Reginald Barlow

Reginald Harry Barlow (June 17, 1866, – July 6, 1943) was an American stage and screen character actor, author, and film director. He was a busy performer in Hollywood films of the 1930s.

A native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and son of the old-time minstrel, Milt G. Barlow (1843–1904), Barlow made his stage debut at the age of twelve in his father's minstrel troupe of Barlow, Wilson, Primrose, and West.

Barlow joined the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment on October 22, 1899, for service in South Africa during the Second Boer War. According to newspaper and other accounts, he also served in the United States Army during the Spanish–American War and World War I, and eventually rose to the rank of full colonel in 1923.

Barlow had thoughts of quitting the stage for the church in 1908 and at the time remarked to an interviewer: "All my ancestors have been soldiers, actors, and ministers, and some of them all three. I am a direct descendant of Bishop Barlow of the days of Henry VIII."

A distinguished-looking actor who lent an air of dignity to any role he played, in the early part of his stage career he landed leading roles in The Silver King, Monte Cristo, The Sign of the Cross, Old Lady 31, and The Little Princess.

Among his early silent films were The Cinema Murder (1919), the post-World War I drama Love's Flame in which he plays the father-in-law: "M. De Ronsard", and the comedy Clothes Make the Pirate (1925) in which he plays "Captain Montague", a cameo. After the changeover to sound, Barlow usually played men of means, such as military officers, senators, and bankers, turning up as a college professor in Horse Feathers (1932), with the Marx Brothers, a chaplain in Ann Vickers (1933), the sheriff in Tower of London (1939), and the Professor Warwick ostracizing mad scientist George Zucco in The Mad Monster (1942).

Barlow was elected to The Lambs in 1916 in New York. After the Great War, he was named post-commander of American Legion Post 742. Founded in December 1919 by Lambs and Players, meeting at The Lambs. All of the members were veterans.

Further, as the Hollywood Post 43 was often included in the older films without giving any actual credit as to which members of the Post were shown within the films, it is highly likely that Barlow did also often appear in films as an uncredited member of Hollywood Post 43.

Barlow functioned as a director of play companies before switching over to film. He was director of the Wright Huntington Players, narrated for the Eveready Hour, and on at least one occasion directed a film itself. It appears Barlow did play a director's sort of role in several films much as did Alfred Hitchcock, who was known to have made at least a cameo appearance in every one of his films. His film The Toy Maker of Leyden (1915) is listed as The Magic Toy Maker in Hanson & Givenson, eds. American Film Institute Catalogue Index, vol. F1, 1911–1920.

Barlow married at least six times. He said in the 1930 Census that he was 22 years old at his first marriage. The service records for 7012 Lance Corporal R.H. Barlow of The Royal Canadian Regiment showed that he was married, with two children, in 1899 on enlistment for the South African War. His name is presented variously in the service record as "R.H. Barlow", "Reginald H. Barlow", "Reginald Barry Barlow", and "Reginald Harry Barlow".

Barlow married Florence Mary Alice Hamilton (1879-1945), on Jul 1, 1901, in Houghton, Michigan. According to a news article "Romance with Gay Deceiver", St Joseph News Press Gazette, Sunday, Aug 23, 1903, pg. 2, Florence and Reginald separated on January 1, 1902, however, they had not filed for divorce. In 1903, she discovered that he had married Clare Danforth and Clare was pregnant. It is at that time, she files for divorce. She later marries Hiram Abrams (1878-1926). According to Grace Barlow's (1905-1954) marriage record, her parents are Reginald Barlow and Florence Hamilton There is some question in this regard as her parents separated in 1902, divorced in 1903 and Grace was not born until 1905. In the 1920 United States Census and her marriage records, she is listed as Grace Abrams, daughter of Florence and her second husband Hiram Abrams. However, they did not marry until 1916. In June 1923, Florence and Hiram lie about their marriage date, giving the year as 1904, which would make it prior to Grace's birth.[10] In her 1930 marriage record, she is shown as Grace Barlow, with Reginald as her father.[11] Her obituary lists her as Grace Barlow McKeen.[12]

Barlow married Clare Danforth, on April 15, 1902, in Charleston, Missouri.[13][14] They had a daughter Margaret June Barlow b. 28 Feb 1903 in Chicago, Illinois[15] Reginald had been using the name Reginald Livingston when he married Clare. In 1903, Clare discovers that Reginald has married Bertha Merkel. Clare and Reginald had been neither separated or divorced. She files for divorce February 9, 1904, according to the notice published in the Enterprise-Courier, Charleston, Missouri, Friday, April 1, 1904, the case going to court on April 7, 1904. Clare later married Frank Elwood Farr (1873-1933). Margaret changes her name to Margaret Emily Livingston/Livingstone by 1910.[16][17] She marries first Glen Dewey Haskell (1898–1943) and second Spencer Seymour Brown (1906–1966). Both marriages end in divorce.

Barlow married Milwaukee heiress Bertha Merkel (1873-1933) (aka: Selma Rose a New York actress), the daughter of George and Mary Merkel, on August 6, 1903 in Los Angeles, California[18] Following their marriage, a scandal commenced accusing Reginald of bigamy. News article covered papers across the country. As you can see from documentation noted above, he was married to more than one woman at a time, but later the wives divorced him. They had one daughter, June Barlow (1904[19]-1904[20]).

There is a record for a marriage to Martha M. Merkel, June 22, 1927 in Manhattan, New York.[21] No other information has been found.

Barlow married Carol Brown of Pasadena, California) April 11, 1934 in Tijuana, Mexico, according to the Los Angeles Times April 19, 1934, pg. 12.

Barlow married Carol Katherine Uselding (1894–1956) (aka C. Katherine B. Phipps) July 3, 1935 in Los Angeles, California[22] She returned to her first husband, John Mitchell Riordan (1879-1963)

^ 1 Confer Los Angeles Times, Friday Morning, 14 Sep 1934, Part I, p. 15, col. 2, article: "Reginald Barlow to Play Lead in 'Blood on Moon'." The article clearly states that he "began his theatrical career at the age of 12 in his father's troupe."

^ 2 See Bunches of Barlows link which clearly shows Reginald, a confirmed member of the American Legion Hollywood Post 43, to be a Colonel. The picture there also shows him presenting Shirley Temple with a certificate as a new "Honorary Colonel" in 1935. The same website also shows that in the New York Times of 7 July 1943, Reginald Barlow was a Colonel who commanded the 304th Infantry in World War I for the United States, and was a veteran of two other wars: the Spanish–American War and The Second Boer War.

^ 3 See also: Keffer, History of San Fernando Valley (1934), pp. 118–120; where it in fact states that Barlow commanded the 302nd Infantry as a Major, and then was later given the command of the 349th as a Lieutenant-Colonel during World War I.

^ 4 Confer Los Angeles Daily Times, Friday, 28 Aug 1903, p. 4, cols. 3–4, article: "Actor Barlow's Wife".