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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
June 16, 1905
Died
August 24, 1956
Place of Birth
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Also Known As
- Alfredo Carlos Birabén
Barry Norton
0.5 Popularity
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Barry Norton (born Alfredo Carlos Birabén; June 16, 1905 – August 24, 1956) was an Argentinian-American actor. He appeared in over 90 films, starting in silent films from 1925 until his death in 1956. He is perhaps best known for his role as Juan Harker in Universal Pictures' Spanish-language version of Drácula in 1931, the English language role of Jonathan Harker originated by David Manners. Arriving in Hollywood in the 1920s, Norton first appeared as an extra in The Black Pirate (1926) but was soon cast in Fox Films' The Lily that same year. His big break came when he was given the role of Pvt. "Mother's Boy" Lewisohn in What Price Glory?, which turned out to be a huge commercial success. He landed substantial roles in Legion of the Condemned and 4 Devils (both 1928), which were also very successful. His acting was well received by audiences and critics at the time, and during the silent era he avoided being typecast as a Latin lover. One theater owner in Golden City, Montana said, "[Norton] has as yet to show me a bad performance. There's a boy that is a 'natural'." In the early 1930s, Norton could still get leading roles in major films. Major Hollywood studios started producing alternate-language versions of their prestige productions, and he became one of dozens of Latino actors needed. Drácula was one of these films, but Norton also appeared in Spanish-language versions of Paramount on Parade (1930), The Benson Murder Case (1930), and The Criminal Code (1931). In a few cases, he appeared in both versions of a film. Examples include Storm Over the Andes (Spanish version: Alas sobre El Chaco), The Sea Fiend (El diablo del Mar), and Captain Calamity (El capitan Tormenta), the latter film reuniting him with Lupita Tovar, his romantic interest from Dracula. In addition to roles in Spanish-territory films, he had roles in numerous major films, usually playing sophisticated Europeans. With the decline in Spanish-language film production in Los Angeles, Norton's opportunities for leading roles became less and less frequent. Though he had a pleasing voice, his Argentine accent seemed incongruous with his appearance. According to some sources, he never mastered English very well. In 1933, he secured what would be his last important role, playing Jean Parker's Spanish fiancé in Frank Capra's Lady for a Day (1933). Although he would continue to work for another 15 years, Norton's last credited screen role would be Should Husbands Work? (1939). For the rest of his career, Norton continued to reside in Los Angeles and obtain small roles in films. Many films he appeared in are now considered to be classics.
Known For
6.2
The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema
2002
6.6
Extra (uncredited)
Around the World in 80 Days
1956
6.9
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Written on the Wind
1956
5.4
Party Guest (uncredited)
Serenade
1956
6.2
Slightly Scarlet
1956
5.9
The Square Jungle
1955
7.0
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
It's Always Fair Weather
1955
7.3
Frenchman (uncredited)
To Catch a Thief
1955
7.2
Carousel Club Diner (uncredited)
White Christmas
1954
7.1
Benefit Attendee (uncredited)
A Star Is Born
1954
Credits
The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema
2002
6.2
Around the World in 80 Days
as Extra (uncredited)
1956
6.6
Written on the Wind
as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
1956
6.9
Serenade
as Party Guest (uncredited)
1956
5.4
Slightly Scarlet
1956
6.2
The Square Jungle
1955
5.9
It's Always Fair Weather
as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
1955
7.0
To Catch a Thief
as Frenchman (uncredited)
1955
7.3
White Christmas
as Carousel Club Diner (uncredited)
1954
7.2
A Star Is Born
as Benefit Attendee (uncredited)
1954
7.1
The Caine Mutiny
as Ship's Officer (uncredited)
1954
7.2
Lucky Me
as Diner / Party Guest (uncredited)
1954
6.7
How to Marry a Millionaire
as Plane Passenger (uncredited)
1953
6.8
Small Town Girl
as Party Guest
1953
5.4
Trouble Along the Way
as Party Guest
1953
5.9
The Jazz Singer
as Nightclub Patron
1953
5.5
🎬
Four Star Playhouse
as Man in Audience / Backstage Guest (uncredited)
1952
6.7
The Merry Widow
as Club Patron (uncredited)
1952
6.2
Pat and Mike
as Golf Spectator (uncredited)
1952
6.3
Young Man with Ideas
as Lawyer at Seminar (uncredited)
1952
4.7
Something to Live For
as Man in Tweeds (uncredited)
1952
6.8
Room for One More
as Boy Scout Ceremony Attendee (uncredited)
1952
6.5
Strangers on a Train
as Tennis Match Spectator (uncredited)
1951
7.7
The Strange Door
1951
6.1
Hollywood Story
as Christmas Parade Spectator (uncredited)
1951
6.6
Pier 23
as Waiter (uncredited)
1951
5.2
On the Riviera
as Party Guest (uncredited)
1951
5.9
Mister 880
as Restaurant Diner (uncredited)
1950
7.0
Born to Be Bad
as Charity Ball Guest (uncredited)
1950
5.8
The Toast of New Orleans
as Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
1950
4.9
Rocketship X-M
as Reporter (uncredited)
1950
4.8
Young Man with a Horn
as Man at Train Station / Café Guest (uncredited)
1950
6.4
No Man of Her Own
as Country Club Patron (uncredited)
1950
6.8
East Side, West Side
as Del Rio Club Patron (uncredited)
1949
6.9
Johnny Allegro
1949
6.4
An Innocent Affair
as Rocket Roof Patron (uncredited)
1948
3.8
Easter Parade
as Diner at Rooftop Show (uncredited)
1948
7.0
The Big Clock
as Man at Van Barth's (uncredited)
1948
7.3
Monsieur Verdoux
as Garden Party Guest (uncredited)
1947
7.7
Variety Girl
as Plane Passenger (uncredited)
1947
6.1
Twilight on the Rio Grande
as Rurale
1947
2.1
Devil Monster
as Robert Jackson
1946
2.0
Without Reservations
as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
1946
6.2
Christmas in Connecticut
as Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
1945
7.0
Maisie Goes to Reno
as Nightclub Patron (Uncredited)
1944
6.2
Above Suspicion
as German Cafe Patron (Uncredited)
1943
6.1
Mission to Moscow
as Ball Guest (uncredited)
1943
5.3
Keeper of the Flame
1943
6.6
Casablanca
as Gambler at Rick's (uncredited)
1943
8.1
You Were Never Lovelier
as One of Maria's Suitors (uncredited)
1942
7.0
The Big Street
as Nightclub Patron (Uncredited)
1942
5.6
The Falcon Takes Over
as Nightclub Patron (Uncredited)
1942
6.2
Blue, White, and Perfect
as Man at Ship Dock (uncredited)
1942
6.3
Hellzapoppin'
as Party Guest (uncredited)
1941
7.2
The Mexican Spitfire's Baby
as Nightclub Patron
1941
4.1
Niagara Falls
as Hotel Guest (uncredited)
1941
6.8
Hold That Ghost
as Club Patron (uncredited)
1941
6.8
Tom, Dick and Harry
as Bowler (uncredited)
1941
5.7
Ziegfeld Girl
as Palm Beach Casino Patron (uncredited)
1941
6.5
The Lady Eve
as Passenger on Ship (uncredited)
1941
7.2
Mexican Spitfire Out West
as Hotel Guest
1940
4.6
Christmas in July
as Co-Worker in Office (uncredited)
1940
6.9
Down Argentine Way
as Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
1940
6.2
Dance, Girl, Dance
as Dissaproving Theatre Patron (uncredited)
1940
6.4
Should Husbands Work?
as Ronald McDonald
1939
2.0
Second Fiddle
as Nightclub Patron
1939
4.9
Angel of Mercy
as President Garfield's Secretary (uncredited)
1939
6.0
The Buccaneer
as Villere
1938
6.4
I'll Take Romance
as Juan
1937
5.0
Rich Relations
as Don Blair
1937
4.0
Camille
as Emile (uncredited)
1936
6.9
Captain Calamity
as Carr
1936
2.2
The Sea Fiend
as Robert Jackson
1936
1.0
The Great Ziegfeld
as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
1936
6.3
Murder at Glen Athol
as Tom Randel
1936
6.5
🎬
The Devil of the Sea
as Roberto
1935
0.0
Woman Wanted
as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
1935
6.3
Storm Over the Andes
as Diaz
1935
5.0
Caravan
as Young Officer at Beer Garden (Uncredited)
1934
5.0
Imitation of Life
as Young Man Proposing Toast (uncredited)
1934
7.0
Grand Canary
as Robert Tranter
1934
4.1
The World Moves On
as Jacques Girard (1924)
1934
5.6
Let’s Be Ritzy
as Rogers
1934
0.0
Unknown Blonde
as Bob Parker
1934
1.0
Only Yesterday
as Jerry (Uncredited)
1933
6.8
Lady for a Day
as Carlos
1933
7.1
Cocktail Hour
as Philippe
1933
4.8
Luxury Liner
as Prince Vladimir Gleboff
1933
6.3
Dishonored
as Young Lieutenant - Firing Squad
1931
6.8
Drácula
as Juan Harker
1931
6.8
East is West
as Billy Benson
1930
0.0
🎬
Curmudgeon
1930
0.0
🎬
Bold Love
1930
0.0
The Exalted Flapper
as Prince Boris of Dacia
1929
0.0
Sins of the Fathers
as Tom Spengler
1928
6.0
The Red Dance
as Rasputin's Assassin (uncredited)
1928
6.2
🎬
Mother Knows Best
as Boy
1928
0.0
4 Devils
as Adolf
1928
7.0
Fleetwing
as Jaafor
1928
0.0
The Legion of the Condemned
as Byron Dashwood
1928
0.0
The Wizard
as Reginald Van Lear
1927
0.0
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
as Ballroom Dancer / Kissing Couple (uncredited)
1927
7.8
A Man About Town
as Amos, a Centerville Clerk
1927
0.0
The Heart of Salome
as Henri Bezanne
1927
0.0
Ankles Preferred
as Jimmy
1927
0.0
The Canyon of Light
as Ricardo Deane
1926
0.0
What Price Glory
as Pvt. Kenneth 'Mother's Boy' Lewisohn
1926
6.0
The Lily
as Max de Maigny
1926
0.0
The Black Pirate
as Youth (uncredited)
1926
6.7