Specializing in endearingly innocent young men roles, actor Barry Evans grew up in an orphanage in Twickenham and at age 18 won a John Gielgud scholarship to the Central School of Speech and Drama. Following graduation, he found work with regional repertory companies and some "spear-carrying parts" at the National Theatre before Clive Donner's "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush" (1967) launched him as a teenage boy farcically intent on losing his virginity. Critics praised his performance as "a definitive portrait of a boy on the threshold of manhood." That same year, he appeared in a BBC production of "Much Ado About Nothing".His greatest success came as the naive and nervous medical student Michael Upton in the popular TV series "Doctor in the House" (LWT, 1969-70) and its successor "Doctor at Large" (1971). His youthful good looks and sweet confusion drew an enthusiastic and not wholly maternal response from female viewers, and Evans found himself typecast by his talent for comic anxiety and sexual vulnerability. Serious roles eluded him, and he declined to make a third "Doctor" series in 1971, only to return to type as the perky but put-upon young English teacher Jeremy Brown in the London Weekend Television comedy series "Mind Your Language" (1977-81).
During his hiatus from television, he starred in his last film, the dismal "Adventures of a Taxi Driver" (1975). He concentrated for a while on theater work, which included directing plays at Theatre Clwyd in Mold, but a period of debt and dependence on Social Security drove him back to TV and the all too familiar role. As his fresh-faced looks faded, he found himself less in demand and left show business. In a classic example of life imitating art, he had been working as a taxi driver for several years at the time of his death.
Profession(s):
Actor, director, taxi driver
Sometimes Credited As:
1977 - 1981 Returned to TV as language-school teacher Jeremy Brown in the half-hour sitcom "Mind Your Language"
1975 Starred in dismal film farce, "Adventures of a Taxi Driver"
1971 Left the "Doctor" programmes following the second series, "Doctor at Large", having achieved his greatest success
1969 Created the role of nervous medical student Michael Upton in the popular TV series "Doctor in the House"
1967 First won widespread attention in Clive Donner's "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush"
1967 Appeared in BBC production of "Much Ado About Nothing"
Born in Guildford and brought up in an orphanage at Twickenham
Won a John Gielgud scholarship to the Central School of Speech and Drama in London
Worked with regional theater repertory companies and at the National Theatre following graduation
Concentrated on theatre work, which included directing plays at Theatre Clwyd in Mold
Left business when opportunities disappeared; worked as a taxi driver near his home at Claybrooke Magna
