia, in the tip of the state's Eastern Panhandle region in the lower Shenandoah Valley. Its population was 18,835 in the 2021 census estimate, making it the largest city in the ...

Complete filmography

*''

Her Own Way ''Her Own Way'' is a lost 1915 silent film drama directed by Herbert Blaché and starring Florence Reed. It is based on a 1903 Broadway play by Clyde Fitch that was a starring vehicle for Maxine Elliott. Cast *Florence Reed - Georgiana Carl ...

'' (1915) - Lt. Richard Coleman *'' The Wonder Man'' (1920) - Alan Gardner *'' Whispering Shadows'' (1921) - Hugh Brook *'' Honor Among Lovers'' (1931) - Detective (uncredited) *'' The Wiser Sex'' (1932) - Plainclothesman (uncredited) *'' Pack Up Your Troubles'' (1932) - Detective (uncredited) *'' King of the Jungle'' (1933) - Joe Nolan *'' The Mind Reader'' (1933) - Detective (uncredited) *'' Picture Snatcher'' (1933) - Grover *'' Lilly Turner'' (1933) - Fritz 'Heinie' *'' The Life of Jimmy Dolan'' (1933) - Sheriff (uncredited) *'' Ann Carver's Profession'' (1933) - Andrew Simmons - Attorney (uncredited) *'' The Silk Express'' (1933) - Mr. Calhoun, Attorney *'' Heroes for Sale'' (1933) - Max *''

The Mayor of Hell ''The Mayor of Hell'' is a 1933 American pre-Code Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American Film studio, film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner B ...

'' (1933) - Fred Smith *'' Baby Face'' (1933) - Nick Powers *'' Secret of the Blue Room'' (1933) - Paul, the Butler *''

The Devil's in Love ''The Devil's in Love'' (also known as ''Consul of the Damned'') is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by William Dieterle and written by Howard Estabrook. The film stars Victor Jory, Loretta Young, Vivienne Osborne, David Manne ...

'' (1933) - Maj. Bertram (uncredited) *'' Tugboat Annie'' (1933) - First Mate of 'Glacier Queen' (uncredited) *'' Captured!'' (1933) - The Commandant *'' My Lips Betray'' (1933) - Undetermined Role (uncredited) *''

Wild Boys of the Road ''Wild Boys of the Road'' is a 1933 pre-Code Depression-era American drama film directed by William Wellman and starring Frankie Darro, Rochelle Hudson, and Grant Mitchell. It tells the story of several teens forced into becoming hobos. The scr ...

'' (1933) - Judge R.H. White *'' I Loved a Woman'' (1933) - Charles Lane *'' The Kennel Murder Case'' (1933) - Archer Coe *'' From Headquarters'' (1933) - Anderzian *''

Massacre A massacre is the killing of a large number of people or animals, especially those who are not involved in any fighting or have no way of defending themselves. A massacre is generally considered to be morally unacceptable, especially when per ...

'' (1934) - Dawson *'' Hi, Nellie!'' (1934) - Beau Brownell *''Not Tonight, Josephine'' (1934, Short) *'' Dark Hazard'' (1934) - Tex Willis *''

Wonder Bar ''Wonder Bar'' is a 1934 American pre-Code film adaptation of a Broadway musical of the same name directed by Lloyd Bacon with musical numbers created by Busby Berkeley. It stars Al Jolson, Kay Francis, Dolores del Río, Ricardo Cortez, Dick ...

'' (1934) - Captain Hugo Von Ferring *'' Gambling Lady'' (1934) - Mike Lee *''

A Very Honorable Guy ''A Very Honorable Guy'' is a 1934 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Lloyd Bacon, written by Earl Baldwin, and starring Joe E. Brown, Alice White, Robert Barrat, Alan Dinehart, Irene Franklin and Hobart Cavanaugh. It was released by Warne ...

'' (1934) - Dr. Snitzer *'' Upper World'' (1934) - Police Commissioner Clark *'' Fog Over Frisco'' (1934) - Thorne *'' Return of the Terror'' (1934) - Pudge Walker *'' Midnight Alibi'' (1934) - Angie Morley *'' Here Comes the Navy'' (1934) - Commander Denny *''

Friends of Mr. Sweeney ''Friends of Mr. Sweeney'' is a 1934 American comedy film directed by Edward Ludwig and written by Warren B. Duff, Sid Sutherland, F. Hugh Herbert and Erwin S. Gelsey. It is based on the 1925 novel ''Friends of Mr. Sweeney'' by Elmer Davis. The f ...

'' (1934) - Alex (Credits) / Alexis Romanoff *''

Housewife A housewife (also known as a homemaker or a stay-at-home mother/mom/mum) is a woman whose role is running or managing her family's home— housekeeping, which includes caring for her children; cleaning and maintaining the home; making, buyin ...

'' (1934) - Sam Blake *''

The Dragon Murder Case ''The Dragon Murder Case'' (first published in 1934) is a novel in a series by S. S. Van Dine about fictional detective Philo Vance. It was also adapted to a film version in 1934, starring Warren William as Vance. Plot A guest at an estate in ...

'' (1934) - Stamm *''

Big Hearted Herbert ''Big Hearted Herbert'' is a 1934 domestic comedy film starring Aline MacMahon and Guy Kibbee as a middle-aged couple. It is based on the Broadway play of the same name by Sophie Kerr and Anna Steese Richardson, which was in turn based on the sh ...

'' (1934) - Jim *'' I Sell Anything'' (1934) - McPherson *'' The St. Louis Kid'' (1934) - Farmer Benson *''

The Firebird ''The Firebird'' (french: L'Oiseau de feu, link=no; russian: Жар-птица, Zhar-ptitsa, link=no) is a ballet and orchestral concert work by the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. It was written for the 1910 Paris season of Sergei Diaghilev's ...

'' (1934) - Halasz - the Apartment House Manager *'' I Am a Thief'' (1934) - Baron Von Kampf *'' Bordertown'' (1935) - Padre *'' Devil Dogs of the Air'' (1935) - Commandant *'' While the Patient Slept'' (1935) - Adolphe *'' The Florentine Dagger'' (1935) - The Captain *'' Village Tale'' (1935) - Drury Stevenson *'' Stranded '' (1935) - Stanislaus Janauschek *'' The Murder Man'' (1935) - Hal Robins - Newspaper Editor *'' Special Agent'' (1935) - Chief of Internal Revenue Service *'' Dressed to Thrill'' (1935) - Gaston Dupont *''

Dr. Socrates ''Dr. Socrates'' is a 1935 American crime film directed by William Dieterle and starring Paul Muni as a doctor forced to treat a wounded gangster, played by Barton MacLane. Plot The death of his fiancée in a car crash so unnerves top surgeon Dr ...

'' (1935) - Dr. Ginder *'' Moonlight on the Prairie'' (1935) - Buck Cantrell *'' Captain Blood'' (1935) - Wolverstone *'' Exclusive Story'' (1936) - Werther *'' The Trail of the Lonesome Pine'' (1936) - Buck Falin *'' The Country Doctor'' (1936) - MacKenzie *'' I Married a Doctor'' (1936) - Nels Valborg *'' Sons o' Guns'' (1936) - Pierre *'' Mary of Scotland'' (1936) - Norton *''

The Last of the Mohicans ''The Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757'' is a historical romance written by James Fenimore Cooper in 1826. It is the second book of the '' Leatherstocking Tales'' pentalogy and the best known to contemporary audiences. '' The Pathfind ...

'' (1936) - Chingachgook *'' Trailin' West'' (1936) - Abraham Lincoln *''

The Charge of the Light Brigade The Charge of the Light Brigade was a failed military action involving the British light cavalry led by Lord Cardigan against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava on 25 October 1854 in the Crimean War. Lord Raglan had intended to s ...

'' (1936) - Count Igor Volonoff *'' God's Country and the Woman'' (1937) - Jefferson Russett *'' Black Legion'' (1937) - Brown (uncredited) *'' The Barrier'' (1937) - John Gale *'' Mountain Justice'' (1937) - Jeff Harkins *''

Draegerman Courage ''Draegerman Courage'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by Louis King and written by Anthony Coldeway. The film stars Jean Muir, Barton MacLane, Henry O'Neill, Robert Barrat, Addison Richards and Helen MacKellar. The film was released b ...

'' (1937) - Martin Crane *'' Souls at Sea'' (1937) - The Reverend (uncredited) *''

'' (1937) - Major Walsin-Esterhazy *''

Confession A confession is a statement – made by a person or by a group of persons – acknowledging some personal fact that the person (or the group) would ostensibly prefer to keep hidden. The term presumes that the speaker is providing information th ...

'' (1937) - Prosecuting Attorney *''

Love Is on the Air ''Love is on the Air'' is a 1937 American film directed by Nick Grinde, and starring Ronald Reagan (in his film debut), June Travis, Eddie Acuff, Robert Barrat, Raymond Hatton and Willard Parker. It was the first of three remakes of the 1933 ...

'' (1937) - J.D. Harrington *'' The Bad Man of Brimstone'' (1937) - 'Hank' Summers *'' The Buccaneer'' (1938) - Captain Brown *'' Penitentiary'' (1938) - Prison Yard Capt. Grady *''

Forbidden Valley Forbidden Valley is a valley to the south of Citadel Peak in the Hays Mountains of Antarctica. The valley drains east-northeast from Mount Crockett to Scott Glacier and is partly covered by glacier and moraine. It was visited in December 1987 by a ...

'' (1938) - Ramrod Locke *''

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne (; ; née Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. She was born an archduchess of Austria, and was the penultimate child ...

'' (1938) - Citizen-Officer (uncredited) *'' The Texans'' (1938) - Isaiah Middlebrack *'' Breaking the Ice'' (1938) - William Decker *'' Shadows Over Shanghai'' (1938) - Igor Sargoza *'' Charlie Chan in Honolulu'' (1938) - Captain Johnson *''

Union Pacific The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pac ...

'' (1939) - Duke Ring *'' The Return of the Cisco Kid'' (1939) - Sheriff McNally *'' Man of Conquest'' (1939) - David Crockett *'' Heritage of the Desert'' (1939) - Andrew Naab *''

Colorado Sunset ''Colorado Sunset'' is a 1939 American Western film directed by George Sherman and starring Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, and June Storey. Written by Betty Burbridge and Stanley Roberts, based on a story by Luci Ward and Jack Natteford, the film ...

'' (1939) - Dr. Rodney Blair *''

Conspiracy A conspiracy, also known as a plot, is a secret plan or agreement between persons (called conspirers or conspirators) for an unlawful or harmful purpose, such as murder or treason, especially with political motivation, while keeping their agr ...

'' (1939) - Tio / Edwards *'' Bad Lands'' (1939) - Sheriff Bill Cummings *'' Allegheny Uprising'' (1939) - Duncan *''

The Cisco Kid and the Lady ''The Cisco Kid and the Lady'' is a 1939 American Western film starring Cesar Romero as the Cisco Kid, replacing Warner Baxter, who'd won the Academy Award for the role, and is the fifth film in The Cisco Kid series. For Cesar Romero, this was t ...

'' (1939) - Jim Harbison *'' Laddie'' (1940) - Mr. John Stanton *'' The Man from Dakota'' (1940) - Parson Summers *''

Northwest Passage The Northwest Passage (NWP) is the sea route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The eastern route along the Arct ...

'' (1940) - Humphrey Towne *'' Captain Caution'' (1940) - Capt. Dorman *''

Fugitive from a Prison Camp ''Fugitive from a Prison Camp'' is a 1940 American thriller film directed by Lewis D. Collins Lewis D. Collins (January 12, 1899 – August 24, 1954) was an American film director and occasional screenwriter. In his career spanning over 30 ye ...

'' (1940) - Chester Russell *'' Go West'' (1940) - 'Red' Baxter *'' They Met in Argentina'' (1941) - Don Enrique de los Santos O'Shea *'' Parachute Battalion'' (1941) - Col. Burke *''

Riders of the Purple Sage ''Riders of the Purple Sage'' is a Western novel by Zane Grey, first published by Harper & Brothers in 1912. Considered by scholars to have played a significant role in shaping the formula of the popular Western genre, the novel has been call ...

'' (1941) - Judge Frank Dyer *'' The Girl from Alaska'' (1942) - Frayne *'' Fall In'' (1942) - Col. Elliott *'' American Empire'' (1942) - Crowder *'' A Stranger in Town'' (1943) - Mayor Connison *'' They Came to Blow Up America'' (1943) - Capt. Kranz *''

Bomber's Moon ''Bomber's Moon'' is a 1943 American wartime propaganda film, produced by 20th Century Fox, based on an unpublished magazine serial "Bomber's Moon" by Leonard Lee. Plot Captain Jeff Dakin ( George Montgomery) is shot down over Germany on a bomb ...

'' (1943) - Ernst *''

Johnny Come Lately ''Johnny Come Lately'' is a 1943 drama film directed by William K. Howard starring James Cagney, Grace George, Marjorie Main and Hattie McDaniel. It was the first film produced by Cagney's brother, William Cagney. The title is derived from the ...

'' (1943) - Bill Swain *'' The Adventures of Mark Twain'' (1944) - Horace E. Bixby - Riverboat Captain *''

Enemy of Women ''Enemy of Women'' is a 1944 American anti-Nazi propaganda film directed by Alfred Zeisler. The lead character is Joseph Goebbels, played by Paul Andor. Plot Paul Joseph Goebbels, a down-on-his-luck playwright, boards with German military pens ...

'' (1944) - Wallburg the Publisher *'' The Keys of the Kingdom'' (1944) - Willie's Father (scenes deleted) *'' Grissly's Millions'' (1945) - Grissly Morgan Palmor *'' The Great John L.'' (1945) - Billy Muldoon *'' Wanderer of the Wasteland'' (1945) - Uncle Jim Collinshaw *''

Dakota Dakota may refer to: * Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux ** Dakota language, their language Dakota may also refer to: Places United States * Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Dakota, Illinois, a town * Dakota, Minnesota ...

'' (1945) - Anson Stowe *'' Road to Utopia'' (1945) - Sperry *''

'' (1945) - General MacArthur *''

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

'' (1945) - Col. Johnson *'' Strangler of the Swamp'' (1946) - Christian Sanders *'' Just Before Dawn'' (1946) - Clyde Travers *'' Sunset Pass'' (1946) - Rand Curtis *'' The Time of Their Lives'' (1946) - Maj. Putnam *''

Dangerous Millions ''Dangerous Millions'' is a 1946 American drama film directed by James Tinling and written by Irving Cummings Jr. and Robert G. North. The film stars Kent Taylor, Dona Drake, Tala Birell, Leonard Strong, Rex Evans and Robert Barrat. The film was ...

'' (1946) - Hendrick Van Boyden *'' Magnificent Doll'' (1946) - Mr. Payne *'' The Sea of Grass'' (1947) - Judge Seth White *'' The Fabulous Texan'' (1947) - Dr. Sharp *'' Road to Rio'' (1947) - Johnson *'' I Love Trouble'' (1948) - Lt. Quint *'' Relentless'' (1948) - Ed Simpson *''

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= �an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the corona ...

'' (1948) - Jacques d'Arc *''

Bad Men of Tombstone ''Bad Men of Tombstone'' is a 1949 American Western film from King Brothers Productions. It was co-written by Philip Yordan and stars Barry Sullivan and Broderick Crawford. King Brothers announced plans for a sequel, ''The Marshall of Tombstone' ...

'' (1949) - Leadville Sheriff *'' Song of India'' (1949) - Maharajah of Ramjat *'' The Lone Wolf and His Lady'' (1949) - Steve Taylor *''

'' (1949) - Cornelius Van Horne *'' The Doolins of Oklahoma'' (1949) - Marshal Heck Thomas *'' Davy Crockett, Indian Scout'' (1950) - James Lone Eagle *'' Riders of the Range'' (1950) - Sheriff Cole *'' The Baron of Arizona'' (1950) - Judge *'' The Kid from Texas'' (1950) - General Lew Wallace *'' American Guerrilla in the Philippines'' (1950) - Gen. Douglas MacArthur *''The Pride of Maryland'' (1951) - Colonel Harding *'' Double Crossbones'' (1951) - Henry Morgan *'' Darling, How Could You!'' (1951) - Mr. Rossiter *'' Flight to Mars'' (1951) - Tillamar *'' Distant Drums'' (1951) - Gen. Zachary Taylor *'' Denver and Rio Grande'' (1952) - Charlie Haskins *'' Son of Ali Baba'' (1952) - Commandant *'' Cow Country'' (1953) - Walt Garnet *'' Tall Man Riding'' (1955) - Tucker Ordway

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Barrat, Robert 1891 births 1970 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male silent film actors American male stage actors American male television actors Burials at Green Hill Cemetery (Martinsburg, West Virginia) Male actors from New York City