Barry Dennen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Barry Dennen
Dennen at a performance of Jesus Christ Superstar of May 6, 2017
Born	(1938-02-22)February 22, 1938 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	September 26, 2017(2017-09-26) (aged 79) Burbank, California, U.S.
Resting place	Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Occupation	Actor singer writer
Years active	1966–2016

Barry Dennen (born February 22, 1938 – died September 26, 2017) was a talented American actor, singer, and writer. He became well-known for his role as Pontius Pilate in the original album and later the film of the famous musical Jesus Christ Superstar.

Life and Career

Barry Dennen was born in Chicago, Illinois, on February 22, 1938. He had a brother named Lyle Dennen.

In the early 1960s, Barry Dennen lived in New York City. He helped a young singer named Barbra Streisand develop her nightclub act. This act helped her start her very successful career as a singer and actress.

Moving to London and Big Roles

Dennen moved to London and lived there for 15 years. In 1968, he got a main role in the London show of Cabaret. He played the Master of Ceremonies.

In 1970, he played Pontius Pilate on the original album of Jesus Christ Superstar. He then played the same role in the Broadway show in 1971. That same year, he also appeared in the movie Fiddler on the Roof as Mendel. Barry Dennen even suggested to director Norman Jewison that he should make a movie version of Jesus Christ Superstar. Jewison agreed, and Dennen played Pilate again in the 1973 film.

Film and TV Appearances

Barry Dennen appeared in many American television shows. These included Batman, Wonder Woman, and Tales from the Darkside. He also had roles in several movies. Some of these films were The Shining (1980), Trading Places (1983), Superman III (1983), and Titanic (1997).

Voice Acting Work

Dennen was also a talented voice actor. He lent his voice to characters in animated movies like SkekSil in The Dark Crystal (1982). He also voiced characters in popular cartoons. These included DuckTales, Batman: The Animated Series, Animaniacs, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. He even voiced characters in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Barry Dennen also did voice work for many video games. Some of his video game roles include Fatman in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Master Li in Jade Empire. He also voiced characters in games like Grim Fandango and Dota 2.

Writing Projects

In 1984, Barry Dennen wrote the songs for a children's musical show called Wanna Play?!. This show was performed in Kansas City and later shown on television. He also wrote a screenplay for an episode of the TV show Amazing Stories in 1985. He co-wrote an episode of The Comic Strip Presents... in 1993.

Later Life and Passing

In June 2017, Barry Dennen had a fall at his home in Burbank, California. He needed hospital care after the accident. He did not fully recover from the fall and passed away on September 26, 2017.

Filmography

Television Roles

Video Game Roles