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{{short description|American actor}}
{{short description|American actor}}
{{for|his father, the American artist|Barry Atwater (painter)}}
{{for|his father, the American artist|Barry Atwater (painter)}}
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{{Article for deletion/dated|page=Barry Atwater|timestamp=20200722081542|year=2020|month=July|day=22|substed=yes|help=off}}
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{{refimprove|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Barry Atwater
| name = Barry Atwater
Line 17: Line 12:
| death_place = [[Los Angeles, California]], U.S.
| death_place = [[Los Angeles, California]], U.S.
| occupation = Actor
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1954-1978
| years_active = 1954–1978
| father = [[Barry Atwater (painter)|Barry Atwater]]
}}
}}


'''Garrett "Barry" Atwater''' (May 16, 1918 – May 24, 1978) was an [[United States|American]] [[character actor]] who appeared frequently on television from the 1950s into the 1970s. He was sometimes credited as '''G.B. Atwater'''.
'''Garrett "Barry" Atwater''' (May 16, 1918 – May 24, 1978) was an American [[character actor]] who appeared frequently on television from the 1950s into the 1970s. He was sometimes credited as '''G.B. Atwater'''.

He appeared on ''[[Gunsmoke]]'' in 1959, Season 5, Episode 22; ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]'' (1960), ''[[Lawman (TV series)|Lawman]]'' (1962), ''[[Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (TV series)|Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea]]'', ''[[Perry Mason (TV series)|Perry Mason]]'', (1959&ndash;1965); ''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]'', ''[[Bewitched]]'' (1966); ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'', ''[[Mannix]]'' (1968); ''[[Hawaii Five-O (1968 TV series)|Hawaii Five-0]]'' (1970); ''[[The Night Stalker (1972 film)| The Night Stalker]]'' (1972); ''[[Kung Fu (TV series)|Kung Fu]]'' (1974); and ''[[The Rockford Files]]'' (1977).<ref name="imdb"/>


==Life and career==
==Life and career==
The son of the [[landscape]] painter of the [[Barry Atwater (painter)|same name]], Garrett Atwater was born in [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]], [[Colorado]]. He served as head of the [[UCLA]] Sound Department before he began his acting career. His work teaching [[Sound|audio]] techniques led to a role in the student film ''[[A Time Out of War]]'', a [[American Civil War|Civil War]] allegory that won the [[Academy Awards|Oscar]] as best short film of 1954. {{citation needed|date=October 2014}}
The son of the [[landscape]] painter of the [[Barry Atwater (painter)|same name]], Garrett Atwater was born in [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]], [[Colorado]]. He served as head of the [[UCLA]] Sound Department before he began his acting career.{{Citation needed |date=July 2022}}

He appeared in the student film ''[[A Time Out of War]]'', a [[American Civil War|Civil War]] allegory that won the [[Academy Awards|Oscar]] as best short film of 1954.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The 27th Academy Awards {{!}} 1955|url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1955|access-date=2020-07-23|website=Oscars.org {{!}} Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|language=en}}</ref>

He was awarded a Special Cinema Award for television work in 1958.<ref>{{Cite news|date=February 12, 1973|title=Wm. Marshall to Receive Special Cinema Award|page=C4|work=Boxoffice|via=Proquest}}</ref>

Atwater, a character actor,<ref>{{Cite news|title=Lord is Mastery of All He Surveys|url=http://newspapers.com/clip/56336236/lord-is-mastery-of-all-he-surveys/|access-date=2020-07-29|newspaper=The Times and Democrat|date=19 August 1970 |page=11 |language=en}}</ref> received positive notice in [[Variety (magazine)|''Variety'']] for his role in ''[[The Hard Man]]'' (1957),<ref>{{Cite news|date=December 4, 1957|title=Film review: The Hard Man|page=6|work=Variety|via=Proquest}}</ref> ''[[The True Story of Jesse James]]'' (1957),<ref>{{Cite news|date=February 20, 1957|title=Film review: The True Story Of Jesse James|page=6|work=Variety|via=Proquest}}</ref> ''[[The True Story of Lynn Stuart]]'' (1958),<ref>{{Cite news|date=February 19, 1958|title=Film Reviews: The True Story of Lynn Stuart|page=6|work=Variety|via=Proquest}}</ref> ''[[Vice Raid]]'' (1959),<ref>{{Cite news|date=December 16, 1959|title=Film review: Vice Raid|page=6|work=Variety|via=Proquest}}</ref> and ''[[As Young as We Are|As Young As We Are]]'' (1958).<ref>{{Cite news|date=September 24, 1958|title=Film Reviews: As Young as We Are|page=6|work=Variety|via=Proquest}}</ref> About his work in the television show [[Judd, for the Defense|''Judd for the Defense'']], ''Variety'' wrote, "Barry Atwater succeeded in bringing some life and a peculiar believability to an impossible role".<ref>{{Cite news|date=October 2, 1968|title=Television Reviews: Judd for the Defense|page=48|work=Variety}}</ref>

⚫
By 1960 he had achieved enough stature to be named by host [[Rod Serling]] in the on-screen promo as one of the stars of the well-known [[CBS]] ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|Twilight Zone]]'' episode "[[The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street]]". Atwater made six guest appearances on ''[[Perry Mason (1957 TV series)|Perry Mason]]'' including as Robert Benson in the 1959 episode "The Case of the Dangerous Dowager" and as murder victim Dr. Stuart Logan in the 1965 episode "The Case of the Cheating Chancellor". A ''Variety'' review of the latter stated that Atwater played the part with "correct nastiness".<ref>{{Cite news|date=October 6, 1965|title=Television Review: Perry Mason|page=42|work=Variety|via=Proquest}}</ref>

Those ''[[Perry Mason]]'' episodes were preceded by a 1956 appearance on ''[[Gunsmoke]]'', in the episode “Robin Hood”, where he shared the screen with future Mason great [[William Hopper]].


He appeared in the ''[[Alcoa_Presents:_One_Step_Beyond|One Step Beyond]]'' episode "the Riddle" in 1959, playing an Indian on a train who attracts the mysterious enmity of an American tourist. He played [[Benedict Arnold]] in an episode of ''[[Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (TV series)|Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea]]''<ref>{{Cite news|date=1968-03-08|title=Atwater Portrays Benedict Arnold|pages=8|work=The Argus|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55886169/atwater-portrays-benedict-arnold/|access-date=2020-07-23}}</ref> and received positive notice for an appearance on ''[[Playhouse 90]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|date=July 2, 1958|title=Television Reviews: Tele Follow-UP Comment - Playhouse 98|page=29|work=Variety|via=Proquest}}</ref>
Atwater began appearing in television series in the 1950s, often as a primary guest star or as a title character, on episodes of shows such as ''[[The Millionaire (TV series)|The Millionaire]]'', ''[[Meet McGraw]]'', ''[[The Court of Last Resort]]'', ''[[Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond|One Step Beyond]]'' (as [[Abraham Lincoln]]), ''[[Cheyenne (1955 TV series)|Cheyenne]]'' (as [[George Armstrong Custer]]), ''[[The Rebel (TV series)|The Rebel]]'', ''[[Empire (1962 TV series)|Empire]]'', and ''[[Riverboat (TV series)|Riverboat]]''.<ref name="imdb"/>


⚫
Atwater in the mid-1960s spent three years on the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] [[soap opera]] ''[[General Hospital]]'' while he also made prime-time appearances, billing himself as G.B. Atwater from 1963 to 1965, a period in which he was cast in supporting parts. About his nine-month stint on ''General Hospital'', Atwater said, "It was a good experience and good income, but it got tiresome. Shows like that are written for women, and the men are all emasculated".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kleiner|first=Dick|date=October 1, 1967|title=Show Beat|page=40|work=Marysville Appeal Democrat|via=Newspaper Archive}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Barry Atwater May Die Soon, But Is Healthy|url=http://newspapers.com/clip/56335740/barry-atwater-may-die-soon-but-is/|access-date=2020-07-29|newspaper=The Daily Telegram|date=29 September 1967 |page=20 |language=en}}</ref> In 1971 he guest-starred in a 2-part episode of ''[[Hawaii Five-O (1968 TV series)|Hawaii Five-0]]'', "The Grandstand Play". By the late 1960s and early 1970s, Atwater was again scoring primary guest-star roles, particularly on fantasy and [[science fiction]] series, including ''[[The Man From U.N.C.L.E.]]'', ''[[The Invaders]]'',''[[The Wild Wild West]]'', ''[[The Outer Limits (1963 TV series)|The Outer Limits]]'' ("Corpus Earthling"), ''[[Night Gallery]]'' and ''[[Kung Fu (TV series)|Kung Fu]]'', where his altered facial appearance suited his grim and sinister countenance due to its menacing and intense appearance.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Meehan |first1=Paul |title=Horror Noir: Where Cinema's Dark Sisters Meet |date=October 20, 2010 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0786445974 |pages=310 |edition=1st}}</ref>
⚫
By 1960 he had achieved enough stature to be named by host [[Rod Serling]] in the on-screen promo as one of the stars of the well-known [[CBS]] ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|Twilight Zone]]'' episode "[[The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street]]". Atwater made six guest appearances on ''[[Perry Mason (TV series)|Perry Mason]]'' including as murderer Robert Benson in the 1959 episode "The Case of the Dangerous Dowager" and as murder victim Dr. Stuart Logan in the 1965 episode "The Case of the Cheating Chancellor". Atwater also performed regularly on stage throughout his career.<ref name="imdb">{{IMDb name|id=41136}}{{unreliable source|date=February 2018}}</ref>


=== On the stage ===
⚫
Atwater in the mid-1960s spent three years on the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] [[soap opera]] ''[[General Hospital]]'' while he also made prime-time appearances, billing himself as G.B. Atwater from 1963–1965, a period in which he was cast in supporting parts. By the late 1960s and early 1970s, Atwater was again scoring primary guest-star roles, particularly on fantasy and [[science fiction]] series, including ''[[The Man From U.N.C.L.E.]]'', ''[[The Wild Wild West]]'', ''[[The Outer Limits (1963 TV series)|The Outer Limits]]'', ("Corpus Earthling"), ''[[Night Gallery]]'' and ''[[Kung Fu (TV series)|Kung Fu]]'', where his altered facial appearance suited his grim and sinister countenance due to its menacing and intense appearance.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Meehan |first1=Paul |title=Horror Noir: Where Cinema's Dark Sisters Meet |date=October 20, 2010 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=0786445971 |pages=310 |edition=1st}}</ref>
Atwater performed regularly on stage throughout his career. In January 1958, it was announced that Atwater would be in a benefit performance in ''Passing of the Third Floor Back'' with the Episcopal Theatre Guild.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1958-01-20|title=Passing of Third Floor Back To Be Presented Here Feb. 1|pages=3|work=Daily News-Post and Monrovia News-Post|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55884406/passing-of-third-floor-back-to-be/|access-date=2020-07-23}}</ref> He received positive notice in the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' for his appearance in ''[[Volpone]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1964-09-02|title=Angels Offer Amusing 'Volpone'|pages=69|work=The Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56337254/angels-offer-amusing-volpone/|access-date=2020-07-29}}</ref> Atwater also appeared on stage in 1965 in ''The Disenchanted'' at the Actors Theatre.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1965-05-19|title=Barry Atwater Joins Play Cast|pages=31|work=Valley Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55884128/barry-atwater-joins-play-cast/|access-date=2020-07-23}}</ref> In 1966, he was in the [[Edward Albee]] play ''[[Tiny Alice]]'' at the Ivar Theatre.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1966-01-30|title=Tiny Alice|pages=512|work=The Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55886612/tiny-alice/|access-date=2020-07-23}}</ref> In 1968, he directed and performed in the play ''[[A Slight Ache]]'' at the Hollywood-Vine Methodist Center.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1968-05-07|title=Pinter, Williams Dramas Staged by ARTIS Group|pages=78|work=The Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55886987/pinter-williams-dramas-staged-by-artis/|access-date=2020-07-23}}</ref>


==Sci-fi legacy==
===Sci-fi legacy===
[[File:SurakJanos.jpg|right]]
[[File:SurakJanos.jpg|right]]
⚫
Atwater was one of the few actors to play a character from [[Spock]]'s planet on ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'', portraying [[Surak]], father of [[Vulcan (Star Trek)|Vulcan]] philosophy, in the episode "[[The Savage Curtain]]". Atwater could not achieve the [[Vulcan salute]] naturally, so when he bids farewell in a medium shot, he has to first lower his arm so his hand is out of camera view as he pushes his fingers against his body to configure them properly.<ref>Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 39, Episodes 77 & 78: The Savage Curtain/All Our Yesterdays (1966), CBS Paramount Home Video liner notes{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}</ref>
Atwater's role as [[vampire]] Janos Skorzeny (pictured, far right) in the acclaimed TV thriller ''[[The Night Stalker (1972 film)|The Night Stalker]]'' (1972) made him a popular guest at 1970s fan gatherings that capitalized on the resurgence of classic horror during that decade. {{citation needed|date=October 2014}}


[[Kevin Thomas (film critic)|Kevin Thomas]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' praised Atwater's performance in The Night Stalker, writing, "that gifted character actor Barry Atwater is terrific as the vampire".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Thomas|first=Kevin|date=January 11, 1972|title=The Los Angeles Times|page=54|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Keith Ashwell of the Edmonton Journal wrote that Atwater was "a prince among vampires".<ref>{{Cite news|date=1972-11-29|title=Do les Anglais think French will go away?|pages=82|work=Edmonton Journal|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56334663/do-les-anglais-think-french-will-go/|access-date=2020-07-29}}</ref>
⚫
Atwater was one of the few actors to play a character from [[Spock]]'s planet on ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'', portraying [[Surak]], father of [[Vulcan (Star Trek)|Vulcan]] philosophy, in the episode "[[The Savage Curtain]]". Atwater could not achieve the [[Vulcan salute]] naturally, so when he bids farewell in a medium shot, he has to first lower his arm so his hand is out of camera view as he pushes his fingers against his body to configure them properly.<ref>Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 39, Episodes 77 & 78: The Savage Curtain/All Our Yesterdays (1966), CBS Paramount Home Video liner notes{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}</ref>


He also guest starred in a 1963 episode of ''The Outer Limits'', "Corpus Earthling", with Robert Culp as scientist Dr. Temple in 1963.
His final television role was as a gun fence in one scene on ''[[The Rockford Files]]'' in 1977, with Atwater's character "Roach" interviewed by star [[James Garner]] in closeup while he fed pigeons from a park bench.


== Personal life ==
Suffering from terminal cancer, he died from a [[stroke]] on May 24, 1978 in [[Los Angeles]], shortly after his 60th birthday.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}
Atwater embraced and attributed his career success to the practice of Zen.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1962-01-13|title=Career Aided by Zen, Says Actor|pages=16|work=Valley Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55884781/career-aided-by-zen-says-actor/|access-date=2020-07-23}}</ref>


In 1956, Atwater's [[West Los Angeles]] home was burgled after thieves removed a [[Pet door|cat door]] to gain entry. Atwater was robbed of several hundred dollars' worth of clothes, jewelry, and other property.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1956-10-15|title=Cat Door Lets Thieves Enter Home of Actor|pages=23|work=The Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56336534/cat-door-lets-thieves-enter-home-of/|access-date=2020-07-29}}</ref>
==Filmography==

Atwater died on May 24, 1978 after suffering a stroke, only eight days after his 60th birthday.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0041136|title=Barry Atwater (1918-1978)|website=IMDB.com|access-date=19 October 2023}}</ref>

==Selected filmography==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
Line 50: Line 60:
! Role
! Role
! Notes
! Notes
|-
|1956 to 1959|| ''[[Gunsmoke]]'' || Harry Bowen & Ed Eby || Episodes: "Robin Hood" And "The Coward"
|-
|-
|1956|| ''[[The Scarlet Hour]]'' || Crime Lab Technician || Uncredited
|1956|| ''[[The Scarlet Hour]]'' || Crime Lab Technician || Uncredited
|-
|-
|1956|| ''[[Nightmare (1956 film)|Nightmare]]'' || Capt. Warner ||
|1956|| ''[[Nightmare (1956 film)|Nightmare]]'' || Captain Warner ||
|-
|-
|1956|| ''[[Man from Del Rio]]'' || Dan Ritchy || Uncredited
|1956|| ''[[Man from Del Rio]]'' || Dan Ritchy || Uncredited
|-
|-
|1956|| ''[[The Rack (1956 film)|The Rack]]'' || Maj. Byron Phillips ||
|1956|| ''[[The Rack (1956 film)|The Rack]]'' || Major Byron Phillips ||
|-
|-
|1956|| ''[[Everything but the Truth]]'' || Arthur Taylor ||
|1956|| ''[[Everything but the Truth]]'' || Arthur Taylor ||
Line 65: Line 77:
|1957|| ''[[The Hard Man]]'' || George Dennison ||
|1957|| ''[[The Hard Man]]'' || George Dennison ||
|-
|-
|1958|| ''[[The True Story of Lynn Stuart]]'' || Police Lt. Jim Hagan ||
|1958|| ''[[The True Story of Lynn Stuart]]'' || Police Lieutenant Jim Hagan ||
|-
|-
|1958|| ''[[As Young as We Are]]'' || Mr. Peterson ||
|1958|| ''[[As Young as We Are]]'' || Mr. Peterson ||
|-
|1958|| ''[[Bat Masterson (TV series)|Bat Masterson]]'' || Murdering Outlaw Egan || "Trail Pirate" (S1E12)
|-
|-
|1959|| ''[[Crime and Punishment U.S.A.]]'' || ||
|1959|| ''[[Crime and Punishment U.S.A.]]'' || ||
|-
|-
|1959|| ''[[Pork Chop Hill]]'' || Lt. Col. Davis (battalion commander) ||
|1959|| ''[[Pork Chop Hill (film)|Pork Chop Hill]]'' || Lieutenant Colonel Davis (Battalion Commander) ||
|-
|-
|1959|| ''[[Vice Raid]]'' || Phil Evans ||
|1959|| ''[[Vice Raid]]'' || Phil Evans ||
|-
|-
|1960|| ''[[Cheyenne (TV series)|Cheyenne]]'' || Colonel Custer || Back-to-Back Episodes:<br> "Gold, Glory and Custer - Prelude" <br>And<br> "Gold, Glory and Custer - Requiem"
|1960|| ''Requiem to Massacre'' || Custer ||
|-
|-
|1961|| ''[[Battle at Bloody Beach]]'' || Pelham ||
|1961|| ''[[Battle at Bloody Beach]]'' || Pelham ||
Line 81: Line 95:
|1962|| ''[[Sweet Bird of Youth (film)|Sweet Bird of Youth]]'' || Ben Jackson ||
|1962|| ''[[Sweet Bird of Youth (film)|Sweet Bird of Youth]]'' || Ben Jackson ||
|-
|-
|1963|| ''[[Captain Newman, M.D.]]'' || Maj. Dawes || Uncredited
|1963|| ''[[Captain Newman, M.D.]]'' || Major Dawes || Uncredited
|-
|1963|| ''[[The Alfred Hitchcock Hour]]'' || Policeman Garfield 'Gar' Newton || Season 2 Episode 4: "You'll Be the Death of Me"
|-
|1965|| ''[[The Alfred Hitchcock Hour]]'' || Borchter || Season 3 Episode 15: "Thanatos Palace Hotel"
|-
|-
|1966|| ''[[Alvarez Kelly]]'' || General Kautz ||
|1966|| ''[[Alvarez Kelly]]'' || General Kautz ||
|-
|1966|| ''[[Bewitched (TV series)]]'' || Boris || Episode: "Twitch or Treat"
|-
|1966|| ''|[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]'' || Dr. Carlos Enero || "Elena" (S01E13)
|-
|-
|1967|| ''[[Return of the Gunfighter]]'' || Lomax ||
|1967|| ''[[Return of the Gunfighter]]'' || Lomax ||
|-
|-
|1969|| ''[[The Thousand Plane Raid]]'' || Gen. Conway ||
|1968|| ''[[The Invaders]]'' || Dorcas || Episode: "The Organization"
|-
|-
|1969|| ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' || Surak || Episode: "The Savage Curtain"
|1969|| ''[[The Thousand Plane Raid]]'' || General Conway ||
|-
|1969|| ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' || Surak (Excalbian recreation) || S3:E22, "[[The Savage Curtain]]"
|-
|1972|| ''[[The Night Stalker (1972 film)|The Night Stalker]]'' || Janos Skorzeny ||
|-
|1973|| ''[[Night Gallery]]'' || Brandon || Episode: "The Doll of Death"
|-
|-
|1974|| ''[[The Teacher (1974 film)|The Teacher]]'' || Sheriff Murphy ||
|1974|| ''[[The Teacher (1974 film)|The Teacher]]'' || Sheriff Murphy ||
Line 95: Line 123:
|1974|| ''Win, Place or Steal'' || Teller #2 ||
|1974|| ''Win, Place or Steal'' || Teller #2 ||
|-
|-
|1978|| ''[[F.I.S.T.]]'' || Milano's Attorney ||
|1977|| ''[[The Rockford Files]]'' || Roach || Episode: "Hotel of Fear"
|-
|1978|| ''[[F.I.S.T. (film)|F.I.S.T.]]'' || Milano's Attorney ||
|-
|-
|1978|| ''The Kid from Not-So-Big'' || Nickerson || (final film role)
|1978|| ''The Kid from Not-So-Big'' || Nickerson || (final film role)
Line 105: Line 135:
==External links==
==External links==
*{{IMDb name|0041136}}
*{{IMDb name|0041136}}
*{{AllMovie name|0041136}}
{{Portal|Biography|Colorado|California|Film|Television}}
{{Portal|Biography|Colorado|California|Film|Television}}
{{Memory Alpha}}
* {{Find a Grave|6622564}}


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:American male soap opera actors]]
[[Category:American male soap opera actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in California]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:Western (genre) television actors]]
[[Category:Western (genre) television actors]]

Latest revision as of 06:05, 7 May 2024

For his father, the American artist, see Barry Atwater (painter).
Barry Atwater
Atwater (right) in The Twilight Zone
Born
Garrett Atwater

(1918-05-16)May 16, 1918
Denver, Colorado, U.S.
DiedMay 24, 1978(1978-05-24) (aged 60)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other namesG.B. Atwater
OccupationActor
Years active1954–1978
Parent

Garrett "Barry" Atwater (May 16, 1918 – May 24, 1978) was an American character actor who appeared frequently on television from the 1950s into the 1970s. He was sometimes credited as G.B. Atwater.

Life and career[edit]

The son of the landscape painter of the same name, Garrett Atwater was born in Denver, Colorado. He served as head of the UCLA Sound Department before he began his acting career.[citation needed]

He appeared in the student film A Time Out of War, a Civil War allegory that won the Oscar as best short film of 1954.[1]

He was awarded a Special Cinema Award for television work in 1958.[2]

Atwater, a character actor,[3] received positive notice in Variety for his role in The Hard Man (1957),[4] The True Story of Jesse James (1957),[5] The True Story of Lynn Stuart (1958),[6] Vice Raid (1959),[7] and As Young As We Are (1958).[8] About his work in the television show Judd for the Defense, Variety wrote, "Barry Atwater succeeded in bringing some life and a peculiar believability to an impossible role".[9]

By 1960 he had achieved enough stature to be named by host Rod Serling in the on-screen promo as one of the stars of the well-known CBS Twilight Zone episode "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street". Atwater made six guest appearances on Perry Mason including as Robert Benson in the 1959 episode "The Case of the Dangerous Dowager" and as murder victim Dr. Stuart Logan in the 1965 episode "The Case of the Cheating Chancellor". A Variety review of the latter stated that Atwater played the part with "correct nastiness".[10]

Those Perry Mason episodes were preceded by a 1956 appearance on Gunsmoke, in the episode “Robin Hood”, where he shared the screen with future Mason great William Hopper.

He appeared in the One Step Beyond episode "the Riddle" in 1959, playing an Indian on a train who attracts the mysterious enmity of an American tourist. He played Benedict Arnold in an episode of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea[11] and received positive notice for an appearance on Playhouse 90.[12]

Atwater in the mid-1960s spent three years on the ABC soap opera General Hospital while he also made prime-time appearances, billing himself as G.B. Atwater from 1963 to 1965, a period in which he was cast in supporting parts. About his nine-month stint on General Hospital, Atwater said, "It was a good experience and good income, but it got tiresome. Shows like that are written for women, and the men are all emasculated".[13][14] In 1971 he guest-starred in a 2-part episode of Hawaii Five-0, "The Grandstand Play". By the late 1960s and early 1970s, Atwater was again scoring primary guest-star roles, particularly on fantasy and science fiction series, including The Man From U.N.C.L.E., The Invaders,The Wild Wild West, The Outer Limits ("Corpus Earthling"), Night Gallery and Kung Fu, where his altered facial appearance suited his grim and sinister countenance due to its menacing and intense appearance.[15]

On the stage[edit]

Atwater performed regularly on stage throughout his career. In January 1958, it was announced that Atwater would be in a benefit performance in Passing of the Third Floor Back with the Episcopal Theatre Guild.[16] He received positive notice in the Los Angeles Times for his appearance in Volpone.[17] Atwater also appeared on stage in 1965 in The Disenchanted at the Actors Theatre.[18] In 1966, he was in the Edward Albee play Tiny Alice at the Ivar Theatre.[19] In 1968, he directed and performed in the play A Slight Ache at the Hollywood-Vine Methodist Center.[20]

Sci-fi legacy[edit]

Atwater was one of the few actors to play a character from Spock's planet on Star Trek: The Original Series, portraying Surak, father of Vulcan philosophy, in the episode "The Savage Curtain". Atwater could not achieve the Vulcan salute naturally, so when he bids farewell in a medium shot, he has to first lower his arm so his hand is out of camera view as he pushes his fingers against his body to configure them properly.[21]

Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times praised Atwater's performance in The Night Stalker, writing, "that gifted character actor Barry Atwater is terrific as the vampire".[22] Keith Ashwell of the Edmonton Journal wrote that Atwater was "a prince among vampires".[23]

He also guest starred in a 1963 episode of The Outer Limits, "Corpus Earthling", with Robert Culp as scientist Dr. Temple in 1963.

Personal life[edit]

Atwater embraced and attributed his career success to the practice of Zen.[24]

In 1956, Atwater's West Los Angeles home was burgled after thieves removed a cat door to gain entry. Atwater was robbed of several hundred dollars' worth of clothes, jewelry, and other property.[25]

Atwater died on May 24, 1978 after suffering a stroke, only eight days after his 60th birthday.[26]

Selected filmography[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1956 to 1959 Gunsmoke Harry Bowen & Ed Eby Episodes: "Robin Hood" And "The Coward"
1956 The Scarlet Hour Crime Lab Technician Uncredited
1956 Nightmare Captain Warner
1956 Man from Del Rio Dan Ritchy Uncredited
1956 The Rack Major Byron Phillips
1956 Everything but the Truth Arthur Taylor
1957 The True Story of Jesse James Attorney Walker
1957 The Hard Man George Dennison
1958 The True Story of Lynn Stuart Police Lieutenant Jim Hagan
1958 As Young as We Are Mr. Peterson
1958 Bat Masterson Murdering Outlaw Egan "Trail Pirate" (S1E12)
1959 Crime and Punishment U.S.A.
1959 Pork Chop Hill Lieutenant Colonel Davis (Battalion Commander)
1959 Vice Raid Phil Evans
1960 Cheyenne Colonel Custer Back-to-Back Episodes:
"Gold, Glory and Custer - Prelude"
And
"Gold, Glory and Custer - Requiem"
1961 Battle at Bloody Beach Pelham
1962 Sweet Bird of Youth Ben Jackson
1963 Captain Newman, M.D. Major Dawes Uncredited
1963 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Policeman Garfield 'Gar' Newton Season 2 Episode 4: "You'll Be the Death of Me"
1965 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Borchter Season 3 Episode 15: "Thanatos Palace Hotel"
1966 Alvarez Kelly General Kautz
1966 Bewitched (TV series) Boris Episode: "Twitch or Treat"
1966 Mission: Impossible Dr. Carlos Enero "Elena" (S01E13)
1967 Return of the Gunfighter Lomax
1968 The Invaders Dorcas Episode: "The Organization"
1969 The Thousand Plane Raid General Conway
1969 Star Trek Surak (Excalbian recreation) S3:E22, "The Savage Curtain"
1972 The Night Stalker Janos Skorzeny
1973 Night Gallery Brandon Episode: "The Doll of Death"
1974 The Teacher Sheriff Murphy
1974 Win, Place or Steal Teller #2
1977 The Rockford Files Roach Episode: "Hotel of Fear"
1978 F.I.S.T. Milano's Attorney
1978 The Kid from Not-So-Big Nickerson (final film role)

References[edit]

  1. ^ "The 27th Academy Awards | 1955". Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
  2. ^ "Wm. Marshall to Receive Special Cinema Award". Boxoffice. February 12, 1973. p. C4 – via Proquest.
  3. ^ "Lord is Mastery of All He Surveys". The Times and Democrat. 19 August 1970. p. 11. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  4. ^ "Film review: The Hard Man". Variety. December 4, 1957. p. 6 – via Proquest.
  5. ^ "Film review: The True Story Of Jesse James". Variety. February 20, 1957. p. 6 – via Proquest.
  6. ^ "Film Reviews: The True Story of Lynn Stuart". Variety. February 19, 1958. p. 6 – via Proquest.
  7. ^ "Film review: Vice Raid". Variety. December 16, 1959. p. 6 – via Proquest.
  8. ^ "Film Reviews: As Young as We Are". Variety. September 24, 1958. p. 6 – via Proquest.
  9. ^ "Television Reviews: Judd for the Defense". Variety. October 2, 1968. p. 48.
  10. ^ "Television Review: Perry Mason". Variety. October 6, 1965. p. 42 – via Proquest.
  11. ^ "Atwater Portrays Benedict Arnold". The Argus. 1968-03-08. p. 8. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
  12. ^ "Television Reviews: Tele Follow-UP Comment - Playhouse 98". Variety. July 2, 1958. p. 29 – via Proquest.
  13. ^ Kleiner, Dick (October 1, 1967). "Show Beat". Marysville Appeal Democrat. p. 40 – via Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ "Barry Atwater May Die Soon, But Is Healthy". The Daily Telegram. 29 September 1967. p. 20. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  15. ^ Meehan, Paul (October 20, 2010). Horror Noir: Where Cinema's Dark Sisters Meet (1st ed.). McFarland. p. 310. ISBN 978-0786445974.
  16. ^ "Passing of Third Floor Back To Be Presented Here Feb. 1". Daily News-Post and Monrovia News-Post. 1958-01-20. p. 3. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
  17. ^ "Angels Offer Amusing 'Volpone'". The Los Angeles Times. 1964-09-02. p. 69. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  18. ^ "Barry Atwater Joins Play Cast". Valley Times. 1965-05-19. p. 31. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
  19. ^ "Tiny Alice". The Los Angeles Times. 1966-01-30. p. 512. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
  20. ^ "Pinter, Williams Dramas Staged by ARTIS Group". The Los Angeles Times. 1968-05-07. p. 78. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
  21. ^ Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 39, Episodes 77 & 78: The Savage Curtain/All Our Yesterdays (1966), CBS Paramount Home Video liner notes[citation needed]
  22. ^ Thomas, Kevin (January 11, 1972). "The Los Angeles Times". p. 54 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Do les Anglais think French will go away?". Edmonton Journal. 1972-11-29. p. 82. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  24. ^ "Career Aided by Zen, Says Actor". Valley Times. 1962-01-13. p. 16. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
  25. ^ "Cat Door Lets Thieves Enter Home of Actor". The Los Angeles Times. 1956-10-15. p. 23. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  26. ^ "Barry Atwater (1918-1978)". IMDB.com. Retrieved 19 October 2023.

External links[edit]

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