Vince Barnett

Vince Barnett (July 4, 1902 – August 10, 1977) was an American film actor. He appeared on stage originally before appearing in more than 230 films between 1930 and 1975.

Early years Barnett was born July 4, 1902, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Luke Barnett, a well-known comedian who specialized in insulting and pulling practical jokes on his audiences. (Luke's professional nickname was "Old Man Ribber" and "the King of Ribbing".)

Barnett graduated from Duquesne University Prep School and the Carnegie Institute of Technology. Barnett appeared on Broadway in Earl Carroll's Vanities during 1927. He would insult the guests in a thick German accent, spill the soup, and drop the trays—all to the great delight of hosts who enjoyed watching their friends squirm and mutter "Who hired that jerk?" Wrote author Ephraim Katz, "Among the celebrated 'victims' of his practical jokes were President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, George Bernard Shaw, Henry Ford, and Charles Lindbergh."

During the transition from silent films to sound, an employee at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer hired Barnett to prank Louis B. Mayer. He impersonated a sound expert and went with Mayer to a soundstage being built, criticizing the construction and using double-talk to confuse him. He ended his evaluation by proclaiming that the whole soundstage needed to be torn down, and Mayer was about to order it done before his co-workers revealed the prank. David Niven, in his 1975 memoir, recalled Barnett posing as an important German director at a banquet attended by Samuel Goldwyn. Barnett gave Goldwyn an uncomfortable time: "With a heavy German accent, he said that he was a little surprised that Goldwyn had been invited to meet him because he considered him to be the least talented filmmaker in the United States, [and] the only reason he had brought the Russian actress Anna Sten out to Hollywood was because he wanted to get into her bloomers."

Film Vince Barnett's initial involvement with Hollywood was as a screenwriter, "writing screenplays for the two-reeler movies of the late 1920s."

He began appearing in films in 1930, in The Falcon's Alibi (1946). After World War II, with the Hollywood studios making fewer films, Barnett became a familiar face on television.

Later years and death In one of his last public appearances, Barnett showcased his unique brand of humor with a monologue, delivered at Madison Square Garden in the 1972 vaudeville revue The Big Show of 1936.

During the 1950s, Barnett had an eponymous restaurant in Santa Monica at 826 Wilshire Boulevard.

Barnett died of heart disease August 10, 1977, at Encino Hospital Medical Center. He was buried in Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

In popular culture A Barnett-like character called “Vernon Crews” appears in several mystery novels by Anthony Boucher Selected filmography

Wide Open (1930) - Dvorak All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) - Assistant Cook (uncredited) Night Work (1930) - Headwaiter (uncredited) Her Man (1930) - Waiter (uncredited) One Heavenly Night (1931) - Egon, Chauffeur (uncredited) Scandal Sheet (1931) - Barrett, Convict Reporter (uncredited) Side Show (1931) - The Great Santini (uncredited) Scratch-As-Catch-Can (1931, Short) Scarface (1932) - Angelo Horse Feathers (1932) - Speakeasy Patron (uncredited) The Night Mayor (1932) - Louis Mossbaum, Tailor Tiger Shark (1932) - Fishbone Heritage of the Desert (1932) - Windy Rackety Rax (1932) - 'Dutch' The Death Kiss (1932) - Officer Gulliver Flesh (1932) - Waiter Hallelujah, I'm a Bum (1933) - Assistant (uncredited) Fast Workers (1933) - Spike The Big Cage (1933) - Soupmeat Made on Broadway (1933) - Snitz Lepedis The Girl in 419 (1933) - Otto Hoffer Sunset Pass (1933) - Windy Tugboat Annie (1933) - Cab Driver (uncredited) Man of the Forest (1933) - Little The Prizefighter and the Lady (1933) - Bugsie The Ninth Guest (1934) - William Jones Madame Spy (1934) - Peter Registered Nurse (1934) - Jerry Thirty-Day Princess (1934) - Count Nicholaus Now I'll Tell (1934) - Peppo The Cat's-Paw (1934) - Wilks - a Gangster The Affairs of Cellini (1934) - Ascanio She Loves Me Not (1934) - Baldy Schultz Take the Stand (1934) - Tony Kansas City Princess (1934) - Quincy - Dynamite's Henchman Young and Beautiful (1934) - Sammy No Ransom (1934) - Bullet Crimson Romance (1934) - The Courier Hell in the Heavens (1934) - Ace McGurk The Secret Bride (1934) - Drunk in Diner Princess O'Hara (1935) - Fingers Black Fury (1935) - Kubanda Silk Hat Kid (1935) - Mr. Rabinowitz Don't Bet on Blondes (1935) - Chuck aka 'Brains' Champagne for Breakfast (1935) - Bennie Streamline Express (1935) - Mr. Jones I Live My Life (1935) - Clerk Riffraff (1936) - Lew Dancing Feet (1936) - Willoughby Captain Calamity (1936) - Burp Down to the Sea (1936) - Hector San Francisco (1936) - New Year's Eve Drunk (uncredited) I Cover Chinatown (1936) - Puss McGaffey - the Bus Driver Yellow Cargo (1936) - Speedy 'Bulbs' Callahan We're in the Legion Now! (1936) - Spike Conover After the Thin Man (1936) - Wrestling Manager at Party (uncredited) The Woman I Love (1937) - Mathieu A Star Is Born (1937) - Otto (uncredited) Bank Alarm (1937) - Clarence 'Bulb' Callahan Boots of Destiny (1937) - Acey Ducey - Sidekick The Singing Cowgirl (1938) - Kewpie The Headleys at Home (1938) - Vince Bergson Sunset Murder Case (1938) - Barney Water Rustlers (1939) - Mike - the cook Ride 'em, Cowgirl (1939) - Dan Haggerty Exile Express (1939) - Deputy Constable Overland Mail (1939) - Porchy Heroes of the Saddle (1940) - Night Watchman East Side Kids (1940) - Whisper Boys of the City (1940) - Simp Stranger on the Third Floor (1940) - Cafe Customer (uncredited) Seven Sinners (1940) - Bartender A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob (1941) - Bystander with Packages (uncredited) Mr. District Attorney (1941) - Coroner's Messenger (uncredited) Paper Bullets (1941) - Scribbler, a Petty Forger Blondie in Society (1941) - Mr. Wade (uncredited) Puddin' Head (1941) - Otis Tarbell A Dangerous Game (1941) - Ephriam Jungle Man (1941) - Buckthorn - 'Buck' the Guide Sierra Sue (1941) - Shooting-Gallery Pitchman (uncredited) I Killed That Man (1941) - Drunk Blonde Comet (1941) - Curly Pardon My Stripes (1942) - Bartender (uncredited) Girls' Town (1942) - Dimitri Klondike Fury (1942) - Alaska The Corpse Vanishes (1942) - Sandy Gallant Lady (1942) - Baldy Stardust on the Sage (1942) - Sam Haskins My Favorite Spy (1942) - Kay's 2nd Taxi Driver (uncredited) The Phantom Plainsmen (1942) - Deputy (uncredited) Baby Face Morgan (1942) - Lefty Lewis Foreign Agent (1942) - Drunk Bowery at Midnight (1942) - Charley X Marks the Spot (1942) - George Queen of Broadway (1942) - Schultz Thundering Trails (1943) - Jailer (uncredited) The Crime Smasher (1943) - Henchman 'Gimp' Kid Dynamite (1943) - Klinkhammer High Explosive (1943) - Truck Driver (uncredited) Captive Wild Woman (1943) - Curley Petticoat Larceny (1943) - Stogie Danger! Women at Work (1943) - Benny Tornado (1943) - Albany Alvin (uncredited) Sweethearts of the U.S.A. (1944) - Clipper - 3rd Robber The Mask of Dimitrios (1944) - Card Game Kibitzer (uncredited) Leave It to the Irish (1944) - Barney Baker The Big Show-Off (1945) - Voice Teacher's Student (uncredited) High Powered (1945) - Worker at Dance Thrill of a Romance (1945) - Oscar River Gang (1945) - Organ Grinder Sensation Hunters (1945) - Agent The Falcon's Alibi (1946) - Goldie Locke The Virginian (1946) - Baldy Two Sisters from Boston (1946) - Singing Waiter (uncredited) Bowery Bombshell (1946) - Street Cleaner The Killers (1946) - Charleston No Leave, No Love (1946) - Ben Swell Guy (1946) - Sam Burns The Mighty McGurk (1947) - Tailor (uncredited) My Brother Talks to Horses (1947) - Schuyler (uncredited) I Cover Big Town (1947) - Louis Murkil Shoot to Kill (1947) - Charlie Gill Gas House Kids Go West (1947) - Steve Little Miss Broadway (1947) - Mack Truck The Trespasser (1947) - Bartender Brute Force (1947) - Muggsy - Convict in Kitchen Joe Palooka in the Knockout (1947) - Russell The Flame (1947) - Stage Door Attendant (uncredited) Big Town After Dark (1947) - Louie Snead High Wall (1947) - Henry Cronner Big Town Scandal (1948) - Louie Snead Thunder in the Pines (1948) - Bernard - Bartender Loaded Pistols (1948) - Sam Gardner Knock on Any Door (1949) - Carl Swanson - Bartender (uncredited) Big Jack (1949) - Tom Speed (uncredited) Deputy Marshall (1949) - Hotel Desk Clerk Mule Train (1950) - Joe - Barber Storm Over Wyoming (1950) - Telegraph Clerk (uncredited) The Second Woman (1950) - Giovanni Strobini (uncredited) Border Treasure (1950) - Pokey International Burlesque (1950) Hunt the Man Down (1950) - Joe (uncredited) Kentucky Jubilee (1951) - Mugsy I'll See You in My Dreams (1951) - Burlesk Comedian (uncredited) On Dangerous Ground (1951) - George (uncredited) Red Planet Mars (1952) - Seedy Man Listening to Radio (uncredited) Carson City (1952) - Henry Springfield Rifle (1952) - Cook (uncredited) The Jazz Singer (1952) - Bartender (uncredited) Charade (1953) - Berg Ring of Fear (1954) - Vendor (uncredited) The Human Jungle (1954) - Old Mugging Victim (uncredited) The Crooked Web (1955) - Ed, Stan's Partner in Drive-In (uncredited) The Quiet Gun (1957) - Undertaker Outlaw Queen (1957) - Gamler Monkey on My Back (1957) - Mushy - Barney's Trainer (uncredited) Girl on the Run (1958) - Janitor The Rookie (1959) - 1st Janitor Zebra in the Kitchen (1965) - Man in Manhole The Family Jewels (1965) - Oil Change Customer (uncredited) Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965) - Janitor Green Acres, ‘An Old-Fashioned Christmas’ (1966, TV Series) - Gus Andy Griffith Show (1967–1968, TV Series) - Elmo The Spy in the Green Hat (1967) - 'Scissors' The Big Mouth (1967) - Man at Telephone Booth (uncredited) The Fastest Guitar Alive (1967) - Prescott Townsman (uncredited) Mayberry R.F.D. (1968–1970, TV Series) - Elmo Summer School Teachers (1974) - Principal Adams Crazy Mama (1975) - Homer Sixpack Annie (1975) - Bartender