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Barry Stanton (born 17 February 1940)^[1] is a British stage, film and television actor.^[2]

Biography

Growing up in Accrington, Stanton discovered he was a good dancer at the age of seven when he played an elf in a school play.^[3] He hoped to become a ballet dancer and for nine years studied classical ballet at the Carlotta Ballet School/Blackburn School of Dancing, winning a scholarship to Sadler's Wells Theatre.^[4][5] Unfortunately, while on holiday in France at the age of 15 to watch the Tour de France (he was a keen club cyclist), he was involved in a cycle accident where he caught his foot in a bicycle wheel, resulting in a permanently damaged ankle, ending any hopes of a dancing career.^{[6][7][8][9][10][11]}

Stanton then tried chemical engineering but realised this was not the job for him^[10][11] after breaking equipment and blowing up a laboratory.^[9] Persuaded by his sister to go to drama school, he went to London, aged 17^[3] and attended the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama^{[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]} alongside Julie Christie and James Bolam. During this time, Stanton worked part-time as a washer-up at a nearby restaurant at nights^[12] with Bolam to earn an extra bit of money.^[4][5]

After completing his three-year course at drama school, winning an acting diploma for his performances,^[8] Stanton's first professional engagement was with summer repertory in Exmouth.^[6][7] This was followed by various theatre work in other repertories including Liverpool Playhouse Company,^[8] as well as going on worldwide tours such as playing Bottom in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1972–1973^[13] and various roles in The Wars of the Roses with the English Shakespeare Company in 1988^[14] in addition to appearances in film and television.

Selected filmography

References

Bibliography

• George W. Brand. British Television Drama in the 1980s. Cambridge University Press, 1993.

External links

• Barry Stanton at IMDb
• Barry Stanton at Theatricalia
• Barry Stanton's Australian theatre credits at AusStage
• Barry Stanton at British Film Institute