Name: Barnard "Barney" CollierPortrayed by: Greg Morris
TV series: Mission Impossible (1966-73)
Occupation: Member of the Impossible Missions Force, the team's resident electronics expert, forger, and all-purpose handyman; also owner of Collier Electronics.
Lifestyle: Travels throughout the world; permanent residence unknown. Single, but has a son named Grant.
Family and Friends: Co-workers Jim Phelps and Willie Armitage are his most enduring friends. Brother Larry, a newspaper publisher, died in a season 5 episode. His son Grant eventually joined the IMF for the TV series' 1988-90 revival.
Trademarks: His slide ruler--he's holding it in his portfolio photo.
Hidden Talent: He was the Sixth Fleet boxing champ when he was in the Navy; the IMF puts his boxing skills to use in the two-part season 3 episode "The Contenders."
Classic episodes: "Death Squad" (Barney falls in love while on vacation--but ends up in prison marked for execution); "The Money Machine" (Barney hides inside a big box and makes it look like Jim can feed paper into one end of the "machine" and get printed currency out of the other end).
Hmmm...interesting choice. Now, as cool as he undoubtedly is, this "Barney" probably wouldn't make it into my personal top 15 60s TV characters. He's certainly one of those quiet, unassuming but totally integral members of a show's cast that one couldn't imagine it doing without (much like Adam Cartwright on BONANZA or the Professor on GILLIGAN'S ISLAND).
ReplyDeleteI need to see that "The Contenders" boxing episode!
The Cartwrights did fine without Adam, but you're right that Barney and the Professor were essential to their mates' survival.
DeleteI noticed a Barney to Barney transition on your list of 15 great TV characters of the '60s. This M.I. Barney is awesome! What could he not do? And did he ever fail to excel under exceeding pressure? I have often wondered how the M.I. team was compensated. Barney was worth his weight in gold and diamonds. He was truly the best of the best operatives. Love this choice!
ReplyDeleteAs owner of an electronics firm, Barney may have been the wealthiest of the IMF team. Maybe he worked for free! But I agree, Toto, that he was the most valuable member.
DeleteI wholeheartedly agree that Barney is one of the greatest characters! I think he's the only IMF agent who could easily fit into any role: the grunt work, handling sensitive materials or equipment, or as part of the con. Cinnamon and Rollin typically worked the cons, and Willy was much better at just carrying stuff -- no offense to Willy, of course. I remember in one episode -- "The Seal", from S02 -- Jim helps Barney behind the scenes, and it just seemed strange because Jim so rarely did any of that. In short, Barney could do nearly anything with the skill of a master and look cool while doing it!
ReplyDeleteBarney rarely broke a sweat and--on those rare occasions when he did--he still looked cool!
DeleteBeing a huge Mission Impossible fan (the original only, of course), it's hard to argue with this pick.
ReplyDeleteIt was fun to see Greg Morris's son in the TV series remake...but I agree that there's only one IMF.
DeleteBarney was the most consistent character on the Mission:Impossible. Greg Morris played him as cool headed, thinker who was better under pressure than any other team member. Based on the time of this show, it was great to see an African American portrayed as the most intelligent person on the show. Greg Morris created a great role!
ReplyDeleteBill Cosby received a lot of attention for I SPY and I understand that. But you're right, Gilby, Greg Morris created an essential character in a long-running series when there were few African American actors on network TV.
DeleteI've seen two of the Tom Cruise MI movies, does that count? LOL
ReplyDelete"Trademark - his slide rule". Barney C. immediately came to mind the first time I saw Fritz Lang's "Spione". There were all kinds of guys running around in the effort to catch the bad guys, but it was the fellow with the ruler who figured everything out. You always need that guy!
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