TV Star Gene Barry Dies at 90

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Dec 11th 2009 07:15AM

Gene Barry, who for three decades played the tall, well-dressed tough guy in TV shows like 'Bat Masterson,' 'Burke's Law' and 'The Name of the Game,' has died at age 90. The cause of his death was not stated.

'Bat Masterson'

'Burke's Law'

Fredric James Barry, the actor's son, said his father died Wednesday at a rest home in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Woodland Hills.

Gene Barry essentially played the same character in all three series, which spanned the 1950s to the 1970s. Always fashionably dressed, the tall, handsome actor with the commanding voice dominated his scenes as he bested the bad guys in each show.

In the first of the three, the Western "Bat Masterson," he was a frontier dandy who rarely resorted to gunplay, choosing instead to beat his rivals senseless with a gold-handled cane.

Before he landed the role in 1958, Barry's movie career appeared to be on the rise, and he was at first reluctant to play Bat Masterson. He had starred in the science-fiction classic "War of the Worlds" in 1953 and opposite Clark Gable in "Soldier of Fortune" in 1955.

He said he was won over to TV when he learned that lawman Masterson had worn a derby and carried a gold-handled cane in real life.

"I went over to the wardrobe department, picked out a brocaded vest, looked in the mirror, and there was this elegant gentleman," he recalled in 1999. "I said, 'Hey, that's Bat! That's me!"'

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Recent Losses in TV Land

Gene Barry, Dec. 9: The 'Bat Masterson' and 'Burke's Law' actor died of unspecified causes at the age of 90, according to his son.

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Recent Losses in TV

Gene Barry, Dec. 9: The 'Bat Masterson' and 'Burke's Law' actor died of unspecified causes at the age of 90, according to his son.

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Ken Ober, Nov. 15: The 'Remote Control' host was found dead at his Santa Monica home at the age of 52. Cause of death is unknown.

Peter Kramer, Getty Images

Soupy Sales, Oct. 22: The comedian whose real name was Milton Supman built a career on his physical comedy and seemingly rubber face, which was the target of countless pies during his decades as a comedian. He was 83 years old.

CBS Photo Archive / Getty Images

Vic Mizzy, Sept. 17: The songwriter who composed the catchy themes for the 1960s sit-coms 'The Addams Family' and 'Green Acres,' has died at age 93. His manager Jonathan Wolfson said he didn't know the cause of death. Mizzy is survived by a brother, daughter and two grandchildren.

Mathew Imaging / WireImage

Henry Gibson, Sept. 14: The actor known for roles in 'Blues Brothers,' 'The Burbs' and 'Laugh-In' died at his home in Malibu after battling cancer. He was 73.

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Harry Towb, July 24: The Irish actor died of cancer in his London home at the age of 83, after more than 60 years on the stage and screen.

WENN

Alexis Cohen, July 25: The ex-'American Idol' hopeful, whose famous rejection meltdown made her a viral sensation in early 2008, was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver in New Jersey. Viewers better know Cohen as Glitter Girl, for her sparkly makeup. The aspiring singer and comedienne was 25.

AP Photo/FOX, Michael Becker, File

Les Lye, July 21: You know him as the foil to all those silly kids on 'You Can't Do That on Television' during the show's heyday. Lye died at age 84. Watch him in his numerous characters here.

YouTube

Gidget, July 21: The Chihuahua who became synonymous with Taco Bell thanks to their 'Yo Quiero Taco Bell' ad campaign died at the age of 15.

Taco Bell / AP

Billy Mays, June 28: The TV pitchman died of a heart attack, though an autopsy report showed that cocaine use played a part in Mays' death.

Chris O'Meara, AP

After two decades as a TV star, Barry found himself typecast as a television actor and never returned to prominence in films. Instead, he stayed active with stage appearances and dozens of TV guest appearances.

He sang in such musicals as "Kismet" and "Destry Rides Again," and created the Broadway role of Georges, the gay night club owner in Jerry Herman's hit musical "La Cage aux Folles." That role brought him a Tony nomination in 1984.

Barry appeared in the last season of Eve Arden's hit sitcom "Our Miss Brooks" - as a P.E. teacher who pines for Miss Brooks - before landing "Bat Masterson" in 1958.

After the show ended its run on NBC in 1961, Barry moved to ABC to star as an LA detective in "Burke's Law," which lasted until 1966. The show was revived on CBS nearly 30 years later with Barry again in the lead but lasted only one season.

"The Name of the Game" (1968-1972) offered an innovation: three suave actors - Barry, Robert Stack and Anthony Franciosa -alternating weekly in their own self-contained adventures. The only connective element: All were part of an investigative magazine of which Barry was the flamboyant owner.

When the series folded, Barry filmed a syndicated show, "The Adventurer," in England.

He was born Eugene Klass in New York City in 1919, and he met his wife, Betty Claire Kalb, when both were performing in the city. They were married 58 years, until her death in 2003.

Barry is survived by his three children, Michael, Fredric and Elizabeth, as well as three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

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Comments

(52)

Friday 11 December

By phurbee951

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Maybe the cause of death was "being 90".

By Steve

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Today, being 90 is not a death sentence. My mother-in-law is 97 and she gets around fine- although she is contemplating giving up ski jumping.

By laurarvail1

Yeah... ROFLMAO... could've been... old age tend to do that to you...

RIP Mr. Barry... I still watch you on Retro TV! Class act!

By King David

MAYBE you are an idiot!!?! NO, I'm SURE OF IT!!!

By ratari

Yeah, I'd say it's old age. Doesn't take a degree to figure that out. I always liked Gene Barry, used to watch "Bat Masterson" when I was a kid.

By Ed

I remember Mr. Barry and "Bat Masterson" "Burke's Law" the "The Name of the Game" the original classic, and best, "War of the Worlds".
What fine actor and a class act. God Bless him.
We're not seeing this kind of quality actors in Hollywood anymore, and it's sad. Rest well Mr. Barry. Well done.

By Joe

I agree, Gene played Bat Masterson to perfection. I have most of his shows on tape. Hate to see him cash in his chips.

By Jesse

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I just watched Gene Barry on TV a couple of days ago in "War of the Worlds"! It's still a good movie after all these years and having seen it many times!

I wish I would have known where he was living so I could have dropped him some "fan mail"!

He was a great actor and did some very good work entertaining us. I have missed him and will miss him forever now.

So long Mr. Barry. May God bless you and keep you forever and ever!

Jesse Stix

By Connie

The list,"Biggest Much Ado About Nothing" should've had a dot for "All of the Above." All the stories were worthless, space filling, none-of-our-business stories.

By Henry

I remember Gene Barry in all his films and television shows. I do remember he did a film called Guyana, Cult of the Damned. He played Congressman Leo Ryan. His character was Lee O'Brian. Stuart Whitman protrayed Jim Jones. His character was Jim Johnson. This movie is more to the fact than Powers Boothe's movie. Rest in peace, Gene.

By Renga

I find it offensive listing the death of a dog with the deaths of humans. I realize pets mean a lot to people, but, it is just not the same as the loss of a human life.

What dog? I didn't see anything in the article about a dog. But anyway, why should that be offensive? We all know that humans rate higher than dogs. Although most dogs have more character than a lot of humans that I have met.

By srsnakes

Dogs are better than humans in more ways than you could possibly understand.

By tom

I met Mr. Barry in Dec. 1969 at 2 AM in a little cafe across from the Sahara hotel in Las Vegas--he was having breakfast all by himself. I was with some buddies from the Air Force base and recognized him and asked for his autograph. He was very friendly and asked what he should write and he used the table napkin for the autograph. He was very nice.

By T

Gene Barry did a quick cameo at the end of the Tom Cruise remake of "War of the Worlds". He was a main character of the original B&W version in 1953.

By kevin

I think you are mistaken the original 1953 War of the Worlds was in color.

By matt

A class act!!

By Margie

Those were the days of great western shows. What wonderful memories I have watching "Bat" with my Dad. Notice the shows back then didn't swear or have nudity. God Bless his family.

By WOODY

BACK WHEN THE MAN WAS VERY YOUNG,
GENE PLAYED A MAN NAMED MASTERSON,
HE WORE A CANE AND DERBY HAT,
THEY CALLED HIM BAT, BAT MASTERSON!

GREAT JOB GENE, WE'LL MISS YOU. A JOB WELL DONE.
OUR REGARDS TO PAHOO AKA BRAND X. R.I.P.

Saturday 12 December

By jack909

His name was not "Brand X", but rather "X Brands".

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