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NewsTranscript
00:00The British film and television industry has created many great stars, but there are some
00:05whom we've left behind.
00:06They had a meteoric rise but also suffered a merciless fall.
00:10Barry Evans was best known for his role as Jeremy Brown in the sitcom Mind Your Language.
00:16He soon became one of the most recognizable faces of the 1960s and 1970s, but eventually,
00:21the role stopped coming, and over 20 years since his death, we still don't know what
00:26happened.
00:28learn about what happened to Barry Evans the night he died.
00:35Barry Joseph Evans was born on June 18, 1943, in Guildford, Surrey.
00:40As a baby, he was orphaned and grew up in different orphanages, all operated by the
00:45Shaftesbury Homes.
00:47Interestingly enough, one of his most famous roles was that of a character orphaned as
00:51a child.
00:52As a teen, he participated in school plays, and his peers and the school staff praised
00:57his talent.
00:59It was quite clear from an early age that he was destined to become a great actor.
01:03After graduating from school, he moved to London to study acting.
01:07He first attended the Italia Conti Academy and later honed his craft at the Central School
01:12of Speech and Drama.
01:13From his time in drama school, he showed that he was a versatile actor who could take on
01:18a variety of roles.
01:19Naturally, as he pursued his career, he wanted to act in some of the best films that Britain
01:24had to offer.
01:25He began his career in 1961 when he was 18.
01:29But for a few years, he only got the occasional bit part in a film or TV show.
01:35He'd appear in one episode and move on to the next.
01:38His first major role was in the 1968 movie Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush, which
01:43was his first starring role in a film.
01:45He played Jamie McGregor, a young man who was eager to lose his virginity as fast as
01:50possible.
01:51While the premise might seem crass, one must remember that in the late 60s and 70s, sex
01:56comedies were becoming rather popular, and this genre helped Barry launch his career.
02:01The film was a success, and Barry slowly started receiving more work in television.
02:06Though once again, it was always a small role and only in one episode.
02:11His next role was a supporting one in the drama film Alfred the Great.
02:15But in 1969, he got his big break in television when he was cast as Michael Upton in the sitcom
02:21Doctor in the House, based on the writings of Richard Gordon.
02:25The sitcom lasted for 26 episodes and was enough to make Barry Evans a well-known actor.
02:31He switched his focus mostly to television and began getting more roles.
02:36He later reprised his role as Michael Upton as well.
02:39In 1971, he had a lead role alongside Susan George in the thriller Die Screaming Mary
02:45Anne.
02:46This was a huge success and brought him even more attention.
02:49In 1976, he played the lead role of Joe in the sex comedy film Adventures of a Taxi Driver.
02:56This has now become his most well-known film and is a cult favorite.
03:01He also received praise for his role in another sex comedy, Under the Doctor.
03:09Barry Evans' Rise to Fame
03:11Barry's big break came when he was cast as Jeremy Brown in Mind Your Language.
03:16In the show, he played an English teacher who teaches the language to a diverse group
03:20of immigrants.
03:21Hilarity ensues due to miscommunication, language barriers, and culture clashes.
03:26Plus, on top of the stress of dealing with the students, he also has to deal with the
03:31stern headmistress, Ms. Courtney.
03:33The show ran for 42 episodes from 1977 to 1986.
03:39This was the show that allowed Barry to show us everything that he had.
03:42He had impeccable comic timing and could still stand out even when working alongside an ensemble
03:48cast.
03:49He was the star of the show, and it became such a huge hit that it was remade in India
03:53and in the United States.
03:55And in fact, the original show was a huge hit not just in the UK but also overseas.
04:00The show also made him even more of a sex symbol, a status that he had already received
04:05due to his role in Adventures of a Taxi Driver.
04:08This was the role that got him more offers.
04:10The other great role that he took on the show was Crown Court.
04:13In this role, he showed that he could also take on a serious drama and be seen as an
04:17actor rather than just Mr. Brown.
04:20In one episode of Mind Your Language, it's mentioned that his character was orphaned
04:24at a young age.
04:26One wonders if this was always part of the script or written to reflect Barry's actual
04:31By the end of the show, Barry had become one of the biggest TV stars in Britain.
04:35Yet the same show that made him a star would also put an end to his career.
04:40As he grew older, his boyish looks didn't work for new roles.
04:44After the show ended, he had only one more credit in a supporting role in the 1993 film
04:49The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
04:51His other popular role in the 1980s was his supporting role in the comedy series Legacy
04:56of Murder, which lasted for six episodes and one season.
05:02Barry's Fall
05:03Mind Your Language was Barry's best work.
05:05It was the show that defined him and thus became the last show that we saw him on.
05:10But few people know the story of his struggle before Mind Your Language.
05:14He was struggling to find regular work on television.
05:17While he had his two successful films, he wanted to do something meatier.
05:21He was occasionally working in the theater, but his financial struggles meant that he
05:25occasionally had to claim benefits.
05:27He called up London Network Television to ask them if there was more work, and they
05:31were able to offer him the role of Mr. Brown in Mind Your Language.
05:35While the series saved his career, it shows us that he was already going through the struggles
05:39of just having a few projects now and then.
05:42After his final film role in 1993, he couldn't find more acting work.
05:47He began to work as a minicab driver.
05:50One wonders if he felt that this would be a permanent departure from acting or if he
05:54was planning a comeback.
05:56According to his IMDb profile, Barry amassed a total of 27 credits from an acting career
06:01that began in 1961 and ended in 1993.
06:08What Happened To Barry The Night He Died
06:10The death of Barry Evans still remains a mystery.
06:13On February 9, 1997, the police went to visit the 53-year-old Barry at his home.
06:20He had reported that his car had been stolen the day before.
06:23The police were visiting him to let them know that his car had been recovered.
06:27It was stated that his car was stolen by three young men.
06:30However, they were never able to give him the news.
06:33The police found Barry Evans lying dead on the floor.
06:36A coroner's report showed that he had received a large blow to the head.
06:39There was also a high level of alcohol in his system.
06:42An open packet of aspirin tablets was found on the floor.
06:46The price tag on the tablets hadn't shown a decimalized price tag.
06:50This means that the packet was issued before 1971.
06:54It can be rightly assumed that at the time of his death, these aspirin tablets were at
06:58least 26 years old.
06:59Yet, it was also concluded that he hadn't consumed them.
07:03As a result, suicide was ruled out, though a will was found on the table next to his
07:07body.
07:08It's been stated that this will was written a few days before he died.
07:12There was still the mystery of the blow to his head.
07:14Later, an 18-year-old was arrested on suspicion of being involved.
07:18However, due to insufficient evidence, this person was released.
07:22The person stated that he had visited Barry on the day of his death and left the house
07:26at 3 AM.
07:27Barry's house had also been robbed and his credit card stolen, and his phone line cut.
07:32It's been suggested that Barry made a call at 5 AM on the day of his death and that it
07:36was he who cut the phone lines.
07:38It's also known that he had taken to drinking heavily and often in the days leading up to
07:42his death.
07:43So, was it a suicide or a murder?
07:46Was the car theft just bad luck?
07:48Or was he a target of this gang of young men?
07:50The death of Barry Evans, 26 years later, remains a mystery.
07:54Author Daniel Ward is writing a biography of the actor, and perhaps he'll soon give
07:59us some answers.
08:00Now it's time to hear from you.
08:01Are you a fan of Barry Evans?
08:03Did you know about the tragic details of his career decline and his mysterious death?
08:08Let us know in the comments section below.