Character guide
Bert Barry
from 42nd Street
Bert Barry is the other half of the songwriting team in "42nd Street," trading quips with his partner Maggie Jones as they work to save their show.
- Show
- 42nd Street
- Broadway premiere
- 1980
- Role
- Supporting
- Music by
- Harry Warren
Bert Barry: from the film to Broadway
Broadway compared with the 1933 film
In the 1933 film, Barry is one of the show's producers, played by Ned Sparks, and his partner Jones is a man played by Robert McWade. The 1980 musical keeps Bert Barry as co-writer and producer of Pretty Lady but turns his partner into a woman, Maggie Jones. Joseph Bova originated Bert on Broadway.
The stage Bert also sings, which his screen counterpart does not. He joins Getting Out of Town, leads Keep Young and Beautiful with Maggie, and shares Shuffle Off to Buffalo, which in the film is a showcase for Ruby Keeler and Clarence Nordstrom.
Who is Bert Barry?
Bert is a working Broadway songwriter, paired professionally and comedically with Maggie Jones throughout "42nd Street." Together they represent the creative team scrambling to keep "Pretty Lady" afloat through cast changes, budget worries, and a very demanding director. Bert tends to be the steadier, more exasperated foil to Maggie's brashness.
His role helps the audience see the show business machinery from the inside, the writers and craftsmen whose fortunes rise and fall with the production just as much as the performers on stage.
Bert's role in 42nd Street
Like Maggie, Bert is a supporting character rather than a lead, appearing mainly in ensemble and dialogue scenes rather than carrying a solo spotlight number. The role suits a performer with solid comic instincts and good ensemble presence, someone who can land a joke without pulling focus from the show's central romance and backstage drama.
Bert and Maggie's scenes offer some welcome comic relief in a story that otherwise moves briskly between rehearsal-hall tension and glittering production numbers.
Bert Barry: frequently asked questions
What show is Bert Barry from?
Bert Barry is a character in "42nd Street," which opened on Broadway in 1980.
Is Bert Barry a lead or supporting role?
Bert Barry is a supporting role, usually appearing alongside his writing partner Maggie Jones.
Who composed 42nd Street?
The music was written by Harry Warren, drawing on his catalog of classic Hollywood-era songs.
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