Barry Crocker is regarded as one of the โgreatsโ of the Australian music and entertainment industry. Born in the suburbs of Geelong, Victoria, Barry has managed to foster a very well respected and impressive career both as an actor and as a musician over several decades. His career encompasses an extensive recording history, countless television appearances in Australia, the UK and America, as well as numerous national and international concert performances. Barryโs immense talents as an engaging singer, comic, impressionist and dramatic actor have continuously captivated and wowed audiences across the globe.
Barry has managed to do what many artists only dream of doing- transcending the music, television and theatre industry to become a mainstay fixture in todayโs entertainment business.
Barryโs humble beginnings in the entertainment industry began when he toured with a theatre group in Melbourne, after serving with the RAAF under national service in 1955. After performing at clubs with his theatre group, Barry partnered up with Dave Clarke (aka Dave Nelson) and began performing overseas in England and the US. Upon returning to Australia, Barry made several television appearances and projects, starring in a TV musical sketch comedy calledย โ66 And All Thatโ, which later became known as theย โBarry Crocker Show,โ airing on Network Ten for two years.
His extensive national and international television projects include hosting two Eurovision televisions specials for BBC Television. He became an esteemed collaborator on Britainโs hit show โSaturday Variety,โ and became a presenter and leading performer on โThe Sounds of Musicโ TV series, which earned him a Gold Logie Award as Australiaโs Top Male T.V. Personality in 1969. Barry also enjoyed a wonderful six-year hosting role on โCarols in the Domainโ with Network Seven. Adding to his already extensive list of achievements and acknowledgements, Barry has had lead roles in numerous live theatre and cabaret productions, as well as the starring role in two of Australiaโs ground-breaking cinema icons, โThe Adventures of Barry McKenzieโ and โBarry McKenzie Holds His Own.โ
Barryโs already impressive long list of acting accolades continues with his numerous lead roles in live theatre and cabaret productions. These include an acclaimed theatrical performance as lead role Jerry Ryan in Americaโs โSee Sawโ alongside Michelle Lee and Tommy Tune, the lead roles in โScapinoโ and โMotherโs Day,โ the role of Frank in โEducating Ritaโ with Katy Manning, the voice of the narrator in the โRocky Horror Showโ in Sydneyโs Star City theatre, and in 2004, an integral part in the successful Australian musical โEureka.โ
Barryโs contributions to the music industry began in May of 1973 when he released the album โMusic Makes My Dayโ. Featuring the likes of Australian greats Olivia Newton-John and Pat Carroll, the album enjoyed great chart success, reaching as high as chart position number three in Brisbane and Adelaide. His concert performances number in the hundreds, comprising of a dynamic four-week season at the renowned MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Lake Tahoeโs The Sahara Hotel, The Village Barn and The Bonsoir in New York, and Londonโs Palace Theatre. His participation and contribution to the UNICEF concerts are highly valued across various charity companies. Perhaps most notably, Barry participated in Jerry Lewisโs telethon alongside the legendary Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Dean Martin.
The number of awards and accolades he has received demonstrates just how naturally talented Barry is. He was honoured with the prestigious โOrder of Australiaโ award in 1987 for his dedicated charity work and contribution to the arts, two โEntertainer of the Yearโ awards, four โMoโ awards, one โSammyโ, one โPenguinโ and an outstanding 33 Gold records. He has also been celebrated by the community with a โGold Logieโ in 1969 for being the โMost Popular TV Personalityโ, and three Logies for having the โBest Variety Showโ. Barry even received the special honour of being the first person to host a national television show in 1973, filmed and televised at the Sydney Opera House before the venueโs official opening.
It is nearly impossible to list all his achievements, and unreasonable to define his talent to just one medium, but the American entertainment institution โVarietyโ sums up Barry Crocker perfectly as โanother hot Australian exportโ.
Barry Crocker is Blue Pie Records USA artist. Barry is published by Blue Pie Records (APRA) and Blue Pie Publishing USA (ASCAP)