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Revision as of 18:59, 14 March 2007
For the soap opera character, see Barry Evans (EastEnders)
Barry Joseph Evans (June 18, 1943 - February 11, 1997) was an English actor and television performer best known for his appearances in British sitcoms such as Doctor in the House and Mind Your Language.
Early life
Born in Guildford, Surrey in June 1943, Barry Evans was educated at the orphanage boarding schools run by The Shaftesbury Homes. First at Fortescue House School in Twickenham, then at Bisley Boys School in Bisley, Surrey, until he was 16. His acting ability was recognised at an early age and Barry was always playing leading roles in school plays. He then went on to the Italia Conti stage school and won a John Gielgud Scholarship to the Central School of Speech and Drama.
Career
Evans appeared in the film Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush (1967), where he was cast as a sex-starved boy who finds it difficult to lose his virginity. One of his first television credits was in the soap opera Crossroads in 1964.
Barry Evans' first major role was in the sitcom Doctor in the House, based on Richard Gordon's series of novels that had already being adapted as (feature films. Evans starred as the earnest but gullible Michael Upton, set in a hospital where all kinds of Carry On style humour occurred. The series had a remarkable writing crew behind the scenes, including John Cleese and Graham Chapman (of Monty Python), and Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie (of The Goodies), as well as Barry Cryer. (Both Graham Chapman and Graeme Garden studied medicine and were qualified doctors).
A sequel to that series quickly followed with Doctor At Large in 1971. Again, the writing talent behind the series was notable, with John Cleese writing some of the episodes - with one in particular providing some of the inspiration for Fawlty Towers, and another writer being Jonathan Lynn (co-writer of Yes Minister and its sequel Yes, Prime Minister). Evans enjoyed working with his fellow actors and later described this period as the best years of his life.
In 1977, he as starred Jeremy Brown in the ITV sitcom Mind Your Language, which was about a teacher who had to teach immigrants English. By today's standards it is perhaps not entirely politically correct, with every character a foreign stereotype. However, it was immensely popular outside the UK, especially in the countries the actors portrayed, and is still aired today on syndicate. This series was written by veteran TV scriptwriter Vince Powell, and was adapted for American TV as What a Country! in 1986-1987.
One of Barry's last appearances on British television was in 1982's Emery Presents or Legacy of Murder, alongside Dick Emery.
By the late 1980s, Evans' youthful image was working against him, and he found it difficult to obtain mature acting roles in line with his age. By the 1990s he was driving his own minicab in Leicestershire, where in 1997 he died alone in a dilapidated bungalow at the age of 53.
Police discovered the actor's body after going to his house to tell him they had recovered his stolen car. James Leadbitter, 18, was arrested over the theft and later accused of attempted murder. He told police he was a friend of Evans, and had visited him on the day he died to say he would not be calling round again. Leadbitter said that the actor became upset and drank half a bottle of whisky. Recording an open verdict, coroner Martin Symington said there was insufficient evidence to prove Evans had intended to kill himself. The charge of attempted murder against Leadbitter was later dropped.
TV credits
- Doctor in the House (1969)
- Doctor at Large (1971)
- Mind Your Language (1977)
- Emery Presents aka Legacy of Murder (1982)