John Barnes (film producer)

John Wadsworth Barnes (25 March 1920 – 27 June 2000) was a producer, director and writer best known for his work with in the educational and documentary film fields working with Encyclopædia Britannica Films. In his career he worked on and helped create over 100 film projects.[1]

Biography

Early life

John Barnes was born into a family of tradesmen in Belford New Jersey on March 25, 1920.[2]

Education

In 1939 Barnes graduated from Monmouth Junior College in Long Branch New Jersey. He later went on to attend the University of Chicago. John Barnes worked as an editor for the literary magazine of the University.[3] He not end up graduating.[4]

Death

John Barnes died in the New York University Medical Center on June 27, 2000.[2] He was 80 years old at the time of his death.

Work

Barnes' works frequently starred notable actors such as Judi Dench, Douglass Campbell, Richard Kiley, as well as Frances Sternhagen.[5] Barnes wrote and directed a series titled Shaw v. Shakespeare that featured George Bernard Shaw as played by actor Donald Moffat. The three part series has been accepted by many as Barnes's magnum opus.[3]

Early radio work

Following his time at the University of Chicago, Barnes went on to pursue writing for CBS, the local radio station.[4] One of the main projects he worked on with CBS was a short radio-drama series, featuring Ken Nordine as the host.[3]

Encyclopaedia Brittanica

In 1952 He embarked on his first project with EB Films, with Gordon Weisenborn as director and Barnes as writer and producer. People Along the Mississippi is said to be one of the first portrayals of the interaction between black and white children on film.[6]

Barnes continued to produce and direct iconic literary adaptations like Macbeth: The Politics of Power (1964) as well as more politically oriented works such as Justice Under the Law: The Gideon Case (1967), which was included in the Living Bill of Rights series.[7]

Films

Title Director Writer Producer Year
John Keats: His Life and Death[8] John Barnes Archibald Macleish, John Barnes John Barnes 1973
Shaw vs. Shakespeare 1:

The Character of Caesar[9]

 John Barnes John Barnes John Barnes 1970
Shaw vs. Shakespeare 2:

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar[10]

 John Barnes George Bernard Shaw, John Barnes 1970
Shaw vs. Shakespeare 3:

Caesar and Cleopatra[8]

 John Barnes George Bernard Shaw, John Barnes John Barnes 1970
Macbeth III:

The Secret'st Man [11]

 John Barnes Douglas Campbell,

William Shakespeare (play)

 1964
Macbeth II:

The Themes of Macbeth[12]

 John Barnes Douglas Campbell,

William Shakespeare (play)

 1964
Macbeth I:

The Politics of Power[13]

 John Barnes Douglas Campbell,

William Shakespeare (play)

 1964
Chaucer's England[8] John Barnes Geoffrey Chaucer, John Barnes John Barnes 1958
The Baltimore Plan[14] John Barnes Selma Weisenborn, John Barnes

Clark S. Hobbs

 John Barnes 1953
The Living City[15] John Barnes, Haskell Wexler John Barnes 1953
People Along the Mississippi[16] Gordon Weisenborn John Barnes and Gordon Weisenborn 1952

Awards

  • The Living City (1953) was nominated for an academy award for best Documentary Short[17]
  • NET Festival (1966) won a primetime Emmy in 1970 for the episode "Cinderella: National Ballet of Canada" for Outstanding Variety or Musical Program - Classical Music[18]

References

  1. ↑ Alexander, Geoff. "Academic Film Archive of North America". AFANA.
  2. 1 2 New York Times, N. S. (2000, Jul 09). EDUCATIONAL FILM DIRECTOR JOHN WADSWORTH BARNES. Chicago Tribune Retrieved from http://proxy.artic.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/419187021?accountid=26320
  3. 1 2 3 Alexander, Geoff. "John Barnes' Autobiography". Academic Film Archive of North America.
  4. 1 2 Oliver, Myrna (1 July 2000). "John W Barnes; Educational Film Maker". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  5. ↑ John W. barnes, 80, whose films illuminated race and the arts. (2000, Jul 08). New York Times (1923-Current File) Retrieved from http://proxy.artic.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/91642011?accountid=26320
  6. ↑ Barnes, Judith (30 January 2009). "People Along the Mississippi". Archive.org. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  7. ↑ ALEXANDER, G. (2002). AN ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVE: The Life and Films of John Barnes. The Moving Image: The Journal of the Association of Moving Image Archivists, 2(2), 41-72. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/41167082
  8. 1 2 3 "John Barnes". IMDB.
  9. ↑ A/V Geeks (August 13, 2008). "Shaw vs. Shakespeare 1: The Character of Caesar". Archive.org.
  10. ↑ A/V Geeks (August 13, 2008). "Shaw vs. Shakespeare 2: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar". Archive.org.
  11. ↑ A/V Geeks (October 9, 2015). "Macbeth, Part 3: The Secret'st Man". Archive.org.
  12. ↑ A/V Geeks (October 9, 2015). "Macbeth. Part 2: The Themes of Macbeth". Archive.org.
  13. ↑ A/V Geeks (October 9, 2015). "Macbeth. Part 1: The Politics of Power". Archive.org.
  14. ↑ A/V Geeks (November 20, 2013). "Baltimore Plan, The". Archive.org.
  15. ↑ A/V Geeks (November 20, 2013). "The Living City". Archive.org.
  16. ↑ A/V Geeks (January 30, 2009). "People Along the Mississippi". Archive.org.
  17. ↑ "Academy Awards Database".
  18. ↑ "IMDB". IMDB Awards.
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