Charlie Barnett

Who was Charlie Barnett?

Charlie Barnett was an American actor and comedian.

Barnett was born in Bluefield, West Virginia. He first made a name for himself in the late 1970s and early 1980s, performing several shows of raunchy comedy a day at outdoor parks in New York City, most notably in Washington Square Park, where he competed for crowds with musicians, frisbee players, jugglers and other entertainers. Flautist/driver Ruben Riera agrees, Charlie was one of the only street performers able to "fill the fountain" in Washington Square Park. In September 1980, Barnett auditioned for Saturday Night Live and producer Jean Doumanian was ready to hire him; however, Barnett was self-conscious about his poor reading skills and he skipped a follow-up reading. Barnett's spot in the cast was ultimately given to Eddie Murphy. Barnett was jealous and resentful of Murphy for several years, although in 1983, he told Jet magazine, "“Now that I'm making it, I watch Saturday Night Live every Saturday.”

Barnett went on to appear in film and on television. In the 1983 comedy film D.C. Cab, he played the role of Tyrone. He had a recurring role on the hit 1980s TV series Miami Vice as Neville 'Noogie' Lamont.