# Barry Otto

Barry Otto (born 1941) is an Australian actor.

## Early life

Barry Otto was born in 1941 in Brisbane, the son of a butcher. He has a sister named Denise. Otto trained as an artist at Brisbane Central Technical College. In the 1960s, Otto worked as a commercial artist and fashion illustrator. He never formally trained as an actor.

## Career

Otto began acting in amateur theatre and drawing room comedies in the 1970s. He has had film roles in Strictly Ballroom, Cosi, The Dressmaker, Kiss or Kill, Dead Letter Office, The Visitor, The Great Gatsby, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, Love's Brother (see Filmography). He portrayed Administrator Allsop in Australia in 2008. In 2015 Otto voiced the role of Mayor Wilberforce Cranklepot, a goanna, in Blinky Bill the Movie.

## Personal life

Otto married Lindsay, with whom he has a daughter Miranda (an actress), born in 1967 in Brisbane. They divorced in 1973.
With his second wife Susan "Sue" Hill, Otto has a son, Eddie (a teacher and professional cricket coach), and daughter, Gracie (a filmmaker and actress), born in 1987 in Sydney.
Otto is also an artist. He often paints members of his family and has twice entered the Archibald Prize.
Otto was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2018.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1977 | Benny Hill Down Under | Trevor McKenzie | TV movie |
| 1982 | Norman Loves Rose | Charles | Feature film |
| 1984 | The Secret Discovery of Australia | French Ambassador | |
| 1984 | Undercover | Professor Henckel | Feature film |
| 1984 | Who Killed Hannah Jane? | James Harnney | TV movie |
| 1985 | Bliss | Harry Joy | Feature film |
| 1986 | The More Things Change... | Lex | Feature film |
| 1987 | Howling III: The Marsupials | Professor Harry Beckmeyer | Feature film |
| 1988 | Takeover | George Oppenheimer | Feature film |
| 1989 | The Punisher | 'Shake' | Feature film |
| 1992 | Strictly Ballroom | Doug Hastings | Feature film |
| 1993 | The Custodian | Brian Ferguson | Feature film |
| 1994 | Exile | Sheriff Hamilton | Feature film |
| 1995 | Dad and Dave: On Our Selection | J.P. Riley | Feature film |
| 1996 | Lilian's Story | John Singer | Feature film |
| 1996 | Così | Roy | Feature film |
| 1996 | My Entire Life (aka Mr Reliable) | The Premier | Feature film |
| 1997 | I Love Rachel | Unknown | |
| 1997 | Mr. Nice Guy | Baggio | Feature film |
| 1997 | Oscar and Lucinda | Jimmy D'Abbs | Feature film |
| 1997 | Kiss or Kill | Adler Jones | Feature film |
| 1997 | Frontier | Government Agent Archibald Meston | |
| 1998 | Dead Letter Office | Gerald Urquhart | Feature film |
| 2002 | The Visitor | Michael | Short film |
| 2004 | Love's Brother | Father Alfredo | Feature film |
| 2004 | Loot | Charles Highsmith | |
| 2006 | Single White Farmer | Poley | |
| 2007 | Rogue | Merv | Feature film |
| 2007 | La même nuit | The Concierge | |
| 2007 | Soul Mates | Paddy Byrne | |
| 2007 | Cheap Seats | Enjouer | |
| 2008 | Newcastle | Gramps | Feature film |
| 2008 | Australia | Administrator Allsop | Feature film |
| 2008 | $9.99 | Albert (voice) | Feature film (animated) |
| 2008 | Three Blind Mice | Fred | Feature film |
| 2008 | In a Pig's Eye | Unknown | |
| 2010 | Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole | Echidna (voice) | Feature film (animated) |
| 2010 | South Solitary | George Wadsworth | Feature film |
| 2010 | Seamstress | Unknown | |
| 2011 | To Face the Sun | Father | |
| 2011 | Waiting for the Turning of the Earth | Tom | |
| 2012 | A Cautionary Tail | Doctor (voice) | |
| 2013 | The Great Gatsby | Benny McClenahan | Feature film |
| 2015 | Blinky Bill the Movie | Mayor Wilberforce Cranklepot (voice) | Feature film Nominated — Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Voice in an Animated Film |
| 2015 | The Dressmaker | Percival Almanac | Feature film |
| 2016 | Pypo | | |
| 2016 | Fish with Legs | Head Fish Warren | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1975 | Until Tomorrow | Trevor McKenzie | TV series |
| 1978 | Case for the Defence | Doctor | TV series |
| 1978 | Tickled Pink | Leo | TV special |
| 1980 | Spring & Fall | Harry Dawson | Anthology series, season 1, episode 5: "The Slammer" |
| 1983 | The Dismissal | | Miniseries |
| 1983 | A Country Practice | Bela Szollos | TV series |
| 1984 | Singies | | Miniseries |
| 1998 | Murder Call | Otis Farrow | TV series, season 2, episodes 10-11: "Deadfall" (parts 1 &2) |
| 2005 | The Secret Life of Us | Bill Holdforth | TV series, season 4, episode 12: "The Heart of Friday Night" |
| 2006 | Stupid Stupid Man | Principal Cooper | TV series, season 1 |
| 2006 | All Saints | Bob Tyrell | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2013 | Dance Academy | Sir Jeffery | TV series, season 3, 6 episodes |
| 2016 | Rake | Judge Cowper | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2017 | Sisters | Julius Bechly | TV series, 7 episodes |
| 2019 | The Other Guy | Ron | TV series, episode: "New Wheels and Cock Socks" |

## Theatre

| Year | Title | Role | Company |
| 1970 | Eden House | Bernie Smith | La Boite Theatre |
| 1971 | Flash Jim Vaux | Circus Style Performer | Twelfth Night Theatre |
| 1974 | Present Laughter | | SGIO Theatre |
| 1974 | A Doll’s House | Torvald Helmer | SGIO Theatre |
| 1975 | How Does Your Garden Grow? | | Twelfth Night Theatre |
| 1976–77 | Travesties | Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov | Nimrod Theatre |
| 1976 | The Tatty Hollow Story | Ben | Stables Theatre |
| 1976 | Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been? | Edward Dmytryk / Investigator | Nimrod Theatre |
| 1976 | The Recruiting Officer | Constable | Nimrod Theatre |
| 1976 | The Duchess of Malfi | Castruchio / Count Malateste | Nimrod Theatre |
| 1977 | Twelfth Night | Orsino | Nimrod Theatre |
| 1977 | Wild Oats | Ephraim Smooth | Seymour Centre |
| 1977 | The Tempest | Sebastian | Sydney Opera House |
| 1978 | Black Comedy | Brindsley Miller | Sydney Opera House |
| 1978 | The Misanthrope | Alceste | Sydney Opera House |
| 1978 | Hay Fever | Sandy Tyrell | Canberra Theatre, Sydney Opera House |
| 1978 | The Lady from Maxim’s | Dr Petypon | Sydney Opera House |
| 1979 | What Price Glory? | Pharmacist's Mate | ABC Radio, Sydney |
| 1979 | The Bed Before Yesterday | Felix | Theatre Royal, Sydney |
| 1979 | On Our Selection | Old Carey / Jim Carey | Jane Street Theatre, Nimrod Theatre |
| 1979 | Upside Down at the Bottom of the World | D H Lawrence | Nimrod Theatre |
| 1980 | Traitors | Giorgi Krasin | Nimrod Theatre |
| 1980 | The Bride of Gospel Place | The Master | Jane Street Theatre |
| 1980 | The Dybbuk | Azriel | Jane Street Theatre |
| 1980 | Volpone | Corvino | Nimrod Theatre |
| 1981 | Three Sisters | Fyodor Ilyich Kulyghin | Nimrod Theatre |
| 1981 | Protest: Audience / Private View / Protest | Malster / Michal / Stanek | Nimrod Theatre |
| 1981 | Cloud Nine | Clive / Cathy | Nimrod Theatre |
| 1981 | Tales from the Vienna Woods | Zauberkonig | Nimrod Theatre |
| 1982 | Welcome the Bright World | Sebastian Ayalti | Nimrod Theatre |
| 1982 | Burn Victim | | Nimrod Theatre |
| 1983 | Uncle Vanya | Uncle Vanya | Nimrod Theatre |
| 1983 | The Portage to San Cristobal of A.H. | | Sydney Opera House |
| 1987 | Tom and Viv | | Wharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company |
| 1987 | Kiss of the Spider Woman | | Seymour Centre |
| 1988 | Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune | Johnny | University of Sydney |
| 1989–91 | The Marriage of Figaro | Figaro | Wharf Theatre, Playhouse, Melbourne with Sydney Theatre Company |
| 1990 | Hot Fudge and Icecream | | Wharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company |
| 1991 | Hotel Sorrento | Edwin | Wharf Theatre |
| 1992; 1994 | Cosi | Roy | Belvoir Theatre, Russell Street Theatre with Melbourne Theatre Company |
| 1993 | The Trials of Brother Jero | | Courtyard Theatre, Bondi |
| 1993 | Faust | Faust | Russell Street Theatre with Melbourne Theatre Company |
| 1994 | White Wheat | | Domain Theatre, Sydney |
| 1994 | Amadeus | Salieri | Melbourne Athenaeum |
| 1995 | The Tempest | Prospero | Belvoir Theatre, Space Theatre, Adelaide |
| 1996 | Night on Bald Mountain | | Playhouse Adelaide, Belvoir Theatre |
| 1996 | Wasp | | Belvoir Theatre |
| 1998 | Show Boat | Cap'n Andy | Lyric Theatre Sydney, Regent Theatre, Melbourne |
| 1999 | Barrymore | John Barrymore | Sydney Opera House, Glen Street Theatre, Newcastle Civic Theatre, Cremorne Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company |
| 2000 | The Falls | | Stables Theatre with Griffin Theatre Company |
| 2002 | Volpone | Volpone | Sydney Opera House |
| 2003–04 | Last Cab to Darwin | Max | Octagon Theatre, Perth, Sydney Opera House, Broken Hill Entertainment Centre, Orange Civic Theatre, Glen Street Theatre, Manning Entertainment Centre, Newcastle Civic Theatre, Theatre Royal, Hobart, Princess Theatre, Launceston, Dunstan Playhouse Adelaide, IMB Theatre, Wollongong, Darwin Entertainment Centre, Butter Factory Theatre with Pork Chop Productions |
| 2003 | Proof | Robert | Sydney Opera House, Glen Street Theatre |
| 2005 | Boy Gets Girl | Les Kennkat | Wharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company |
| 2007 | Troupers | Isaac | Wharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company |
| 2007 | Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? | Martin | Cremorne Theatre with Queensland Theatre |
| 2007 | Heroes | Philippe | Cremorne Theatre with Queensland Theatre |
| 2008 | Tartuffe | Orgon | Malthouse Theatre with Melbourne Theatre Company |
| 2008 | Hamlet | Polonius | Sydney Opera House, Playhouse, Melbourne with Bell Shakespeare |
| 2009 | Optimism | Pangloss | Malthouse Theatre, [], Sydney Opera House & Royal Lyceum Theatre for Edinburgh Comedy Festival |
| 2012 | The Histrionic | The Landlord | Malthouse Theatre, Wharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company |
| 2013 | The Kreutzer Sonata | Pozdnyshev | State Theatre Company of South Australia |
| 2015 | Seventeen | Ronny | Belvoir Theatre |

## Awards

Otto received an AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in Strictly Ballroom and was nominated for Bliss, Cosi and The More Things Change....
Barry Otto at Randwick in Sydney on the Australian Film Walk of Fame.