Frank Barrie

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For those of a similar name, see Frank Barry (disambiguation).

Frank Barrie
Barrie performing The Merchant of Venice in 1971
Born
Frank Smith

(1936-09-19)19 September 1936
Scarborough, North Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died30 June 2025(2025-06-30) (aged 88)
EducationArchbishop Holgate's School
Alma materUniversity of Hull
OccupationActor
Years active1959–2025
Spouse
Mary Ann Lloyd
​
(m. 1960)​
Children1

Frank Smith (19 September 1936 – 30 June 2025), known professionally as Frank Barrie, was an English actor, director and writer. He made his acting debut in 1959 in a production of Henry IV, Part 2, at the York Theatre Royal. He was a successful Shakespearean actor throughout his career. In 2008 he starred in Lunch with Marlene, a tribute to Noël Coward and Marlene Dietrich, and in 2010 was cast as Edward Bishop in EastEnders.

Early life

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Barrie was born Frank Smith to Arthur and Annie (née Carter) Smith in Scarborough, North Riding of Yorkshire, on 19 September 1936,[1][2] but spent his childhood in York. There he attended Archbishop Holgate's School,[3] prior to Hull University, where he was elected President of the Debating Union.[4]

Theatre

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After graduating Barrie spent four years acting in weekly and fortnightly repertory, before joining the internationally prestigious Bristol Old Vic company in 1965, where he quickly became established as the leading man – the youngest in the company's history.[5] Amongst his many roles he played Oedipus Rex; Richard Il; Long John Silver; Alfie; Malvolio; and Lucio in Tyrone Guthrie's production of Measure for Measure. His performance of Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet was highly praised. Harold Hobson wrote in The Sunday Times of the "splendidly manly and romantic Mercutio of Frank Barrie. Few Mercutios can have lived with a more rousing swagger or died with more panache or bitterness than Mr Barrie's".[6]

In 1967 Barrie toured the United States and Europe with the Company, repeating his Mercutio and Lucio on Broadway, New York, and in many other major cities.[7]

In 1969 he was invited by Laurence Olivier to join the National Theatre.[5] Over the next four years he played many leading roles with Olivier's company, including Mirabell in The Way of the World opposite Geraldine McEwan. His performance as Wendoll in John Dexter's production of A Woman Killed with Kindness opposite Joan Plowright drew favourable reviews. The Stage noted that "Frank Barrie is an excellent Wendoll", and that he gave a "characterisation of richness and power".[8] He also appeared as Brachiano in The White Devil, Barelli in The Rules of the Game with Paul Scofield; Ganya in The Idiot with Derek Jacobi; Desmoulins in Danton's Death with Christopher Plummer; and Bassanio to Olivier's Shylock.[9] He was the first member of the Bristol Old Vic to star at the Young Vic, where he won wide critical acclaim as Byron in The Naked Peacock. The production was described by critic Irving Wardle as having "a notably Byronic performance by Frank Barrie; a romantically virile figure whose wolfish mouth offers a constant threat of blisteringly destructive irony".[10]

Later leading London appearances include A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, where he played Oberon opposite Linda Thorson as Titania. His performance as Crichton in the 1977 staging of The Admirable Crichton at the Greenwich Theatre drew favourable comment, with the Daily Telegraph commenting that "Frank Barrie as Crichton gives every impression that beneath the stiff butler's uniform, there beats the heart of a true intelligent being".[11] He also appeared as Arthur Kipps in The Woman in Black, which was staged at The Fortune theatre;[12][13] Lord Rosebery in Motherdear opposite Margaret Lockwood at The Ambassadors[14] and Janacek at The Royal Festival Hall;[15] He also played Braham in The Philanthropist at Wyndham's[16] and Major Ross in The Crucifer of Blood at the Haymarket.[16]

Barrie was the author of his one man show, Macready!, the story of the great Victorian actor William Macready, which came to the West End in 1981 after a triumphant run in New York and was filmed by the Bright Thoughts Company for Channel 4.[17] For this performance he was nominated "best actor" in the London Critics Plays and Players Awards.[1] Barrie performed Macready! worldwide, in a record breaking 65 countries, including Australia when in 1982 he represented Great Britain in the Commonwealth Games Arts Festival in Brisbane.[18]

In 1991 he appeared at the Theatre Royal, Windsor in The Philanthropist.[19] In 1995 he played the title role in a later production of Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell, with The Stage commenting that "the central performance by Frank Barrie is finely placed and impeccably played".[20]

In 2008, Barrie was cast as Noël Coward in the original London production of Lunch with Marlene, a play about the friendship between Coward and fellow acting legend Marlene Dietrich. The production received "rave reviews",[21] with the casting of Barrie as Coward being described as "impeccable" by The Stage.[22]

Barrie also had considerable experience as a director, including productions of Shylock, J. M. Barrie, and The Life and Loves of Edith Wharton, all of which toured internationally. His writing credits include Wellington, The Family at Ham, The Devil You Know, and The Other Woman, the last of which was broadcast by the BBC, starring Dame Thora Hird.[23]

In May 2022 he appeared as Flashman at 80 – celebrating the character's fictional bicentennial.[24]

Television

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Barrie also appeared in over 150 British television productions, including such shows as Emergency Ward 10, No Hiding Place, Softly, Softly, Special Branch, On Giant's Shoulders and Queen of Swords.[4]

In 1983 Barrie played Eglamour in the BBC Television Shakespeare adaptation of The Two Gentlemen of Verona.[25]

Barrie appeared in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders as Edward Bishop in 2010 and 2011, a local choir master who becomes Dot Branning's (June Brown) gentleman friend.[24]

Personal life and death

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At Hull, he met his future wife Mary Ann Lloyd. They married in 1960 and had a daughter, Julia.[18][26]

Barrie died at his home on 30 June 2025, at the age of 88.[18]

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Frank Barrie (1936–2025)". Scott Marshall Partners. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  2. ^ "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  3. ^ "EastEnders and theatre actor Frank Barrie dies". AllFamous News. 10 July 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  4. ^ a b Cooper-Fiske, Casey (10 July 2025). "Ex-EastEnders star and prolific theatre actor Frank Barrie dies aged 88". Evening Standard. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  5. ^ a b An Interview with Frank Barrie by Abe J. Bassett
  6. ^ Hobson, Harold (13 November 1966). "The Face in the Bedroom Mirror". The Sunday Times. p. 25.
  7. ^ "EastEnders legend dies". Female First. 10 July 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  8. ^ Marriott, R. B. (15 April 1971). "'A Woman Killed With Kindness' is revived by the National". The Stage.
  9. ^ Macready! Theatre programme 1982
  10. ^ Wardle, Irving (7 January 1971). "Byron – The Naked Peacock". The Times. p. 9.
  11. ^ "Revival underlines Barrie's poignancy". Daily Telegraph. 15 April 1977.
  12. ^ "The Woman in Black". Daily Echo. 9 April 2001. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Everything you need to know about 'The Woman in Black' at the Fortune Theatre". London Theatre. 9 November 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  14. ^ "Production of Motherdear". Theatricalia. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  15. ^ "Frank Barrie CV" (PDF). Scott Marshall Partners. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  16. ^ a b "Frank Barrie". Theatricalia. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  17. ^ "Macready". THE BRIGHT THOUGHTS COMPANY. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  18. ^ a b c Cooper-Fiske, Casey (10 July 2025). "Frank Barrie death: Former EastEnders star and prolific theatre actor dies aged 88". The Independent. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  19. ^ Theatricalia – The Philanthropist
  20. ^ "Theatre Review: Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell". The Stage. 2 November 1995.
  21. ^ Hammond, Elaine (8 October 2009). "REVIEW: Lunch with Marlene and Noël – at The Connaught Theatre, Worthing". Littlehampton Gazette. Archived from the original on 3 September 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
  22. ^ Vale, Paul (9 April 2008). "Lunch with Marlene". The Stage. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
  23. ^ "Tales of Innocence and Experience – The Other Woman". BBC Genome. 8 April 1988.
  24. ^ a b Adams, Michael (10 July 2025). "EastEnders star Frank Barrie dies aged 88 as tributes are paid". Metro. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  25. ^ "The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1983)". IMDb. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  26. ^ "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
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