kjbuk

Does anyone know what became of Alan Barnes who played Hayley Mills' brother in Whistle Down The Wind?

Hugo

He was 8 years old when the film was made and had no interest in pursuing an acting career. He went back to school and on leaving became a motor mechanic in the area where he was brought up - Chatburn in Lancashire.

kjbuk

Thank you Hugo. Bryan Forbes in his autobiography says that Alan was "seven, going on thirty-seven"!
In an Alan Bates interview that I have found it is suggested that he may have become a chemist. I wonder if he is still alive.

Hackett

Didn't he have a small part in "THE VICTORS" 1963.

Steve Crook

Yes, he's done a few other film roles over the years and even appeared in EastEnders!

Check his entry on the IMDb - he's called "Alan Barnes (I)" there but this system doesn't like parentheses in a URL.

Steve Crook

PaPAS

Hugo

He is also credited with writing episodes of DR WHO. I do not think that this is the same Alan Barnes, it is not an uncommon name

Steve Crook

But there are rules about these things that (generally) prevent two people with the same name working in films and/or TV that usually works for all professions around the world. The system can be fooled when non-professionals are included in the cast (or crew). Also when one person dies another can use the same name after a certain number of years.

Steve Crook

PaPAS

Hugo

Yes, but as the original Alan Barnes was only 8 when he appeared in the film, he was too young to get an Equity card and be in the system, and if he has done no acting subsequently, his name still won't be in the system and there is no problem for anyone else of that name using it.

David Challinor

I'm sure this request has been posted here before but whatever happened to Alan Barnes, the boy whose film debut nearly stole 'Whistle Down the Wind' (1960) from everyone else... I read once he was living a quiet life in his 40's, and elsewhere, more sadly, that he died in a road accident.
...I happen to ask cos I'm reading the old autobio from that film's director Bryan Forbes. He set about finding child actors in Clitheroe for the film. Amusingly in the book he says he was sure Alan Barnes was right for the part when he asked the boy ''how do you feel about acting in my film?', the un-star struck lad shrugged ''I'm not bothered''. And after Whistle he apparently wasn't.

Hackett

We have had this thread before and if I remember correctly somebody had taped a documentary showen the last time "WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND" was on TV. The only other film I know Alan Barnes was in "THE VICTORS" 1963. Did he do some egg adverts on TV?.

JamesM

According to the audio commentary, the person who appears on there with Hayley Mills excitedly tells Hayley that Alan got the acting bug again and appears in Love Actually as a film director. But are they really the same person? Anyone have a copy of this film? I cannot imagine him losing his accent.

DB7

Is it the same Alan Barnes? I slept thru most of Love Actually and the only filming I recall was a minor segment involving the making of a sex video. (Martin Freeman of The Office featured)

deckard

The Imdb says it's two different people, although the info on there is fairly sketchy, so that's a lot of bl***y use then . eh? But I do remember vaguely seeing this documentary and I thought that he wasn't acting anymore, but I'm afraid I recorded it on VCR and the tape is knacked, :mad: so I can't be sure. The irony is I was taping the film before this documentary because my original recording was destroyed by fire! Can't win can ya? Still no bl***y use then! Jeez! Regards, Decks.

"and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock"

Freddy

The locations for Whistle were featured in the series with Ben Fogle as presenter, (was it Big Screen Britain)did he mention anything then, can't remember myself, cracking little series but on at odd times of the day.
best wishes
Freddy

David Challinor

I received Love Actually as a present - and shall watch it again to see 'Alan Barnes' - mind you, that's the only reason to watch it again! Thank you for all your comments on this question, and I'm amazed in this internet-age it's a mystery what happened to him. I too saw the Ben Fogle doc, but although I only had half an eye on it - I was playing with my daughter when it was screened - I'm sure there was no mention of him today, and he was noticably absent from the other now-grown-up children who agreed to appear...the search goes on!