Jess Barker

Jess Barker was an American actor who is best known for Cover Girl, Scarlet Street, and Reign of Terror. Born on June 4, 1912, in Greenville, South Carolina, he spent much of his career in Hollywood films and television.

Personal and Family Life

Jess Barker, whose birth name was Jesse Thomas Barker, had a notable personal life marked by his marriage to actress Susan Hayward. They were married on July 23, 1944, but divorced in 1954 after a turbulent relationship, during which they fought a custody battle for their twin sons, Timothy and Gregory, born in 1945. Despite their conflicts, Jess reportedly kept pictures of Susan in his North Hollywood apartment until his later years.

Death and Legacy

Jess Barker passed away on August 8, 2000, in North Hollywood, California, due to cirrhosis of the liver. His contributions to cinema during the 1940s and 1950s, particularly in “B” films, left a lasting impression, and many remember him for his diverse roles in the film industry.

Filmography

Title Release Date Character
Cover Girl 1944-03-22 Coudair as a young man
Take One False Step 1949-08-14 Arnold Sykes
Senorita from the West 1945-10-12 Tim Winters
Reign of Terror 1949-10-15 Saint-Just
The Night Walker 1964-12-30 Malone
Shack Out on 101 1955-12-04 Artie
Scarlet Street 1945-12-25 David Janeway
Government Girl 1943-11-05 Dana McGuire
Three Bad Sisters 1956-01-01 George Gurney
Good Luck, Mr. Yates 1943-06-29 Oliver Yates
Girl on the Spot 1946-01-11 Rick Crane
Jam Session 1944-04-13 George Carter Haven
Keep Your Powder Dry 1945-04-01 Junior Vanderheusen
Dragonfly Squadron 1954-03-21 Dixon
This Love of Ours 1945-11-02 Chadwick
The Peacemaker 1956-11-01 Ed Halcomb
Kentucky Rifle 1956-07-01 Daniel Foster
She’s a Soldier Too 1944-06-29 Dr. Bill White
Marry Me Again 1953-09-22 Jenkins
The Daltons Ride Again 1945-11-23 Jeff Colton
The Milkman 1950-10-17 John Carter
Idea Girl 1946-02-08 Larry Brewster
The Time of Their Lives 1946-08-13 Thomas Danbury
Mobs, Inc. 1956-03-21 Jim Edwards
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine 1936-03-13 Merd Falin (as Philip Barker)
Perry Mason 1957-09-21 Walter Eastman
Adam-12 1968-09-21 Paul Carter
The Millionaire 1955-01-19 Felix Lombard
Matinee Theater 1955-10-31
Racket Squad 1951-06-07
The Whistler 1954-07-13
Perry Mason 1957-09-21 Doug Hamilton