Ray Barrett

Ray Barrett
Raymond Charles Barrett (2 May 19278 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.
Early life
Barrett was born 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.
Acting career
United Kingdom
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.
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.
While Barrett mostly appeared in television, he also made several films including Hammer's The Reptile (1966).
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.
Australia
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. 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.
Death
Barrett died on 8 September 2009 at the Gold Coast Hospital in Southport, Queensland, aged 82, after suffering a brain haemorrhage. His final acting appearance had been in the 2008 film Australia.
Filmography
Film
The Desperate Women (1954) as Agent
The Sundowners (1960) (uncredited)
Touch of Death (1961) as Maxwell
Edgar Wallace Mysteries: "Time to Remember" (1962) as Sammy (US TV: Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre)
Mix Me a Person (1962) as Insp. Wagstaffe
Jigsaw (1962) as Sgt. Gorman
Moment of Decision (1962) (Third episode in the Scales of Justice series)
Edgar Wallace Mysteries: "To Have and to Hold" (1963) as Henry Fraser (US TV: Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre)
80,000 Suspects (1963) as Health Inspector Bennett
Valley of the Kings (1964) as Mr. Marsh
The Reptile (1966) as Harry George Spalding
Thunderbirds Are GO (1966) as John Tracy / The Hood (voice)
Just Like a Woman (1967) as Australian
Revenge (1971) as Harry
Peer Gynt (1972) as Button moulder
Little Laura and Big John (1973) as Cates
The Amorous Milkman (1975) as John
The Hostages (1975) as Joe Blake
Arena (1976) as Col Burrows
Don's Party (1976) as Mal
Let the Balloon Go (1976) as Dr. McLeod
The Outsiders (1976)
No Room to Run (1978) as Jack Deakin
The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978) as Farrell
Tim (1979) as Man outside hotel (uncredited)
The Earthling (1980) as Parnell
Departmental (1980)
A Shifting Dreaming (1982)
A Dangerous Summer (1982) as F.C.O. Webster
Goodbye Paradise (1983) as Michael Stacy
Where the Green Ants Dream (1984) as Cole
Conferenceville (1984)
The Empty Beach (1985) as MacLeary
Rebel (1985) as Bubbles
Relatives (1985) as Geoffrey
Frenchman's Farm (1987) as Harry Benson
Contagion (1987) as Bael
As Time Goes By (1988) as J.L. Weston
Prisoners of the Sun (1990) as President of the Bench
Waiting (1991) as Frank
No Worries (1994) as Old Burkey
Hotel Sorrento (1995) as Wal Moynihan
Dad and Dave: On Our Selection (1995) as Dwyer
Asian Connection: Old Flames (1995)
Brilliant Lies (1996) as Brian Connor
Hotel de Love (1996) as Jack Dunne
Heaven's Burning (1997) as Cam
In the Winter Dark (1998) as Maurice Stubbs
Deluge (1999)
Dalkeith (2002) as Tarquin St John Smythe
Visitors (2003) as Bill Perry
Australia (2008) as Ramsden (final film role)
Television
The Adventures of Long John Silver (1957) as Paul
Educating Archie (1959) as Ray
Armchair Mystery Theatre (1960) as Detective-Sergeant Cullen
Armchair Theatre (1960–1962) as Alan Whint / Donnie / Ben
Emergency – Ward 10 (1960–61) as Dr. Don Nolan
Out of This World (1962) as Dr. Alan Whint
Man of the World (1962) as Charlie West
The Avengers (1963) as Strong
Z Cars (1963) as Len Wilson
ITV Playhouse (1963) as Larry Ransome
First Night (1963) as Frank Angelo
ITV Play of the Week (1963–64) as Sergeant Weston / Jack Bailey
Ghost Squad (1963–64) as Peter Clarke / Mr. Hicks
The Saint (1964) as Willie Kinsall
The Brothers Karamazov (1964–65) as Mitya Karamazov
Doctor Who (1965) as Bennett / Koquillion
Thursday Theatre (1965) as Jacko
Stingray (1964–65) as Commander Sam Shore / Sub-Lieutenant John Horatio Fisher / King Titan (voice)
Drama 61–67 (1962–1965) as Captain Murchison
BBC Play of the Month (1965) as Knight
Blackmail (1965) as Patek
Gideon C.I.D. (1965)
No Hiding Place (1963–1965) as Johnny Crown / Larry Hobbs
The Spies (1966) as Walker
The Man in Room 17 (1966) as Al Gover
Thunderbirds (1965–66) as John Tracy / The Hood / Lieutenant Burroughs / Various Characters (voice)
Till Death Us Do Part (1967)
The Corbett Follies (1969)
Mogul (1965–1972) as Peter Thornton
Public Eye (1972) as Melville Hayden-Peters
Barlow at Large (1974) as Johnny Duchene
The Adventures of Black Beauty (1974) as T. Otis Waygood
Dixon of Dock Green (1964–1974) as Phil Burgh / Nat Singer
Colditz (1974) as Flt. Lt. Jack Collins
The Double Dealers (1974) as Geoffrey Burch
Churchill's People (1975) as Leo Hennessey
The Outsiders (1976) as Harry
Moynihan (1976–77)
Run from the Morning (1978)
Golden Soak (1979) as Alec Hamilton
Burn the Butterflies (1979) as Prime Minister
The Timeless Land (1980) as Gov. Bligh
Levkas Man (1981)
Sporting Chance (1981) as Robbo
The Last Bastion (1984) as Gen. Tom Blamey
Five Mile Creek (1984) as Harry
Waterfront (1984) as Sam Elliott
The Flying Doctors (1986) as Frank Watson
Tusitala (1986) as Harry Moors
The Challenge (1986) as Robert McCullough
G.P. (1989) as Rex Mitchell
The Paper Man (1990) as Maurice Grimm
Correlli (1995) as Harry Powell
Bordertown (1995) as Colonel Forsythe
Fire (1996) as Charles
Adrenaline Junkies (1997)
Something in the Air (2000) as Len Taylor
Stingers (2000) as Mr. Rafferty
White Collar Blue (2003) as Barry Hill
After the Deluge (2003) as Old Cliff Kirby
All Saints (2004) as Doc Connelly
References
1927 births
2009 deaths
20th-century Australian male actors
21st-century Australian male actors
Australian expatriate actors
Australian expatriate male actors in the United Kingdom
Australian expatriates in England
Australian Freemasons
Australian male film actors
Australian male radio actors
Australian male television actors
Australian male voice actors
Best Actor AACTA Award winners
Best Supporting Actor AACTA Award winners
Logie Award winners
Male actors from Brisbane
Male actors from Sydney
Neurological disease deaths in Queensland
People educated at Brisbane State High School
Actors from Queensland