Keith Barron facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Keith Barron
Barron in 1974
Born	(1934-08-08)8 August 1934 Mexborough, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died	15 November 2017(2017-11-15) (aged 83)
Occupation	Actor, television presenter
Years active	1961–2017
Spouse(s)	Mary Pickard ​ (m. 1959)​
Children	1

Keith Barron (born 8 August 1934 – died 15 November 2017) was a famous English actor and TV presenter. He acted in many films and TV shows for over 50 years, from 1961 to 2017. Some of his most well-known TV roles were in the police show The Odd Man, the funny sitcom Duty Free, and as Gregory Wilmot in Upstairs, Downstairs.

Keith Barron's Acting Journey

Keith Barron was born in Mexborough, a town in Yorkshire, England. Before he became an actor, he served in the Royal Air Force. His acting career began at the Sheffield Repertory Theatre. This is where he met his wife, Mary, who designed sets for plays.

In the early 1960s, Keith became popular on British TV. He played a friendly detective, Sergeant Swift, in the TV series The Odd Man. He also appeared in its spin-off show, It's Dark Outside. A big moment in his career was playing Nigel Barton in two plays by writer Dennis Potter. These plays were called Stand Up, Nigel Barton and Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton. They were shown on BBC1 in 1965.

Famous TV Roles

Keith Barron appeared in many popular TV shows over the years. He was in Redcap and Z-Cars in the 1960s. Later, he appeared in shows like The New Avengers and The Professionals. He also played Gregory Wilmot in two episodes of the classic series Upstairs, Downstairs.

In 1983, he was a guest star in the famous science fiction show Doctor Who. He played a character called Striker in the story Enlightenment. Many people also remember his voice from British TV commercials and public information films.

One of Keith's most loved roles was David Pearce in the 1980s sitcom Duty Free. This show was about two couples on holiday. In the 1990s, he starred in other sitcoms like Haggard. Later, in the 2000s, he was a regular on the drama series Where the Heart Is. He even returned to his role as David Pearce for a stage show of Duty Free in 2014.

Film and Radio Work

Keith Barron also acted in several films. He appeared in Baby Love (1968) and Melody (1971). In Melody, he played Mr. Latimer, the father of one of the main characters.

He was also a guest on the TV game show Countdown several times. On radio, he starred in the show Bunn and Co. from 2003 to 2004. In 2007, he joined the cast of the popular soap opera Coronation Street as George Trench. His last TV appearance was in the comedy show Not Going Out in 2017. This episode was dedicated to his memory.

Keith Barron's Personal Life

Keith Barron passed away on 15 November 2017, after a short illness. He was 83 years old. He was married to Mary Pickard for 58 years. They had a son named Jamie, who also became an actor. Keith lived in the town of East Molesey in Surrey for many years.

Selected Performances

Here are some of the films and TV shows Keith Barron appeared in:

Films

• Baby Love (1969) – Doctor Robert Quayle
• Melody (1971) – Mr. Latimer
• The Land That Time Forgot (1974) – Bradley
• At the Earth's Core (1976) – Dowsett
• Voyage of the Damned (1976) – Purser Mueller
• Lapland (2011, TV Movie) – Maurice

Television

Radio

• To the Manor Born (1997) – Richard Devere
• My Turn to Make the Tea (2006) – Mr Pellet