Biografia
Barron Christian was born just outside London, England, on December 18, 1945, shortly after World War II ended. His full birth name was Donald Mark Barron Rolff Christian Mountbatten-Battenberg, named after many influential relatives and close family friends. Due to concerns over possible repercussions tied to his British family's wartime influence, it was decided that in 1950, at age five, Barron would be brought to America to live under the guardianship of a carefully chosen guardian. This move was deemed a necessary precaution. Barron was relocated to Lake Arrowhead, California, a resort community, under the care of Mildred Parker, a relative of his father's closest friend. However, in the early 1950s, a child bearing a different surname than his parents was often assumed to be born out of wedlock and stigmatized as illegitimate. To avoid such rumors, Barron adopted his guardian’s surname and was raised as Donald C. Parker. Aside from private tutoring and travel opportunities, Barron's early years were largely unremarkable.
One afternoon at Rim of the World High School in Lake Arrowhead, Barron was abruptly pulled from school without notice and flown to Lakenheath, England, where he was immediately enrolled in an Oxford-Cambridge preparatory finishing school. Feeling confused and out of place, Barron initially rebelled but gradually adapted to the demanding routine of what Americans refer to as a "private school." He found comfort in an elective Dramatic Arts course, immersing himself in drama. Eventually, Barron admitted to himself that he was not suited for Oxford or Cambridge, and combined with severe homesickness, he decided to return to the Parker home in America. Pursuing his newfound interest in theater, Barron joined the San Bernardino Civic Light Opera. He worked on numerous Broadway road shows, performing various roles from operating Dyno-lights to acting on stage. Though not known as a strong singer or dancer, Barron was well-liked by his peers and participated in productions, provided he sang quietly and danced in the back row.
At 21, Barron moved to Los Angeles, leasing the Greta Garbo Mansion in the Hollywood Hills above Hollywood Boulevard and Laurel Canyon, a hotspot for celebrities and high-profile parties. In 1966, Barron was cast as a lead in Michael Musto Sr.'s film "Educated Heart," produced by Musto's Lunar Productions. Upon joining the Screen Actors Guild, he discovered another member named Donald Parker. Consequently, his manager and agents selected the stage name Barry Christian, derived from two of his middle names. The film, co-starring Tony Geary, Anne Archer, and James Craig, was never completed due to budget issues.
Financially comfortable, Barron never took acting seriously. Instead, he embraced a celebrity lifestyle marked by excess drinking, drug use, and partying with figures like John Lennon, David Bowie, and KHJ radio’s Humble Harve, missing numerous career opportunities. He purchased a second home in San Francisco, where he dabbled in producing music videos and a documentary for Merrill Lynch. In 1988, Barron and his business partner Robert Boswell created BabyVisioN, a unique precursor to "Baby Einstein." To reduce costs, filming took place in New Zealand over four months and was successful. BabyVisioN sparked both praise and controversy regarding babies watching television but ultimately helped popularize a now-profitable genre of baby video programming. Capitalizing on the publicity, Barron toured talk shows, boosting sales dramatically until signing with a poorly chosen distributor halted progress. Disheartened, Barron reverted to old habits.
Years later, Barron expressed regret over his wasted youth and resolved to take his career seriously. Signed by Pacific Artists, he began accepting small, mostly uncredited roles in TV, commercials, and films, becoming skilled at character parts, including a Klingon in Star Trek VI. After a couple of years in minor roles, things began to improve. With knowledge in antiques and fine art and finances dwindling, Barron accepted a position as Senior Art Consultant at a high-end gallery in The Galleria Mall in Encino. One day, while discussing an expensive self-portrait by Yaacov Agam, a Warner Brothers TV producer noticed Barron's distinctive voice. Impressed by his expressive tone and cultured speech, the producer offered Barron a role in the animated Batman and Robin TV series, signaling a return to more prominent work. Unfortunately, on January 29, 2004, at 4:29 AM, an earthquake struck Los Angeles just three days before Barron was set to begin voice recording. His home was severely damaged, the role was lost, and The Galleria Mall was destroyed.
These setbacks deeply affected Barron. Disillusioned, he left the industry, relocated to "earthquake safe" Golden, Colorado, and unexpectedly found new opportunities. Denver, home to TCI's national cable center and many major advertising agencies, offered abundant commercial voice-over work tailored to Barron's signature voice. He worked for top agencies such as J. Walter Thompson, United Artists, Ford, and Karsh and Hagan, significantly expanding his resume. In 1996, Barron narrated the Academy Award-winning short documentary "A Story of Healing," marking his first Oscar-related credit. In 2008, he completed filming as billionaire Carl Simons in Eddie Murphy's "NowhereLand." That summer, he co-starred with Larry Laverty and Lloyd Kaufman in Kristian Day's feature "Body in a Dumpster." The book "First Born?", authored by Dane Bernhardt and Alyssa Dean, chronicles the history of Barron's more notorious family connections and is slated for release in 2009.
