Volume III: Biographies

 

RANDALL, Bernard ("Barney") *

Actor (1910)

Thanhouser Career Synopsis: Barney Randall was an actor with Thanhouser in 1910.

Biographical Notes: Born in Odessa, Russia on July 4, 1884, Bernard ("Barney") Randall was educated in New York City and at the West Jersey Military Academy. He followed a stage career beginning about 1905, appearing in vaudeville and drama in New York City and on tour. He continued on the stage through at least the late 1920s and at the same time was involved in films. The October 1916 Motion Picture News Studio Directory noted that Randall's screen career began when he "appeared in the first picture made by Thanhouser, called She Wanted to Marry a Hero." This film, which was the eighth (not the first) Thanhouser commercial film, was released on April 29, 1910. For Rolfe-Metro he was involved in The House of Tears, for World he was involved in The Question and other films, for Vitagraph he acted in Within the Law, and for Rex Beach he appeared in The Auction Block.

Bernard Randall was 5'11" tall, weighed 155 pounds, and had dark hair and gray eyes. In 1916 his mailing address was care of the Green Room Club, a New York City organization of stage actors. The 1917 edition of the Motion Picture News Studio Directory gave his weight as 160 pounds and noted that he was a "very good horseman." Bernard Randall remained on stage and in films at least through the late 1920s. The Standard Casting Directory, August 1928, noted that at the time he was the producer of The Show Girl for First National and had been involved with numerous other recent productions, including Subway Sadie (First National), Say It Again (Paramount), Classified (First National), The French Doll (MGM), Sally (First National), and Pretty Ladies (MGM). Later, Bernard Randall was in radio and television. He died in New York City on December 17, 1954 and was survived by his wife and a son.

Thanhouser Filmography:

1910: She Wanted to Marry a Hero (4-29-1910)

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Copyright © 1995 Q. David Bowers. All Rights Reserved.