Barry Dennen

Barry Dennen (February 22, 1938 – September 26, 2017) was an American actor and writer born in Chicago, Illinois. He appeared on Broadway from 1971 to 2002, with his most prominent stage credit being Jesus Christ Superstar, and built a career that extended across film, television, voice acting, and writing.

Dennen relocated to London, where he spent fifteen years, and in 1968 took on the starring role of the master of ceremonies in the West End production of Cabaret. His association with Jesus Christ Superstar began in 1970, when he originated the role of Pontius Pilate on the concept album. He reprised that role for the Broadway production in 1971 and again for the 1973 film adaptation directed by Norman Jewison. According to Dennen's own website, he was the one who suggested to Jewison that a film version of the musical be made. Also in 1971, he appeared as Mendel in Jewison's film of Fiddler on the Roof.

His screen work encompassed a wide range of film and television appearances. Among his film credits were Madhouse (1974), Brannigan (1975), The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977), The Shining (1980), Ragtime (1981), Trading Places (1983), Superman III (1983), Twin Sitters (1994), and Titanic (1997). He played auto dealer Irwin Lapsey in Shock Treatment (1981) and the role of Buddy in the 1982 television adaptation of Beau Geste. His television work included guest appearances on Batman, Wonder Woman, Galtar and the Golden Lance, Tales from the Darkside, and Justice League: Throne of Atlantis.

Dennen was also an active voice actor. In 1982 he voiced the Chamberlain SkekSil in The Dark Crystal, and he later portrayed Tulku in The Shadow (1994). His animation credits included DuckTales, Batman: The Animated Series, The Pirates of Dark Water, Animaniacs, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars. He contributed voices to numerous video games as well, among them Fatman in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Police Chief Bogen in Grim Fandango, Master Li in Jade Empire, Dean Domino in the Fallout: New Vegas expansion Dead Money, Chaos Knight, Phantom Lancer, and Rubick in Dota 2, and the Kangxi Emperor in Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties.

As a writer, Dennen composed the lyrics for the children's musical revue Wanna Play?!, created with writer Linda Bergman and composer Jeff Rizzo. The show premiered in Kansas City in 1984, was subsequently produced twice for television, and is licensed through Samuel French. He also wrote the screenplay for the Amazing Stories episode "The Secret Cinema" (1985) and co-wrote the Comic Strip Presents episode "Demonella" (1993).

From 1960 to 1961, Dennen shared a platonic living arrangement in New York City with Barbra Streisand, during which time he helped her develop the nightclub act that launched her career as a singer and actress. He later wrote about that period and his gradual recognition of his own homosexuality in the autobiographical book My Life with Barbra: A Love Story, published in 1997. Dennen suffered a fall at his home in Burbank, California, in June 2017 and never fully recovered, dying on September 26, 2017.