Chris Barrie (born Christopher Jonathan Brown, 28 March 1960 in Hanover, West Germany) is a British actor, comedian and impressionist. He is best known for playing Arnold J. Rimmer on the long running sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf. He also starred as Gordon Brittas in the BBC sitcom The Brittas Empire. Other roles include a French revolutionary in an episode of Blackadder, Hillary the butler in the first two Tomb Raider films, multiple voices in Spitting Image and Gary Prince in A Prince Among Men.
His Film Roles
- Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life (2003) - Hillary
- When Evil Calls (2006) - Headmaster/Samantha's father
His TV roles
- Spitting Image (1984-1990) - Various
- The Young Ones (1984) - The Captain in "Nasty"
- Filthy Rich & Catflap (1987) - The Director
- Blackadder (1987) - French Revolutionary in "Nob and Nobility"
- Red Dwarf (1988-) - Arnold Rimmer
- The Brittas Empire (1991-1997) - Gordon Brittas
- The Legends of Treasure Island (1993) - Captain Smollet
- A Prince Among Men (1997-1998) - Gary Prince
Tropes relating to his career:
- Stage Name: Adopted the surname of "Barrie" due to there already being an actor who went by the name of "Christopher Brown" on the UK Equity Lists.
- What Could Have Been:
- He was considered for the role of Inspector Raymond Fowler in The Thin Blue Line before it went to Rowan Atkinson.
- He was also considered for the role of Zazu in The Lion King (1994) before he was passed over, again to Atkinson.
- Was being considered to voice Randall in Monsters, Inc. before the role was given to Steve Buscemi.
- One of the frontrunners for the the Tenth Doctor before David Tennant was cast.