Bruno Barnabe(1905-1998)

Bruno Barnabe, was a manly British actor who worked from 1927 for the stage, the big and small screen. Born in London, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and took his first steps on the boards just one day after his twenty-second birthday. From then on he would be seen in various theaters not only in England but also in the USA (and even once on Broadway in 'Escape Me Never'), in Egypt, Australia and New Zealand. The play 'Escape Me Never' was for that matter an opening door to the cinema as he was hired for its screen adaptation. From then he worked regularly both in feature films and on television. Often chosen by directors to play Italians (he himself was of Italian origin), he found himself in the skin of even more exotic characters such as Frenchmen ('Second Bureau'), Egyptians (the Pharaoh in 'The Mummy's Shroud'), Arabs (and particularly Viziers and Grand Viziers !), Greeks, Russians or Spaniards. His strong build destined him to roles of tough guys, but it is to be noted that he was more often on the right side of law (most of the time as a police officer or inspector - preferably but not necessarily Italian) than the opposite (the night club doorman in 'Pit of Darkness') After fifty years of commitment and loyal service, Bruno Barnabe decided to retire. He died in 1998 at the respectable age of 93.