Repost: Bernard Barrow (1976)

[safeandsound]

Bernard Barrow (1976)




Bernard Barrow Ph.D., former school mate of Paul Newman, former classmate of Marilyn Monroe, intends to become a barfly – in the interests of research, of course. Ever since creating the role of John Ryan on “Ryan's Hope”, Bernie, as he prefers to be called, has felt he ought to become more familiar with bar life. After all, the character he plays on “Ryan's Hope” is the owner of a bar and Bernie feels his life experience with bars is sorely lacking.

“I was born in New York City, in the Yorkville area, and grew up very middle class. There were many Irish bars in my neighborhood – along Third Avenue -- Clancy's O'Brien's , The Shamrock -- I always used to pass them on my way to school or to the park to play baseball. And I used to look through the windows and see shadowy interiors and dark wood walls and never dared go in, because you just didn't go into a bar. There was something mysterious about it – a forbidden land. It was just something no self-respecting middle-class kid did.”

“When I was in high school, even in college, I'd never go into bars. Of course, in the last twenty years or so, though I still didn't go into neighborhood bars, I began to think of them as a great tradition, as a place to go, I guess it happened because I began to meet a lot of different kinds of people – writers especially-- who adore bars. They have a lot of time on their hands, and actors do, too. A lot of time. Actors have favorite bars they hang out in even when they ore working. But, I was still never comfortable just sitting in a bar, and then getting cast as the proprietor of a bar....”

In addition to his role on “Ryan's Hope' Bernie teaches theater arts at Brooklyn College. Much of the faculty is composed of professional such as he and, “the students really appreciate and recognize our professionalism.”

He teaches twelve hours a week, four different classes of three hours each. Also once a year, he directs a play there, and then teaches one less class.

When asked how he manages all the work he does, he replied, “Knock wood, I do have an extraordinary amount of energy. As an actor there is a certain part of myself that I use, and there is different part that I employ as a teacher. We all like to be used a people. When I wasn't teaching for a couple of years, I found I was miserable-- even though at the time I was employed as an actor. I wasn't really fulfilled, My brain needs to be used, too.”

“My wife and I do have a chance to unwind on the weekends at our country house. I find I do a lot of physical work up there -- chopping wood and fixing things that need repairing.”

Bernie certainly seems to enjoy his life and appreciates all that he has and can do. When asked how he would describe himself, he said, ”I'm a private person. I used to be a turned-off person. Acting helped me get emotions out. I've always admired people who don't hide themselves from others. I'm still a little hidden, at the beginnings of relationships, but not as much as I used to be.”


“I like myself, I guess I'm really a happy person.”

[destclev]

Thanks for posting all these, S&S. Here's my favorite part from this one:

"I was miserable-- even though at the time I was employed as an actor. I wasn't really fulfilled, My brain needs to be used, too.” [emphasis added]

It seems pretty clear what he thinks of acting -- that it doesn't require the use of one's brain!

[carol]

The 'country house' he referred to is just a few miles from where I live. It really was out in the country!

[gladrags]

Thanks for posting this - interesting interview.

[ballerinadiva23]

Thanks for the wonderful post!!! ;D I loved it!!!

~ Shannon