biography
Born Alexander Barker Jr. in New York on May 8, 1919, Lex Barker came from a wealthy family that didn't think too much of performing artists.
Therefore, in the early 1940s when Barker decided to drop out of Princeton to become an actor, his family practically disowned him. Although
he was spotted by 20th Century-Fox talent scouts and was offered a contract, Barker enlisted in the Armed Forces during World War II, as many
other actors had done. After the war, the talented Barker attempted to resume his acting career and began landing small roles in good films.
But he would have to wait for stardom until 1949, when producer Sol Lesser selected Lex Barker, after screening hundreds of actors to replace
Johnny Weissmuller, for the title role in Tarzan's Magic Fountain.  
LEFT: Barker as Tarzan. CENTER: Working out in the 1950s. RIGHT: Signed photo, thanks to Carol L. Simonson   
LEFT and CENTER: Studio photos of Lex Barker. RIGHT: With third wife Lana Turner in a photo taken right after their 1953 marriageMarried five times, with first wife Constanze Thurlow, Barker had a son and daughter, but that union ended in 1950. His two most famous wives were Arlene Dahl (1951-52) and Lana Turner (1953-57). In 1960 his fourth wife, Irene Labhardt, bore Barker's son Christopher, who is an actor. Sadly, Labhardt died suddenly in 1962. By 1965, Barker married again, this time to Maria del Carmen Cervera, but this relationship soured quickly. |
the films of lex barkerTarzan's Magic Fountain (1949)   
Stills from RKO's Tarzan's Magic FountainTarzan and the Slave Girl (1950) 
LEFT: Barker rescues Vanessa Brown and Denise Darcel in Tarzan and the Slave Girl. RIGHT: Barker in his second outing as TarzanTarzan's Peril (1951)
Barker on location while shooting Tarzan's PerilTarzan's Savage Fury (1952)  
Studio photos with Dorothy Hart as Jane and Tommy Carlton as JoeyTarzan and the She-Devil (1953)
Barker, in his last film as Tarzan, is captured by she-devil Monique van VoorenThunder Over the Plains (1953)
With Randolph Scott in the Warner Bros. western Thunder Over the PlainsThe Yellow Mountain (1954) 
From the Universal-International western The Yellow Mountain. LEFT: With Mala Powers. RIGHT: With Howard DuffThe Man From Bitter Ridge (1955)
Promotional still from The Man From Bitter RidgeThe Price of Fear (1956)  
From the Universal-International film noir crime drama The Price of Fear. LEFT: Barker as Dave Barrett. CENTER: With Gia Scala. RIGHT: With Charles Drake and Merle OberonThe Girl in Black Stockings (1957) 
LEFT: Barker is surrounded by Mamie Van Doren, Anne Bancroft, and Marie Windsor in the film noir serial killer thriller The Girl in Black Stockings. RIGHT: With John DehnerJungle Heat (1957) 
LEFT: From the campy jungle adventure Jungle Heat with Rhodes Reason, James Westerfield, Glenn Langan, and Mari Blanchard. RIGHT: With Mari BlanchardThe Deerslayer (1957)
With Rita Moreno in the 20th Century Fox western The DeerslayerThe Girl in the Kremlin (1957)
From Universal-International's The Girl in the Kremlin with Zsa Zsa GaborFemale Fiends (1958)
With Carole Mathews and Lisa Gastoni in the British thriller Female FiendsThe Return of Dr. Mabuse (1961)
With Gert Frobe in the mystery The Return of Dr. MabuseThe Treasure of the Silver Lake (1962)
With frequent costar Karin Dor in the western The Treasure of the Silver Lake. This was the first film adaptation of Karl May's western book seriesThe Invisible Dr. Mabuse (1962)
From the German horror/crime drama The Invisible Dr. Mabuse with Karin DorApache Gold (1963)
Barker as Old Shatterhand in the German-made western Apache GoldCode 7, Victim 5 (1964) 
From the detective thriller Code 7, Victim 5, lensed in South AfricaLast of the Renegades (1964)
Barker as Old Shatterhand in Last of the RenegadesA Place Called Glory (1965)
From the German western A Place Called GloryThe Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism (1967)
From the German horror flick The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism with Karin Dor. This film is a reworking of Edgar Allan Poe's The Pit and the Pendulumlater yearsIn the late 1960s, Barker cooled his European film career and moved back to the US. He decided to rebuild his acting career by taking roles on television, where he made a number of guest appearances on popular series, such as It Takes a Thief with Robert Wagner and Rod Serling's Night Gallery. Tragically, Barker died suddenly of an apparent heart attack on the streets of Manhattan on May 11, 1973, at the age of 54. He was survived by his estranged fifth wife, a daughter, and two sons.the lex barker gallery           |
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This page premiered April 15, 1999.
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