Unearthing The Undead 23 - JACK BARRETT
Jack Barrett played a ghoul in "Night of the Living Dead" but is not in the film. He is, though in some of the most famous photos of the ghouls that were taken. He can be found quite easily because of his distinctive beard and suit. Jack was an artist and was good friends with Lee Hartman, who also was an artist and worked at The Animators. Lee was the best man at Jack's wedding and even drove him to the farmhouse, as Jack did not drive. It was his daughter Stephanie, who took color Super8 footage of her dad and the ghouls getting their makeup done by Karl Hardman, Marilyn Eastman and Betty Ellen Haughey.
Jack was born on Nov. 5, 1929, in Pittsburgh, PA. He was a marine who fought in the Korean War and received a purple heart. Afterwards, he used his G.I. Bill benefits to attend Carnegie Institute and in 1954, graduated from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. In 1961 he started teaching art at the Ivy School of Professional Art. In 1970 with his family he moved to St. Petersburg where he started to take his artwork more seriously. Jack worked for the St. Petersburg Times and Evening Independent as an artist, retiring in 1990. Jack continued to create art up until his passing in 2008.
His diversified body of work has included news feature, illustration, sports cartoons, political caricatures, show business portraits and humorous art, as well as "serious" paintings. Some of his humorous cartoon art can be seen in the issues of Cracked magazine.
His art even has permanent residence at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art in Tarpon Springs, FL. Jack's myriad of artistic accomplishments include: teaching, sculpture, murals and acting.
He is also the recipient of many awards and honors including first awards for newspaper illustration. His work has been published by Rockport Publishers, Massachusetts, Contemporary Graphic Artists, Gale Research Company, New York, Comic Art & Caricature by Roy Paul Nelson Contemporary Books, Inc., Chicago and McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York, College Custom Series (Art).
His daughter Stephanie adds, "He was hysterically funny, sensitive, handsome and a super fun dad."
Artist page:
http://www.jackbarrettart.com/home.html
Interview:
https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2006/05/28/his-art-pours-outj/
Researched and compiled by John Vullo
Text and photos Image Ten, Inc.
If you know of any family, friends or acquaintances that appeared as extras in the original Night of the Living Dead, please contact John Vullo at jmv3683@gmail.com
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