Barrett made his professional acting debut on January 12, 1937, under the name Leslie Klein at what was then known as the
Guild Theatre. He first performed under his
stage name upon succeeding
Billy Halop in a production of
Dead End at the
Belasco Theatre. In 1952, Barrett and Paul Curtis formed the
American Mime Theatre. He was an accomplished
Shakespearean actor. He joined the Shakespeare Theatre Workshop under the direction of
Joseph Papp in April 1955. He appeared in
Much Ado About Nothing and
As You Like It at the
Westport Country Playhouse later that year, and
The Taming of the Shrew at the
Walnut Street Theatre in 1974. Barrett appeared on television as early as 1949. He appeared in four (4) episodes of
The Philco Television Playhouse from 1949-53. In 1960, he performed in an episode of
The Twilight Zone and on NBC's
Startime in the
Alfred Hitchcock- directed
Incident at a Corner. In 1964, he appeared in an episode of
East Side/West Side. In 1962, he appeared in an episode of
Dennis the Menace playing the new principal "Mr. Spivey". He played Judge Hanley who presided over the trial of Victoria Winters for witchcraft on the soap opera
Dark Shadows. Barrett may be best known as George, Harvey's best friend from
The Honeymooners episode "The Bensonhurst Bomber". == Partial filmography ==