Wesley Barry

Date of Birth: 10th August 1907
Details of Death: 11th April 1994
Country of Birth: USA

Biography

Red-haired, skinny and elfin, grocer's son Wesley Barry was first cast for a role in a film when he was a mere 7 years old, appearing in the comedy short "The Phoney Cannibal" (1915). In 1917, film producer Marshall Neilan cast him in "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" with his freckles uncovered - earlier producers had insisted that freckles be covered up with grease paint! Wesley was an instant hit, and in subsequent features consolidated his following. After his performance as George Washington Sticker in "The Unpardonable Sin", one critic gushed that "If any boy actor ever succeeded in making more out of a part than Wesley does out of Sticker, neither the screen nor the stage has any record of the event." His popularity became so great that he even had an imposter: in 1920, a boy called Sidney Ward Scott was touted by his father on a 'Wesley Barry personal appearance tour'. To complaints that he was insufficiently freckled, the Scotts claimed that these were only painted on for the camera! Wesley went on in later life to become a producer and director in his own right. Arguably, the most famous movie he directed was "The Creation of the Humanoids" (1962), depicting a future society where robots are persecuted by humans who are facing extinction due to their own recklessness - an eerie anticipation of some of the themes of Spielberg's later "A.I. Artificial Intelligence" (2001).

Notes

• In the Gallery, you will find a facsimile message written by Wesley that accompanied a booklet that was sent out in answer to fanmail. It reads: "Dear friends:- As you can judge, my handwriting is terrible which is only one of the reasons why I don't answer letters more promptly, the other reason being that Marshall Neilan keeps me so darn busy I don't get a chance to do such important things as play marbles or spin a top. I think in this booklet you'll find the answers to many questions you've put to me. If not, write me again and I'll try to answer. Honest. Respectfully Wesley Barry"

Gallery

• BA Gallery