Jess Barker
Jess Barker (June 4, 1912 – August 8, 2000) was an American actor who was active between the 1940s and 1970s. He was the first husband of actress Susan Hayward.
Jess Barker | |
|---|---|
 Scarlet Street (1945) | |
| Born | June 4, 1912 |
| Died | August 8, 2000 (aged 88) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1943–1977 |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 3 |
Early years
Barker was born in Greenville, South Carolina.[1]
Career
Barker began his film career credited as Philip Barker until changing his stage name to Jess Barker in the early 1940s.
Barker's movie career was damaged because of the publicity resulting from a custody dispute, but he still managed to find work as an actor on radio and films in supporting roles. Barker appeared as an art critic in Fritz Lang's Scarlet Street (1945) and the Abbott and Costello film The Time of Their Lives (1946). He also made two guest appearances on Perry Mason. In 1961 he played defendant Walter Eastman in "The Case of the Injured Innocent," and in 1965 he played Doug Hamilton in "The Case of the Murderous Mermaid."
Personal life
Barker wed Susan Hayward on July 23, 1944.[2][3] They had twin sons together during their ten-year marriage, whose custody was won by Hayward after a bitter court battle.
In 1956, Barker lost a paternity suit in Los Angeles. Judge Walter H. Odemar ruled that Barker was the father of Morgana, a daughter born to actress Yvonne Doughty.[4] He died of liver failure.[1]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | The Trail of the Lonesome Pine | Merd Falin | |
| 1943 | Good Luck, Mr. Yates | Oliver B. Yates | |
| 1943 | Government Girl | Dana McGuire | |
| 1944 | Cover Girl | John Coudair as a Young Man | |
| 1944 | Jam Session | George Carter Haven | |
| 1944 | She's a Soldier Too | Dr. Bill White | |
| 1945 | Keep Your Powder Dry | Junior Vanderheusen | |
| 1945 | Senorita from the West | Tim Winters | |
| 1945 | This Love of Ours | Chadwick | |
| 1945 | The Daltons Ride Again | Jeff Colton | |
| 1945 | Scarlet Street | Damon Janeway | |
| 1946 | Girl on the Spot | Rick Crane | |
| 1946 | Idea Girl | Larry Brewster | |
| 1946 | The Time of Their Lives | Thomas Danbury | |
| 1949 | Take One False Step | Arnold Sykes | |
| 1949 | Reign of Terror | Saint Just | |
| 1950 | The Milkman | John Carter | |
| 1953 | Marry Me Again | Jenkins | |
| 1954 | Dragonfly Squadron | Dixon | |
| 1955 | Kentucky Rifle | Daniel Foster | |
| 1955 | Shack Out on 101 | Artie | |
| 1956 | Three Bad Sisters | George Gurney | |
| 1956 | The Peacemaker | Ed Halcomb | |
| 1964 | Night Walker | Malone | |
| 1968 | The Green Berets | Soldier | Uncredited |
| 1975 | Murph the Surf | Museum Guard | |
| 1977 | Sudden Death | (final film role) |
References
- Lentz, Harris M. III (2001). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2000: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture. McFarland. pp. 14–15. ISBN 9780786452057. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
- "Persuaded Barker to Marry Her---Hayward". The Bakersfield Californian. June 18, 1954. p. 26. Retrieved April 24, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Susan Hayward and Jess Barker Wedded". The Piqua Daily Call. July 24, 1944. p. 1. Retrieved April 24, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Actor Jess Barker Loses Court Fight In Paternity Suit". Moberly Monitor-Index. December 28, 1956. p. 8. Retrieved April 24, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
- Jess Barker at IMDb
- Jess Barker at AllMovie
- Jess Barker at the Internet Broadway Database