Born:
March 28, 1960
in
Hanover, West Germany
Best Known For:
Playing Rimmer in Red Dwarf.
Early-life:
Christopher Jonathan Brown was born on March 28, 1960, in Hanover, West Germany. The son of a Major General, he spent most of his early life in Northern Ireland. He went to public school in Belfast, and started a business course at Brighton Polytechnic, before dropping out. Early jobs included collecting trolleys from a supermarket car park, working as a shipping import/export clerk and an estate agent.
Career:
Barrie worked at Harrods, but was sacked for impersonating a colleague on the phone. After realising he had a talent for mimicry, he landed the job of providing the voices for Prince Charles, David Coleman and Ronald Reagan on Spitting Image. He went for the part of loveable curry-eating slob Lister in Red Dwarf, but was cast as the hologram Rimmer. He also developed a cult following in BBC One comedy The Brittas Empire, in which played the regimented manager of a leisure centre. After appearing in 2001 blockbuster, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, he featured in Lara Croft and The Cradle of Life, Back in Business and Midsomer Murders. He has also fronted a number of documentary series, including Chris Barrie's Massive Engines and Chris Barrie's Massive Machines.
Quote:
"Sometimes I wish I was more like Robson Green, all steely-eyed, charming, tough, sexy and heroic, but it just wouldn't work."
Trivia:
Barrie is a popular after dinner speaker.