Jess Barker

Jess Barker (June 4, 1912 – August 8, 2000) was an American actor born in Greenville, South Carolina, whose career spanned stage, film, and radio from the 1930s through the 1970s.

Barker established his stage presence on Broadway between 1934 and 1942, appearing in productions that included the comedies The Flowers of Virtue and Magic, the long-running comedy You Can't Take It With You, and the play Allure. His transition to film came in the early 1940s, during which time he changed his screen name from Philip Barker to Jess Barker. Among his notable film appearances were a role as an art critic in Fritz Lang's Scarlet Street (1945) and a part in the Abbott and Costello comedy The Time of Their Lives (1946). He continued to find work in supporting roles across film and radio throughout his career.

Barker made two guest appearances on the television series Perry Mason, playing defendant Walter Eastman in the 1961 episode "The Case of the Injured Innocent" and Doug Hamilton in the 1965 episode "The Case of the Murderous Mermaid."

On July 23, 1944, Barker married actress Susan Hayward. The couple had twin sons during their ten-year marriage, and following their divorce, Hayward won custody of the children after a prolonged legal dispute. In 1956, a Los Angeles court ruled that Barker was the father of a daughter born to actress Yvonne Doughty. The publicity surrounding these legal proceedings affected his film career, though he continued working in supporting capacities. Barker died of liver failure on August 8, 2000.