Lex Barker, Biography and Ancestry

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This article should be cited as :

This is the only known comprehensive biography of Lex Barker in existence.  All other biographies of Lex Barker are either quite tiny, or just snippets of his impact on others at some particular point in their lives, without giving a comprehensive view of his life.  This biography I hope will correct that.

I am a professional genealogist. Contact me, if you'd like help in tracing your family tree, by clicking the below button.

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1 Lex Barker

Lex Barker is Tarzan

The numbers next to the headings below, indicate the position of that person in Lex Barker's Ahnentafel (Ancestor Table) with Lex himself in position 1.

Lex Barker is Tarzan

Lex Barker was born Alexander Crichlow Barker, Jr. in Rye, Westchester County, New York, on 8 May 1919, the second child of a wealthy family.  His parents were Alexander Crichlow Barker and his wife Marian Beals.  You can view at this site, the house in which Lex grew up.  Pretty impressive isn't it?


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Lex grew up with privilege, attending the Phillips-Exeter Academy and then going on to attend Princeton before dropping out to join a theater stock company.  He is described in 1948 as a "football star" and a "former Princeton tackle".  He had several small roles on Eastern stages, before he joined the U.S. Army for World War II.  He was wounded in action, recuperated, and then was discharged, after which he moved to Hollywood.

Shelley Winters, in the first part of her autobiography, Shelley : Also Known as Shirley mentions at this time, that : "Susan Hayward and her boyfriend Lex Barker invited us over to their adjoining apartments, which was very secret and scandalous in those days.  We once had dinner with them...." (pg 95)  This must have been in 1944, as she next goes on to discuss working on "Knickerbocker Holiday".  I wonder if Shelley is not confusing Lex with Jess Barker who did go on to become Susan Hayward's first husband in 1944.

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Lex's first film was an uncredited part as "Jack, Coast Guardsman" in 1945's "Doll Face".  His next three roles, in 1946, were also uncredited.  In May 1946, columnist Sheilah Graham is telling us that : "Lex Barker, good-looking boy at Warners who looked too much like Errol Flynn, has been dropped by the brothers and is signing up with RKO where he hopes the resemblance will not injure his career."  Frank Morris then reports : "Lex Barker, young former aide to Gen. Mark Clark, has been signed as an actor by RKO."  A few days later Sheilah Graham is reporting that : "Lex Barker owes his break in 'Katie for Congress' to Loretta Young.  She picked the boy who looks a lot like Errol Flynn to play her brother in the picture."  This movie must be the same as 1947's "The Farmer's Daughter" where Lex has his first credited role as "Olaf Holstrom", playing the brother of Loretta Young.

Lex married first to Constanze Thurlow, with whom he had two children: Alexander Crichlow Barker III born 25 Mar 1947 in Los Angeles County, and a daughter evidently not born in California, but born by May 1948 when he is called "married with a son and daughter".  After a series of small roles, he landed the part of Tarzan for the 1949 film "Tarzan's Magic Fountain".  In Apr 1948, columnist Louella Parson is reporting that Johnny Weissmuller's successor in the Tarzan series would be Lex Barker.  "He's 28, good looking, and made his first movie appearance as one of the brothers in 'The Farmer's Daughter.'  Like Johnny, he is the champion in the 50-yard swimming dash, but unlike Johnny, is a graduate of Phillips-Exeter Academy.  He's a track star, a football and tennis star."  In May of 1948, this film is being called "Tarzan and the Fountain of Youth".

Lex Barker as Robin Hood in 1960's "Robin Hood and the Pirates"

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He then appeared in 1951's "Tarzan's Peril".

His second wife, Arlene Dahl did not last a year.  For his third wife, he married screen sex-goddess Lana Turner.  After their divorce he moved to Europe, married Irene Labhardt, and continued appearing in films there.  They had a son together, and she was the only one of his wives who died before their divorce!  His final wife was Maria del Carmen Cervera.

While in New York City in 1973, he suffered a heart attack while walking, and died instantly.  The funeral was held in New York City, he was cremated.

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Sources for 1
"Lex Barker", Wikipedia
"Lex Barker", IMDb


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2 Alexander Crichlow Barker

Alexander Crichlow Barker was born 28 Nov 1886 in Canada, the son of Henry Barker and his wife Elizabeth Lawrence. Although years later he would state this same date, but in 1887, on his World War I Draft Registration Card filed out in Rye, New York in 1917.  Or this same date, but in 1888, on his World War II Draft Registration Card.  The 1901 Canadian Census states that he was born in Ontario, but on his World War I Draft Registration Card he states "Hull, Quebec, Canada".

When he filled out his World War I Draft Registration Card, he was then a military salesman for the Savage Arms Corporation.  He states that he had been for 2 years a private in a field artillery unit in Canada, and attached to the Army Medical Corps.  In 1912 then living in Utica, his engagement to Miss Marian Beals was announced in the New York Times.

The family is living in 1920 in Rye, there enumerated on the U.S. Federal Census that year.  In the 1927 "American Elite and Sociologist", their entry states : "Barker, Alexander C. Construction Engineer, New York City. Cs New York, Bankers, Apawamis, Manursing Island, American Yacht of Rye, Green Meadow Country of Harrison! 1913 m Marian Beals; r 120 E. 79th st, New York City, and at The Homestead, Portchester, N.Y."

On his WWII Draft Registration Card, then living in New York City, he states that he was born 28 Nov 1888 in Ottawa, and that he was then employed by the H.A. Brassert Company as Vice President.  He died in 1956 in Santa Barbara, mother's maiden name Lawrence. 

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Sources for 2

• 1901 Census of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  
• 1910 Census of Utica, Oneida County, New York : "Alex C Barker, 24, Single, immigrated 1909, born Canada/PA/England, Clerk, Office"
  
• "Miss Whelan's Wedding", New York Times, 22 Sep 1912 : "Miss Marian Beals engaged... niece of Miss Amelia Steere...to Alexander Crichlow Barker of Utica...."
• World War I Draft Registration Cards, online at www.ancestry.com
• 1920 Census of Rye, Westchester County, New York
• "American Elite and Sociologist...", 1927
  
• World War II Draft Registration Cards, online at www.ancestry.com
  
• California Death Index, online at www.ancestry.com
  

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3 Marian Beals

In 1912 her engagement to "Alexander Crichlow Barker of Utica" was announced in the New York Times.  In 1923, Marian and her two children returned from a trip to England.  On the ship's passenger list she states that her name is "Marian B Barker" and that she was born 20 Jan 1889 in Plainfield, New Jersey.  In the 1927 "American Elite and Sociologist", their entry states : "Barker, Alexander C. Construction Engineer, New York City. Cs New York, Bankers, Apawamis, Manursing Island, American Yacht of Rye, Green Meadow Country of Harrison! 1913 m Marian Beals; r 120 E. 79th st, New York City, and at The Homestead, Portchester, N.Y."

Sources for 3

• "Miss Whelan's Wedding", New York Times, 22 Sep 1912 : "Miss Marian Beals engaged... niece of Miss Amelia Steere...to Alexander Crichlow Barker of Utica...."
  
• 1920 Census of Rye, Westchester County, New York
• New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957, (for 1923) online at www.ancestry.com
• "American Elite and Sociologist...", 1927

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4 Henry Barker

Sources for 4

• 1901 Census of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

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5 Elizabeth Lawrence

Sources for 5

• 1901 Census of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  

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