BARNEY PHILLIPS

October 20, 1913

Barney Phillips was born Bernard Philip Ofner in St. Louis, Missouri. He went on to become a recognizable character actor on radio, television, and films, mostly playing hard-edged law enforcement officials. After graduating college in 1935, he moved to Los Angeles. 

Interested in acting, he got a small part in western called Black Aces in 1937, but it did not immediately lead to other roles. 

In 1940, he was in Meet the People on Broadway. He shared the stage with Jack Albertson, Jack Gilford, and Nanette Fabray (stage debut), all of whom would also work with Lucille Ball. This musical has nothing to do with the identically titled 1944 film featuring Lucille Ball. 

Phillips enlisted in the United States Army in July 1941, serving in the signal corps during World War II.

He made his TV debut on “Dragnet” in 1951 as Sergeant Ed Jacobs. He had also done the show on radio. After Barney disappeared from the show after the first season, it was widely believed that he had died. Apparently viewers confused him with Barton Yarborough, who had died early in the first season. He took out an ad in the newspaper assuring people that he was alive and well and available to work.

In 1952 and 1953 he did two episodes of “Our Miss Brooks” filmed at Desilu Studios. Due to his work on the popular “Dragnet”, both times he played law enforcement officials. 

His one and only time acting with Lucille Ball was on “I Love Lucy” in “Ricky’s European Booking” (ILL S5;E10), playing Mr. Jamison, the man from the District Attorney’s Office investigating Lucy and Ethel’s raffle for Ladies Overseas Aid. 

In March 1958, he did a single episode of Desilu’s helicopter series “Whirlybirds”. The episode marked Pernell Roberts’ TV debut. 

In May 1961, Phillips returned to the Desilu backlot to film an episode of “The Andy Griffith Show” where he was on the other side of the law in “Barney Gets His Man.”

In January 1963, he returned to law enforcement and Desilu to film an episode of “The Dick Van Dyke Show” titled “The Cat Burglar.” 

In March 1963 Phillips did a single episode of “The Untouchables” one of Desilu’s most successful yet controversial series. 

Of all his credits, he is best remembered as the Venusian invader masquerading as soda jerk Haley, behind the diner counter of “The Twilight Zone’s” “Will The Real Martian Please Stand Up?” in 1961. The final moment, in which he removes his cap revealing a third eye, remains one of the most memorable moments in TV history. He continued doing episodic television for the next twenty five years, with his last roles on “Lou Grant” and “The Dukes of Hazard” in 1982. 

His final screen role came posthumously in Beyond Reason, a film written, directed and starring Telly Savalas which was filmed in 1979 and not released until 1985. In a welcome change, he played a doctor. 

In 1941 he married actress Marie DeForrest. He died on August 17, 1982 at age 68.