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Don Barclay (actor)

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Occupation
  
Actor/Artist

Resting place
  
California

Role
  
Actor

Name
  
Don Barclay

Years active
  
1915–1964


Don Barclay (actor) Forgotten Actors Don Barclay


Full Name
  
Donn Van Tassel Barclay

Born
  
December 26, 1892 (
1892-12-26
)
Ashland, Oregon, U.S.

Died
  
October 16, 1975, Palm Springs, California, United States

Movies
  
Cinderella, Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, Border Phantom, Mexican Spitfire Sees a G

Similar People
  
Rhoda Williams, Luis van Rooten, Marjorie Bennett, Marjorie Eaton, Wilfred Jackson

Don Barclay (December 26, 1892 – October 16, 1975) was an American actor, artist and caricaturist whose many roles stretched the period from the Keystone Cops in 1915 to Mary Poppins in 1964 and whose many paintings and caricatures of celebrities filled establishments worldwide and are archived in the Library of Congress.

Contents

Don Barclay (actor) wwwlordheathcomwebimagesdonbarclayairfri

Career

The more experienced comedian, Don Barclay helped and later became roommates with a rookie actor in Bristol, England named Archie Leech. Barclay and Leach developed a two-man comedy show together in New York. Leach later became better known as Cary Grant and Grant rejoined Barclay beginning in 1920 in New York and Hollywood where they were often roommates. They remained lifelong best friends.

Barclay portrayed hundreds of roles on films and voices for Walt Disney who considered Barclay a good luck charm. He is perhaps most recognized now for his portrayal of Admiral Boom's first mate, Mr. Binnacle in the Disney family film Mary Poppins. His character was a former naval officer and next door neighbor to the Banks family.

Barclay eventually became such a successful caricature painter of celebrities on his sets that he eventually made more money as an artist than as an actor and left acting to become a full-time artist. He was prolific, turning out hundreds of caricatures of celebrities for saloons all over the nation as well as for servicemen in barracks. Two examples of his painted caricatures featuring Bob Hope, "Old Four Eyes" and "Bob Hope and Elf", are featured on the official Library of Congress website devoted to Bob Hope (Old Four Eyes is mislabeled in attribution as "Dan Barclay" - "Bob Hope and Elf" is correctly attributed at the bottom of the LOC page). Actress/Director Diane Keaton purchased a clown painting by Barclay which led to her collecting clown paintings and the publication of the book by the actress called "Clown Paintings". Bob Hope collected a series of ceramic mugs featuring Frank Sinatra, Joan Crawford, Jimmy Durante and Lou Costello produced by Barclay based on Don Barclay's caricatures which were auctioned at Julien Estates auction of the Bob Hope Estate in Los Angeles. Additional rare Barclay celebrity mug collection pieces were found at Hake's Americana & Collectibles and are also included in the definitive Birnkrant Collection of Mickey Mouse & Comic Characters AKA "Mouse Heaven" collection made famous by a movie of the same name.

During the time preceding World War II Barclay spent time with General Claire Lee Chennault's 14th AAF famous Flying Tigers unit (then known as the "China Blitzers") where he illustrated every person in the group.

From October to November 1943, Barclay did a one-man USO show #302 for the troops; touring every base in North Africa, Arabia, India, and China with his act and drawing caricatures of the men as he went. When he later returned to China in 1945 he estimated he had drawn over 10,000 caricatures of servicemen.

Filmography

Actor
1971
Bedknobs and Broomsticks as
Portobello Road Passerby (uncredited)
1964
Mary Poppins as
Mr. Binnacle - Admiral's Servant
1961
One Hundred and One Dalmatians as
Truck Driver (voice)
1955
Botsford's Beanery (TV Movie) as
Montgomery Botsford
1955
The Long Gray Line as
McDonald (uncredited)
1953
Peter Pan (voice)
1951
Alice in Wonderland as
Other Cards (voice)
1950
Cinderella as
Doorman (voice)
1949
Father Was a Fullback as
Grandstand 'Coach' (uncredited)
1948
Whispering Smith as
Dr. Sawbuck
1948
The Sainted Sisters as
Dr. Benton (uncredited)
1947
Big Town After Dark as
Gambler (uncredited)
1947
Training for Trouble (Short) as
Drunk (uncredited)
1946
My Darling Clementine as
Opera House Owner (uncredited)
1946
Thunder Town as
Bartender Nick (uncredited)
1945
Having Wonderful Crime as
Bartender (uncredited)
1944
Practically Yours as
Don Barclay (uncredited)
1944
In Society as
Drowning Drunk (uncredited)
1944
Once Upon a Time as
Photographer (uncredited)
1944
Shine on Harvest Moon as
Coach Driver (uncredited)
1943
Thank Your Lucky Stars as
Pete (uncredited)
1943
The More the Merrier as
Drunk (uncredited)
1943
Good Morning, Judge as
Biscuit Face
1943
After Midnight with Boston Blackie as
Cigar Clerk (uncredited)
1943
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man as
Franzec
1942
Pittsburgh as
Drunk (uncredited)
1942
Silver Queen as
Drunk (uncredited)
1942
The Falcon's Brother as
Lefty
1942
My Sister Eileen as
Drunk (uncredited)
1942
Mexican Spitfire's Elephant as
Mr. Smith of the Elephants (uncredited)
1942
The Big Street as
Eating Contest Emcee (uncredited)
1942
Mexican Spitfire Sees a Ghost as
Fingers O'Toole
1942
Larceny, Inc as
Drunk Bumped by Jug (uncredited)
1942
This Gun for Hire as
Piano Player (uncredited)
1942
Blondie's Blessed Event as
Waiter (uncredited)
1942
Sing Your Worries Away as
Luke Brown (uncredited)
1941
Bedtime Story as
Conventioneer (uncredited)
1941
South of Tahiti as
Tattooer (uncredited)
1941
Honky Tonk as
Man with Feathers (uncredited)
1941
Badlands of Dakota as
Joe (uncredited)
1941
I'll Never Heil Again (Short) as
Russian Delegate (uncredited)
1939
The Flying Irishman as
Bettor (uncredited)
1939
The Oklahoma Kid as
Drunk (uncredited)
1938
Sweethearts as
Leo's Taxi Driver (uncredited)
1938
The Law West of Tombstone as
The Professor - Texas Rose's Piano Player (uncredited)
1938
Valley of the Giants as
Drunk (uncredited)
1938
Outlaw Express as
Sergeant Andy Sharpe
1938
Accidents Will Happen as
Martin Dorsey - Phoney Drunk Driver
1938
Thunder in the Desert as
Rusty
1938
The Spy Ring as
Private Timothy O'Reilly
1937
Hollywood Hotel as
Friend (uncredited)
1937
Live, Love and Learn as
Reporter (uncredited)
1937
Behind the Mike as
Sparky (uncredited)
1937
My Dear Miss Aldrich as
Second Drunk at Red Apple Inn (uncredited)
1937
I Cover the War! as
Elmer Davis
1937
Ever Since Eve as
Drunken Neighbor (uncredited)
1937
Sweetheart of the Navy as
Pete
1937
Border Phantom as
Lucky Smith
1937
Kid Galahad as
Drunk in Dressing Room (uncredited)
1937
The Go Getter as
J. Browne #1 (uncredited)
1937
Navy Spy as
Bertie
1937
A Family Affair as
Drunk in Car (uncredited)
1937
Black Legion as
Drunken Member (uncredited)
1936
Fugitive in the Sky as
Ronald DeWitt
1936
White Legion as
Miggs
1936
Bengal Tiger as
Comic Wrestler (uncredited)
1936
The Lion's Den as
Paddy Callahan
1936
We Went to College as
Drunken Alumnus (uncredited)
1936
Treachery Rides the Range as
Corporal Bunce
1936
Man Hunt as
Reporter Waffles
1935
Frisco Kid as
Drunk (uncredited)
1935
The Murder of Dr. Harrigan as
Jackson - the Drunk
1934
Honky Donkey (Short) as
Barclay the Chauffeur
1934
Movie Daze (Short) as
Dopey Son
1934
Maid in Hollywood (Short) as
Sound Man
1934
A Duke for a Day (Short) as
Joe Morgan
1934
Apples to You! (Short) as
Opera conductor (uncredited)
1934
Soup and Fish (Short) as
First Butler, with Knee Britches
1934
The Caretaker's Daughter (Short)
1934
Next Week-End (Short)
1934
Mixed Nuts (Short) as
Prof. Barclay
1933
Air Fright (Short) as
Mr. Barclay, the Inventor
1933
Backs to Nature (Short) as
Forest Ranger (uncredited)
1933
Keg o' My Heart (Short) as
Census Taker (uncredited)
1933
Beauty and the Bus (Short) as
Motorist
1922
Blazes (Short)
1922
Look Out Below! (Short)
1919
Boobs and Bumps (Short)
1918
Daring and Dynamite (Short)
1918
All Stuck Up (Short) as
The Paperhanger
1918
Check Your Hat, Sir? (Short)
1915
A Home Breaking Hound (Short) as
The Dog Owner
1915
A Hash House Fraud (Short) as
Chaplinesque Bum (uncredited)
1915
Those Bitter Sweets (Short) as
The Soda Jerk
1915
Ambrose's Lofty Perch (Short)
1915
Ambrose's Little Hatchet (Short)
Miscellaneous
1961
One Hundred and One Dalmatians (live action model: Nanny - uncredited)
1959
Sleeping Beauty (live action model: King Hubert - uncredited)
1955
Lady and the Tramp (live action model: Tony - uncredited)
1953
Peter Pan (live action model: Smee - uncredited)
1951
Alice in Wonderland (live action model: Walrus - uncredited)
1950
Cinderella (live action model: footman - uncredited)
1940
Pinocchio (model: "Gideon" - uncredited)
Soundtrack
1938
The Law West of Tombstone (performer: "Oh! Susanna" (1848), "Gwine to Rune All Night (De Camptown Races)" (1850), "Listen to the Mockingbird" (1855))
1937
Ever Since Eve (performer: "Shine On, Harvest Moon" (1908) - uncredited)
1935
The Murder of Dr. Harrigan (performer: "The Lady in Red" (1935) - uncredited)
Thanks
2014
Special Collector's Edition (TV Series) (in memory of - 1 episode)
- Mary Poppins: 1ª Edición (2014) - (in memory of)
Self
1951
The Walt Disney Christmas Show (TV Special) as
Dr. Miller / Santa Claus
Archive Footage
2011
Cinemassacre's Monster Madness (TV Series documentary) as
Franzec
- Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (2011) - Franzec
1984
Our Gang: Inside the Clubhouse (TV Movie documentary) as
Barclay (uncredited)
1981
Rascal Dazzle (TV Movie) as
Barclay
1950
Ready to Ride (Short) as
Pony Express Rider (uncredited)

References

Don Barclay (actor) Wikipedia