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Otis Barton

1899 – 1992

American deep-sea diver, inventor, and actor

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About Otis Barton

Lived 1899 – 1992 (aged 92). Otis Barton was an American inventor, actor, film actor, film producer, cinematographer and patent inventor.

Frederick Otis Barton Jr. (June 5, 1899 – April 15, 1992) was an American deep-sea diver, inventor and actor.

Early life and career Born in New York, the independently wealthy Barton designed the first bathysphere and made a dive with William Beebe off Bermuda in June 1930. They set the first record for deep-sea diving by descending . In 1934, they set another record at . Barton acted in the 1938 Hollywood movie, Titans of the Deep.

Later career In 1949, Barton set a new world record with a 4,500 foot (1,372 m) dive in the Pacific Ocean, using his benthoscope (from the Greek benthos, meaning 'sea bottom', and scopein, 'to view'), which was designed by Barton and Maurice Nelles.

Barton wrote the book The World Beneath the Sea, published in 1953. Like Beebe, Barton was also interested in exploring tropical rain forests, and spent considerable time in places like Gabon. In 1978, Barton successfully tested a "jungle spaceship" (actually an airship) that was intended to film wildlife.

Taxon described by him See :Category:Taxa named by Frederick Otis Barton Jr.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Harvard University, Columbia University, Harvard College
Also known as
Otis Barton II, Otis Barton, Jr., Frederick Otis Barton, Frederick Barton

People in Otis Barton's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Otis Barton's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Otis Barton?

American deep-sea diver, inventor, and actor (1899-1992)

When was Otis Barton born?

Otis Barton was born on 5 June 1899 in New York City.

When did Otis Barton die?

Otis Barton died on 15 April 1992 in New York City.

What was Otis Barton's occupation?

Otis Barton was an inventor, actor, film actor, film producer, cinematographer and patent inventor.

What nationality was Otis Barton?

Otis Barton was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Otis Barton

· Wikidata: Q540947

· DBpedia: Otis Barton

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Otis Barton. https://biography.guide/otis-barton/

MLA: "Otis Barton." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/otis-barton/.

Chicago: "Otis Barton." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/otis-barton/.

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