Barret Oliver
{{short description|American actor and photographer}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Barret Oliver
|image =
|alt =
|caption =
|birth_name = Barret Spencer Oliver
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1973|8|24}}
|birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|years_active = 1981–1989
|occupation = Former child actor, photographer
|awards = Saturn Award 1986
}}
Barret Spencer Oliver (born August 24, 1973) is an American photographer and a former child actor. He is best known for his role as Bastian Balthazar Bux in the film adaptation of Michael Ende's novel The Neverending Story, followed by roles in D.A.R.Y.L., Cocoon, and Cocoon: The Return.
Career
Oliver had minor roles in television and film, until starring as Bastian in the 1984 movie The NeverEnding Story. Subsequently, he was cast as the lead in Tim Burton's short film Frankenweenie{{cite journal |last=Mayo |first=Michael |title=Frankenweenie |date=May 1985 |journal=Cinefantastique |volume=15 |issue=2 |pages=4–5, 61}} and as the cyborg "Daryl" in the 1985 film D.A.R.Y.L., a part for which he won a Saturn Award.{{cite journal |last1=Lofficier |first1=Randy |last2=Lofficier |first2=Jean-Marc |author-link2=Jean-Marc Lofficier |title=Call Him D.A.R.Y.L. |date=August 1985 |journal=Starlog |issn=0191-4626 |publisher=O'Quinn Studios, Inc. |location=New York, NY |volume=9 |number=97 |pages=34–35 |url=https://archive.org/stream/starlog_magazine-097/097_djvu.txt}}
His last role in a feature film was Willie Saravian in Paul Bartel's 1989 ensemble comedy Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills.{{cite news |last=Canby |first=Vincent |title=Scenes From the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills |newspaper=New York Times |date=9 June 1989 |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=950DE5DB113FF93AA35755C0A96F948260 |access-date=22 July 2011}}
Later Oliver became a printer and photographer, specializing in nineteenth-century processes such as collodion and Woodburytype. His work has been displayed in museum and gallery exhibitions and used in films. In 2007, his book A History of the Woodburytype was published by Carl Mautz Publishing.{{cite web |title=about Barret Oliver |publisher=Carl Mautz Publishing |url=http://www.bardwell-press.co.uk/publications/woodburytype.htm |access-date=13 December 2010}}
Personal life
Oliver was a member of Scientology, but his current affiliation is unclear.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoKnffuisuk|title="NeverEnding Story" Star Joined Scientology's Sea Organization | Barret Oliver|via=www.youtube.com}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| rowspan=3|1982
| Jekyll and Hyde...Together Again | Child In Supermarket | Film debut |
| Kiss Me Goodbye
| Little Boy | |
| The Circle Family
| Q.P. | Television movie |
| 1983
| Kid #2 | |
| rowspan=3|1984
| Bastian | |
| Invitation to Hell
| Robbie Winslow | |
| Frankenweenie
| Short film |
| rowspan=2|1985
| Daryl | Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor |
| Cocoon
| David | |
| 1986
| Ken Miller | Television movie |
| 1987
| Dickon Sowerby | Television movie |
| 1988
| David | |
| 1989
| Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills | Willie Saravian | Final film |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 1981
| Jimmy the Kid | Episode: "Veteran" |
| 1982
| Buddy | Episode: "Knight of the Phoenix - Part 1 & 2" |
| 1983
| Unknown | Episode: "Surprise Party" |
| rowspan=3|1984
| Lottery! | Unknown | Episode: "San Diego - Bingo!" |
| Highway to Heaven
| Arthur Nealy | Episode: "To Touch the Moon" |
| Finder of Lost Loves
| Matthew Powell | Episode: "Portraits" |
| 1986
| Georgie | Episode: "Gramma" |
| 1987
| Hendrick Van Tassel | Episode: "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" |
| 1988
| Anthony | Episode: "Me and Mr. Magoo" |
Awards and nominations
References
{{reflist}}
Bibliography
- Holmstrom, John. The Moving Picture Boy: An International Encyclopaedia from 1895 to 1995, Norwich, Michael Russell, 1996, pp. 393–394.
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=0646768|name=Barret Oliver}}
- [http://www.barretoliverarchive.blogspot.com Barret Oliver archive]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20050317005718/http://www.thehollywoodnews.com/weht/barrettoliver.htm HollyWood News Article] (Archived)
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080107200900/http://www.silversteinphotography.com/galleries.php?gid=319 Silverstein Photography Annual]
{{Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oliver, Barret}}
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:American male child actors
Category:American male film actors
Category:American photographers