Barry Norton

Acting · 0.6 popularity

Age

121

Movies

111

Born: June 16, 1905 – August 24, 1956
From: Buenos Aires, Argentina

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.

Works

111 films

Casablanca

19438.1

White Christmas

19547.2

Around the World in 80 Days

19566.7

To Catch a Thief

19557.3

Strangers on a Train

19517.7

How to Marry a Millionaire

19536.8

Monsieur Verdoux

19477.7

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans

19277.8

The Caine Mutiny

19547.2

A Star Is Born

19547.1

Dance, Girl, Dance

19406.4

Easter Parade

19487.0

Camille

19367.0

Dishonored

19316.9

You Were Never Lovelier

19427.1

Written on the Wind

19567.0

The Big Clock

19487.3

The Lady Eve

19417.3

It's Always Fair Weather

19557.0

Christmas in Connecticut

19457.0

The Great Ziegfeld

19366.3

Hold That Ghost

19416.8

Hellzapoppin'

19417.2

Imitation of Life

19347.0

Pat and Mike

19526.4

Young Man with a Horn

19506.4

No Man of Her Own

19506.9

The Merry Widow

19526.3

Ziegfeld Girl

19416.7

Born to Be Bad

19506.0

The Black Pirate

19266.7

Drácula

19316.8

Variety Girl

19476.5

The Big Street

19425.8

The Buccaneer

19386.4

Lady for a Day

19337.1

Rocketship X-M

19504.9

Only Yesterday

19337.1

Room for One More

19526.5

Keeper of the Flame

19436.6

The Toast of New Orleans

19505.2

Mister 880

19507.2

Small Town Girl

19535.6

Unknown Blonde

19343.3

Hollywood Story

19516.7

On the Riviera

19516.1

Without Reservations

19466.2

Above Suspicion

19436.2

Trouble Along the Way

19536.1

Maisie Goes to Reno

19446.6

Christmas in July

19407.0

Marihuana (El monstruo verde)

19365.5

The Gangster

19475.2

Curmudgeon

193010.0

Luxury Liner

19337.2

An Innocent Affair

19484.8

Slightly Scarlet

19566.3

Lucky Me

19546.8

The Falcon Takes Over

19426.3

Serenade

19565.6

Fleetwing

19287.0

Young Man with Ideas

19525.2

Down Argentine Way

19406.3

Bold Love

19307.0

The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema

20026.5

The Strange Door

19516.2

El Cuerpo del Delito

1930

Something to Live For

19526.9

Mission to Moscow

19435.7

I'll Take Romance

19376.3

Murder at Glen Athol

19367.0

East Side, West Side

19497.1

Second Fiddle

19395.1

The World Moves On

19345.9

East is West

193010.0

The Square Jungle

19556.1

Tom, Dick and Harry

19416.0

Blue, White and Perfect

19426.5

4 Devils

19287.6

Cocktail Hour

19335.3

Ankles Preferred

19278.0

Woman Wanted

19356.8

Caravan

19346.5

Angel of Mercy

19397.7

Storm Over the Andes

19357.0

Pier 23

19515.5

The Red Dance

19286.5

Twilight on the Rio Grande

19473.1

Captain Calamity

19363.0

The Canyon of Light

19269.0

Johnny Allegro

19496.4

The Jazz Singer

19536.0

Mexican Spitfire Out West

19405.0

Grand Canary

19344.8

Let’s Be Ritzy

193410.0

Niagara Falls

19416.7

The Mexican Spitfire's Baby

19414.6

Sins of the Fathers

19288.0

The Legion of the Condemned

192810.0

A Man About Town

192710.0

What Price Glory

19266.4

The Lily

19267.0

Devil Monster

19462.8

The Wizard

19278.0

Rich Relations

19375.5

The Exalted Flapper

19298.0

Mother Knows Best

19289.0

Should Husbands Work?

19396.0

The Sea Fiend

19365.0

The Heart of Salome

19278.0

The Devil of the Sea

19359.0