Editing Chris Barrie

{{Short description|British actor and comedian (born 1960)}}
{{for-multi|the Australian admiral|Chris Barrie (admiral)|the director|Christopher Barry}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2012}}
{{Infobox person
| image              = Chris Barrie (cropped) 2009.jpg
| caption            = Barrie in 2009
| name               = Chris Barrie
| birth_name         = Christopher Jonathan Brown
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1960|3|28}}
| birth_place        = [[Hanover]], West Germany
| known_for          = ''[[Red Dwarf]]''<br>''[[The Brittas Empire]]''
| nationality        = British
| occupation         = {{hlist|Actor|comedian|impressionist}}
| years_active       = 1982–present
| spouse             = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Monica De Meo|1987|1990|end=divorced}}
* {{marriage|Alecks Barrie|1997}}
}}
| children           = 2
}}

'''Chris Barrie''' (born '''Christopher Jonathan Brown'''; 28 March 1960) is a British actor and comedian. He worked as a vocal [[Impressionist (entertainment)|impressionist]] on the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] sketch show ''[[Spitting Image]]'' (1984–1996) and as [[Lara Croft]]'s butler Hillary in ''[[Lara Croft: Tomb Raider]]'' (2001) and ''[[Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life]]'' (2003). Barrie starred as [[Arnold Rimmer]] in 13 series of the sci-fi space comedy ''[[Red Dwarf]]'' between 1988 and 2020, and as [[Gordon Brittas]] in seven series of the [[BBC]] [[leisure centre]] sitcom ''[[The Brittas Empire]]'' (1991–1997).

==Early life and career==
Barrie was born on 28 March 1960 in [[Hanover]], [[Lower Saxony]], [[West Germany]], to a father who was serving in the [[British Army]],{{citation needed|date=December 2021}} and later attended [[Methodist College Belfast|Methodist College]], a boarding school, in [[Belfast]], [[Northern Ireland]]. After dropping out of his Combined Studies course at [[University of Brighton|Brighton Polytechnic]], he became a [[Gravedigger|grave filler]].<ref name=":0">{{Citation|last=Chris Barrie Fans|title=Chris Barrie the Terry Wogan Interview|date=2018-01-20|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLVedc8F40o |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/eLVedc8F40o| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|access-date=2018-01-21}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He began his television career as a sports personality impersonator on ''[[David Essex|The David Essex Showcase]]'' in 1982.<ref name="essex">{{Cite web|title=BBC Programme Index 31 July 1982 David Essex Showcase|url= https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_one_london/1982-07-31|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |access-date=14 December 2022|date=31 July 1982}}</ref>

He adopted the surname "Barrie" as there was already an actor named Chris Brown on the Equity UK lists. He was a regular on ''[[Saturday Live (British TV programme)|Saturday Live]]'', amongst performers like [[Fry and Laurie]], [[Rik Mayall]] and [[Ben Elton]]. Barrie provided the voice of [[Ronald Reagan]] in the pop song "[[Two Tribes]]" by [[Frankie Goes to Hollywood]],<ref name="jif"/> as well as various vocalizations for other tracks by FGTH and [[Art of Noise]].<ref name="jif"/> He also appeared as an impressionist on the [[BBC]]'s ''[[Carrott's Lib]]''<ref name="jif"/> between 1983 and 1984, and he starred in his own sketch show ''Pushing Up Daisies'' (re-titled ''Coming Next'' for the following series) from 1984 to 1985 alongside [[Hale and Pace]] and [[Carla Mendonça]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Viewer |first1=Telly |title=Pushing Up Daisies / Coming Next |url=http://www.curiousbritishtelly.co.uk/2017/09/pushing-up-daisies-coming-next.html |website=Curious British Telly |access-date=20 August 2019}}</ref> In 1987, he appeared as a French Revolutionary in ''[[Blackadder the Third]]'' (episode "Nob and Nobility") and did various parts in ''The Young Ones'' both as an actor and a voice-over.<ref name="jif"/><ref name="young"/>

==''Red Dwarf''==
Barrie played the character [[Arnold J. Rimmer]] in all twelve series of ''[[Red Dwarf]]'', appearing in almost every episode of the series, absent only for a period during series 7.<ref>{{cite web |title=Red Dwarf Guide: SVIII |url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm?seriesID=8 |website=www.reddwarf.co.uk |access-date=18 September 2019}}</ref> When an unsold pilot for an American version of the show was produced, Barrie was invited to reprise his role as Rimmer. He passed up the offer because of the constraint of the five-series contract.<ref>{{cite web |title=Red Dwarf USA |url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/features/history/red-dwarf-usa/ |website=www.reddwarf.co.uk |access-date=18 September 2019}}</ref>
He starred in the 2020 special ''[[Red Dwarf: The Promised Land]]'', alongside the main cast of [[Craig Charles]], [[Danny John-Jules]] and [[Robert Llewellyn]].<ref name="red">{{Cite news|last=Nicholson|first=Rebecca|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/apr/09/red-dwarf-the-promised-land-review-megalomaniac-cats-are-out-for-revenge|title=Red Dwarf: The Promised Land review – megalomaniac cats are out for revenge|date=2020-04-09|work=The Guardian|access-date=2020-04-10|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
In addition to starring in the TV series, Barrie also narrated the first two ''Red Dwarf'' books, ''[[Red Dwarf: Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers|Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers]]'' (1992) and ''[[Better Than Life]]'' (1995), including using his vocal talents to recreate the voices of the other characters, as they sound in the show.<ref name="red"/>

==''The Brittas Empire''==
Barrie played Gordon Brittas, the title role in ''[[The Brittas Empire]]'', a BBC sitcom running from January 1991 to February 1997 for seven series, with 52 episodes, including two Christmas specials.<ref name=":0" /> Brittas was the well-meaning but incompetent manager of Whitbury New Town Leisure Centre. Each episode featured a disastrous occurrence, which Brittas was sure he could sort out, oblivious to the fact he was usually its cause.<ref name=":0" />

Barrie also appeared as Brittas in the stand alone fitness mini-series ''[[Get Fit with Brittas]]'' in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|title=Get Fit with Brittas (TV Series 1997) - IMDb|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118324/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_get%2520fit%2520|publisher=IMDb|accessdate=14 February 2025}}</ref>

In 2014, Barrie reprised his role as Gordon Brittas in the music video for [[Little Mix]]'s version of "[[Word Up! (song)|Word Up!]]".<ref>{{cite web |title=Little Mix - Word Up! (Official Video) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zk0ToEA8sY  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/1zk0ToEA8sY| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|website=YouTube | date=2 March 2014 |access-date=10 August 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="metro">{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Andrew |title=Chris Barrie on baffling Little Mix and getting over his fear of flying |url=https://www.metro.news/chris-barrie-on-baffling-little-mix-and-getting-over-his-fear-of-flying/778157/ |website=Metro |date=11 October 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190810231345/https://www.metro.news/chris-barrie-on-baffling-little-mix-and-getting-over-his-fear-of-flying/778157/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2019-08-10}}</ref>

In 2017, the cast reunited for the reopening of Ringwood Leisure centre where a lot of the series was recorded.<ref>{{cite news|work=BBC News|title=The Brittas Empire: Cast reunites at Ringwood Leisure Centre 20 years on|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-hampshire-41550140|date=9 October 2017|access-date=3 October 2020}}</ref>

==Roles in television and films==
[[File:Chris Barrie 2004.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Barrie in 2004]]
Barrie's TV work includes ''[[Britain's Greatest Machines with Chris Barrie]]'',<ref>{{cite web |title=Chris Barrie on Britain's Greatest Machines |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/7104284/Chris-Barrie-on-Britains-Greatest-Machines.html |website=The Telegraph|date=29 January 2010 |access-date=20 August 2019}}</ref> screened on the [[National Geographic (U.S. TV channel)|National Geographic channel]] from 4 June 2009.<ref name="whit"/> Each of the four episodes features some of the most notable air, sea, and land vehicles and equipment of the 1930s, 1950s, 1960s, and 1980s, respectively. The second series of four episodes was transmitted in February 2010, with the 1910s, 1920s, 1940s, and early steam trains as the subjects of each episode.<ref name="with">{{cite web |title=Britain's Greatest Machines with Chris Barrie |url=https://www.natgeotv.com/asia/britains-greatest-machines |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100520080545/http://natgeotv.com/asia/britains-greatest-machines |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 May 2010 |website=natgeotv.com|access-date=7 February 2011}}</ref>

Barrie has also hosted the television series ''Chris Barrie's Massive Engines'' and ''Chris Barrie's Massive Machines''<ref name="whit">{{cite web |title=Chris Barrie's Massive Machines |url=http://whitworthmedia.com/shows/chris-barries-massive-machines/ |website=whitworthmedia.com |access-date=12 August 2020}}</ref> on the [[Discovery Channel]], later shown on [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]] and released on DVD.<ref name="whit"/> The latest in this series ''Massive Speed with Chris Barrie'' was shown on [[Discovery Channel]] from November 2006. In 2006,<ref name="whit"/> he appeared as a regular team captain in the BBC Two [[game show|quiz show]] ''[[Petrolheads]]''<ref name="petrol">{{cite web |title=Petrolheads |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/petrolheads/ |website=comedy.co.uk|access-date=3 December 2019}}</ref> and was the star of the British crime/comedy/drama film ''Back In Business'', in which he played Tom Marks.
Between 2015 and 2018 he was the voice-over for Channel 5's ''Car Crash TV''<ref name="car">{{Cite web|title=Watch Car Crash TV {{!}} Prime Video|url=https://www.amazon.com/Car-Crash-TV/dp/B086C7RLN7|access-date=2021-10-05|website=www.amazon.com}}</ref> and 2018–2019 ''Idiot TV''.

==Filmography==
* 1983–1984 Appearances on the [[BBC Radio 4]] sketch show ''[[Son of Cliché]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC Radio 4 Extra - Son of Cliche|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00p36hd|access-date=2021-10-05|website=BBC|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Chris Barrie » Biography|url=http://www.chrisbarrie.co.uk/biography|access-date=2021-10-05}}</ref>
* 1984 Voice impersonation of [[Robin Day]] on the [[Art of Noise]] track "[[Close (to the Edit)#12.22: ZTT .2F 12 ZTPS 01 United Kingdom|Close Up]]".
* 1984 The ship's captain in the wall-poster [[cut scene]] during ''[[The Young Ones (TV series)|The Young Ones]]'' episode "[[Nasty (Young Ones episode)|Nasty]]".<ref name="jif">{{Cite web|date=2018-12-19|title=Chris Barrie – Voice of Jif Micro Liquid (amongst other things!)|url= https://smashingblouseproductions.com/chris-barrie-voice-of-jif-micro-liquid-amongst-other-things/|access-date=2018-12-19|website=Smashing Blouse Productions |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190715133543/https://smashingblouseproductions.com/chris-barrie-voice-of-jif-micro-liquid-amongst-other-things/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2019-07-15}}</ref><ref name="young">{{Cite web|title=The Young Ones Series 2, Episode 3 - Nasty|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/the_young_ones/episodes/2/3/|access-date=2021-10-05|website=British Comedy Guide|language=en-GB}}</ref>
* 1985 Voice impersonations on recordings by [[Frankie Goes to Hollywood]]:<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC Radio 6 Music - Radcliffe and Maconie, Chris Barrie, 'It's for the fans I continue to do Red Dwarf' Chris Barrie on the show's devoted fanbase|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p048plkd|access-date=2021-10-05|website=BBC|date=22 September 2016 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name="jif"/><ref>{{Citation|title=Frankie Goes To Hollywood – The Power Of Love (1985, DMM, Vinyl)|year=1985 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/17944768-Frankie-Goes-To-Hollywood-The-Power-Of-Love|language=en|access-date=2021-10-05}}</ref>
** as [[Ronald Reagan]] on the 12-inch release of "[[Two Tribes]]".
** as [[Mike Read]], banning the single "[[Relax (song)|Relax]]", on the 12-inch release of "[[The Power of Love (Frankie Goes to Hollywood song)|The Power of Love]]".
** as [[Charles III|HRH Prince Charles]] on "Tag", from the album ''[[Welcome to the Pleasuredome]]''.
* 1986 Voice of Ronald Reagan in the video to the [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]] song "[[Land of Confusion]]".<ref>{{Citation |last1=Lloyd| first1=John|title=Genesis: Land of Confusion|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4645620/|type=Short, Music|access-date=2021-10-05|last2=Yukich|first2=James}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Chris Barrie|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0057368/|access-date=2021-10-05|website=IMDb}}</ref>
* 1987 Trevor, the director of the mock panel show "Ooer, Sounds a Bit Rude" in episode two of ''[[Filthy Rich & Catflap]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0579399/|title = "Filthy Rich & Catflap" Episode #1.2 (TV Episode 1987) - IMDb|website = [[IMDb]]|date = 14 January 1987}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title="Filthy Rich & Catflap" Episode #1.2 (TV Episode 1987) - IMDb|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0579399/fullcredits|access-date=2021-10-05}}</ref>
* 1987 A revolutionary in the French embassy in ''[[Blackadder The Third]]'' (Episode: ''[[Nob and Nobility]]'').<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC One - Blackadder, Blackadder the Third, Nob and Nobility|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0078wn4|access-date=2021-10-05|website=BBC|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Fletcher|first=Mandie|title=Nob and Nobility|date=1987-10-01|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0526725/|series=Blackadder the Third|access-date=2021-10-05}}</ref>
* 1988–2020 [[Arnold Rimmer]] in ''[[Red Dwarf]]''
* 1992 Voice of a motorbike racing commentator in episode 3 of the BBC Comedy series ''[[Grace and Favour]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Paradiso|first=Cinema|title=Chris Barrie films {{!}} DVD Rental|url=https://www.cinemaparadiso.co.uk/celebrity/chris-barrie|access-date=2021-10-05|website=CinemaParadiso.co.uk|language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Are You Being Served? Again! (TV Series 1992–1993) - IMDb|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103429/fullcredits|access-date=2021-10-05}}</ref>
* 1993–1995 The voices of Captain Smollett and Ben Gunn in ''[[The Legends of Treasure Island]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0341973/|title = The Legends of Treasure Island (TV Series 1993–1995) - IMDb|website = [[IMDb]]|date = 10 September 1993}}</ref>
* 1994 The voice of Simon the Sorcerer in the [[Amiga CD32]] re-release of the [[Adventure Soft]] computer game ''[[Simon the Sorcerer]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mobygames.com/game/amiga-cd32/simon-the-sorcerer|title=Simon the Sorcerer for Amiga CD32 (1994)|website=MobyGames|access-date=2019-06-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/VideoGame/SimonTheSorcerer|title=Simon the Sorcerer (Video Game)|website=TV Tropes|access-date=2019-06-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Simon the Sorcerer (Video Game 1993)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0307465/fullcredits|access-date=2021-10-05|website=IMDb}}</ref>
* 1997–1998 Gary Prince in ''[[A Prince Among Men]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/p/princeamongmena_7775275.shtml | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050115191804/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/p/princeamongmena_7775275.shtml | archive-date=15 January 2005 | title=BBC - Comedy Guide - A Prince Among Men }}</ref>
* 2001 Hillary the Butler in the film ''[[Lara Croft: Tomb Raider]]''<ref>{{Citation|title=Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) - IMDb|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0146316/fullcredits|access-date=2021-10-05}}</ref>
* 2003 Hillary the Butler in the film ''[[Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life]]''.<ref>{{Citation|title=Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003) - IMDb|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0325703/fullcredits|access-date=2021-10-05}}</ref>
* 2007 Lionel Poulter in the ''[[Midsomer Murders]]'' episode ''Death in a Chocolate Box''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0921508|title = Midsomer Murders (TV Series 1997- ): Death in a Chocolate Box - IMDb|website = [[IMDb]]|date = 17 May 2008}}</ref>
* Doubting Thomas in a small series of television advertisements for [[Anglian Windows]].
* The voice of [[Cif|Jif]] Micro Liquid.<ref>{{Citation|title=Jif Micro Liquid Advert| date=8 November 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNtzRPWMWBs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/zNtzRPWMWBs| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2019-10-10}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="jif"/>
* 2015–2018 Narrator for the [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]] show ''Car Crash TV''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5980930/|title = Car Crash TV (TV Series 2015– ) - IMDb|website = [[IMDb]]|date = 25 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="car"/>

==Personal life==
Barrie's interests include vintage motorbikes and collecting fast cars. In 1995, he released a video called ''Chris Barrie's Motoring Wheel Nuts'', a showcase for his personal car collection.<ref name="nuts"/> {{as of|2022}} his classic car collection consists of a [[Triumph TR2]], [[MG MGB|MGB-GT]], [[Riley One-Point-Five|Wolseley 1500]] and a [[Jaguar XJ|Jaguar XJ6]].<ref name="nuts">{{cite web |title=Chris Barrie's Motoring Wheel Nuts |url=https://www.videocollector.co.uk/chris-barries-motoring-wheel-nuts/22397 |website=videocollector.co.uk|access-date=10 August 2022}}</ref>

He has been married twice: first to Monica De Meo from 1987 to 1990 and then to Alecks (1997–present) with whom he has two sons. He lives in [[Cookham]], [[Berkshire]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Chris Barrie Bio |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/barrie-chris-1960 |website=encyclopedia.com |access-date=18 September 2019}}</ref>

In 2010, Barrie was awarded an honorary DTech (Doctor of Technology) by Loughborough University for his contribution to promoting Engineering and Technology.<ref>{{cite web |title=Honorary Graduates and University Medallists |url=https://www.lboro.ac.uk/students/graduation/honorary-graduates/ |publisher=Loughborough University}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Chris Barrie}}
*{{official website|http://www.chrisbarrie.co.uk/}}
*{{IMDb name|id=0057368|name=Chris Barrie}}
*{{British Comedy Guide|people|chris_barrie}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090522144918/http://www.natgeochannel.co.uk/programmes/britains-greatest-machines Chris Barrie on National Geographic Channel]

===Interviews===
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051216112548/http://www.ayme.org.uk/article.php?sid=13&id=23 AYME] Interview – Association of Young People with ME
*26 September 2005: BBC – Wiltshire – Films – [https://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/entertainment/films_and_tv/chrisbarrie.shtml Interview with Chris Barrie] [https://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/entertainment/films_and_tv/chrisbarrie.ram Play audio]
*11 August 2005: BBC – Wiltshire – [https://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/content/articles/2005/11/08/chris_barrie_feature.shtml Mark Seaman Interview with Chris Barrie] [https://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/realmedia/chrisbarrie2.ram Play audio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114111443/http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/realmedia/chrisbarrie2.ram |date=14 November 2012 }}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090525141043/http://www.natgeochannel.co.uk/programmes/britains-greatest-machines/videos/an-interview-with-chris-barrie Video Interview with Chris Barrie]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barrie, Chris}}
[[Category:1960 births]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Brighton]]
[[Category:British impressionists (entertainers)]]
[[Category:British male comedians]]
[[Category:British male film actors]]
[[Category:British male television actors]]
[[Category:British television presenters]]
[[Category:British male voice actors]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People educated at Methodist College Belfast]]
[[Category:Male actors from Belfast]]
[[Category:20th-century British comedians]]
[[Category:21st-century British comedians]]
[[Category:Male actors from Hanover]]
[[Category:Comedians from Lower Saxony]]
[[Category:People from Cookham]]
[[Category:Comedians from Berkshire]]
[[Category:Comedians from Belfast]]