Bruce Barry (actor)

Bruce Alaric Barry (24 October 193420 April 2017 or 6 May 2017) was an Australian stage, television and film actor, and singer.

Early life and career
Bruce Barry was born the son of a teacher in Gympie, Queensland, and grew up in Charters Towers. Having started his career as a radio announcer in Queensland and northern New South Wales, Barry ventured into singing at Gold Coast nightclubs and then to acting with the Young Elizabethans, a Sydney-based theatre troupe.  His first role was the title role in Henry V. In his three years there, he performed throughout Australia on various regional tours.

He then combined his singing and acting skills in stage musicals such as Funny Girl (with Jill Perryman), A Little Night Music (with Taina Elg), Irma La Douce, Annie Get Your Gun, Lola Montez, 1776, Hello, Dolly!, and Promises, Promises.  He also acted in straight theatre such as Noël Coward's Private Lives (with Susannah York).

He then became a familiar face on Australian television screens, in such shows as Bellbird, The Spoiler, The Mavis Bramston Show, Skyways, The Flying Doctors, Glenview High, The Restless Years, Possession, and Division 4.

For three years from 1980 he worked in musical theatre in London, in such shows as The Biograph Girl, Marilyn! the Musical [based on the life of Marilyn Monroe, at the Adelphi Theatre; Bruce sang the role of Arthur Miller], H.M.S. Pinafore, and a long-running West End revival of Oklahoma!. He also toured the UK with Evita, appearing with Rula Lenska and others at Leeds and in other UK cities.

While living in London, Bruce Barry presented a show, followed by a reception, at the Australian High Commission in Aldwych, London, under the auspices of the Australian Cultural Attache, which show was called "An Evening with Bruce Barry".

Personal life
Bruce Barry was married and divorced twice, and was survived by two children. He died in 2017 in Sydney from complications of dementia.

Filmography
 Ned Kelly (1970)
 Libido (1973)
 ABBA: The Movie (1977)
 Patrick (1978)
 The Umbrella Woman (1987; aka The Good Wife)

References

Category:1934 births
Category:2017 deaths
Category:Australian radio presenters
Category:Australian male stage actors
Category:Australian male musical theatre actors
Category:Australian male television actors
Category:Australian male soap opera actors
Category:Australian male film actors
Category:Australian singers