Richard Barclay 1931-2017

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Richard Barclay

1931-2017

Dick Barclay

It is with great sadness that we announce that singer/actor/dance/director/producer Richard Barclay passed away Monday, October 16, 2017 at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s Hospital after an eight-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Dick was not only a very fine director, but he was also a kind, compassionate, and generous mentor.

In the 1950s, Dick started out as a dancer performing with Mitzi Gaynor and Lisa Kirk in their club acts. He also took over at the last minute for an ailing Darryl Hickman (who had replaced Robert Morse) as J. Pierpont Finch in the Broadway production of How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. After that, Dick played Albert Peterson opposite Chita Rivera and Brenda Lee in a touring production of Bye Bye Birdie and also appeared with Nanette Fabray in No, No Nanette, and Carole Cook in Kismet. In the late 1960s, he co-starred with Eileen Fulton in a regional theater production of the Bob Merrill-Michael Stewart musical Carnival“in which Ms. Fulton played Lili and Dick portrayed Paul Berthalet, a lonely and bitter puppeteer who has become crippled because of a war injury and who falls in love with Lili. That was the beginning of a a very long friendship with Eileen Fulton. In the early 1970s, Dick teamed up with Bob Deubel in forming a company called Concepts Unlimited in which they produced several documentaries for film and television. In 1972, he produced the documentary film Norman Rockwell’s World which won an Academy Award for the Best Documentary Short Subject. He and Bob also produced the TV documentary The American Woman which featured Patricia Neal as the narrator and also included Celeste Holm, Helen Gallagher, Frank Langella, Claudia McNeil, Joanna Miles, Melba Moore, Kate Mulgrew, Lois Nettleton, George Rose, and Jamie Ross. In 1983, Dick produced Verse Person Singular starring Richard Kiley. It was shown on the PBS series American Playhouse.
Eileen Fulton & Dick Barclay

In the 1990s, Dick revitalized his nightclub career by appearing in several cabaret shows at Danny’s Skylight Room and Don’t Tell Mama in Manhattan. He helped oversee many of Eileen Fulton‘s highly successful cabaret appearances, especially at Don’t Tell Mama. He also directed Richard Holbrook’s many cabaret shows, resulting in Richard being nominated for three MAC Awards for Male Vocalist. He also was a huge supporter of the organization Career Bridges run by husband-and-wife Barbara Meister and David Schuyler Bender. That organization has been instrumental in helping young opera singers launch their careers.

(L-R) Ken Starrett, Richard Holbrook, Dick Barclay

Here are two clips: The first is Dick winning his Oscar in 1973 presented by Beatrice Arthur and Peter Boyle; the second is of Eileen Fulton and Dick being interviewed at the New York Academy Awards party in 2009.

Thank you to Richard Holbrook for provided us with this information.

This Post Has One Comment

  1. Paul E. Brogan

    I was very fortunate to know Dick from 1980 on. Dick was instrumental in helping me to bring Eileen Fulton to New Hampshire twice (2002 to Concord, NH and in 2003 to Portsmouth, NH), for AIDS benefit performances. These two appearances helped raise more than $ 75,000 for New Hampshire residents infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. More importantly, it increased awareness and Dick and Eileen were tireless in visiting with clients who were unable to attend her performances due to serious health issues. Working with Dick was a joy and his almost child-like delight during the performance was wonderful to see. RIP dear friend.

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