Barry Hart - Harry Nurmi - INFO. NEEDED

[Steve F]

What do people remember about him?

For those who don't know, Barry was the barman at the Motel from 1985-1987. The character was sacked by Tommy "Bomber" Lancaster in early '87 for pocketing the bar profits (I believe the actor was sacked by William Smethurst as he felt both the actor and the character would not work in the down-to-Earth rural drama that "Crossroads Motel" was going to be transformed into).

I've come across info. in the TV Times to suggest he was involved with a lass called Sue Kirk in late 1986. She had a son called Andy. Also, Barry organised Poker games which Charles Mycroft attended and enjoyed. He also had a car called "Bertha". I know little about the storyline. Was he restoring the car? What type of car was it & what happened to it in the end? I believe Barry was also running away from his past... does anyone know what Barry's secret past was?

What can people tell me about him?

[Mike of CAS]

The car is one of those camper sleeping things from the 1960s. I forget their name but look a bit like the Scooby doo van, just with windows. I think there is a photo on the CAS Pics site somewhere of him with the thing.

[Steve F]

I'll see if I can look up the pic. Thx Mike 

[Valerie Pollard]

Sue Kirk was played by Shririn Taylor (who later went on to brieifly become Mike Baldwin's wife in Corrie.)

Barry Hart got involevd with her when he was on his way to a party with Tracey Hobbs in 'Bertha'. She snagged some tights  on his "rust heap of a car" and they stopped so she could buy a new pair. Whilst he was waiting for her. Andy came running out of a shop having stolen some sweets and the shop kepper came out after him and shouted to Barry to "stop that little boy". Barry gave chase, Andy dropped the bag of sweets and as Barry was picking them up we heard the sound of screeching brakes and a thud. Andy had run out into the road and been hit by a car. Cue credits.

In a later episode Barry went along to the hospital where Andy had been taken and met Sue who was anxioulsy waiting for him to come out of the operating theatre. At first she blamed Barry for the accident but as time went on she warmed to him, particularly once it was clear Andy was making a full recovery, and they eventually started a relationship which lasted for a number of weeks.

Can't quite remember how the relationship ended although it might have been that Barry had to return for while to Australia because his visa had run out or soemthing like that.

Valerie

[Daniel Freeman]

I loved Barry Hart!! I remember his 'Bertha' - and the fact that he was like some sort of Aussie Surfer arriving at the Motel.It heralded the start of Mr Bowman's new era. I seem to remember that he befriended Daniel at some point and helped him rescue Joanna Freeman from a cult place where she had been brainwashed (usual day-to-day stuff in Kings Oak).
Can't remember him leaving. Suppose it was down to Smethurst and not Bowman.

[Mike of CAS]

We only seem to have three photos of Barry (more than most from that era sadly) no idea if ITV still have these so enjoy....

[Steve F]

Lots of interesting stuff there... thx particularly to Valerie for filling me in on Barry's connection to the Kirk family  gr8 pics Mike 

[Steve F]

I can now confirm that Harry Nurmi made his final appearance as Barry Hart w/c 24/1/1987 according to the TV Times "This weeks Cast:" list.

[oorshughie]

Isn't Barry written out when he shorts changes Tommy Lancaster?

Was a bit of a rotten way to write him out,making a likeable character a thief.

[Steve F]

Isn't Barry written out when he shorts changes Tommy Lancaster?

Was a bit of a rotten way to write him out,making a likeable character a thief.

That's right... and I agree. But that's a pattern repeated with several Bowman-era characters once Smethurst took over. Their characterisations were steadily altered to make them extremely unlikeable. So much so that the viewer is then manipulated into thinking "Can't wait to see the back of him/her". I've seen this a number of times when comparing the way a character acts in a Bowman-Produced episode to the way he/she acts in a Smethurst-Produced one.

[Mark]

Isn't Barry written out when he shorts changes Tommy Lancaster?

Was a bit of a rotten way to write him out,making a likeable character a thief.

That's right... and I agree. But that's a pattern repeated with several Bowman-era characters once Smethurst took over. Their characterisations were steadily altered to make them extremely unlikeable. So much so that the viewer is then manipulated into thinking "Can't wait to see the back of him/her". I've seen this a number of times when comparing the way a character acts in a Bowman-Produced episode to the way he/she acts in a Smethurst-Produced one.

I'm seeing the same pattern in Hollyoaks with the new producer taking over, suddenly two characters have a personality change over night.  Des is now a racist and Loretta is a deranged weirdo stalker just as the characters have been axed.

[Steve F]

It's a shame really. On reflection, one can understand that a new Producer feels that a particular character isn't working or that he simply wants to bring in another, newer character to replace them. Fair enough. What I don't understand is the need to alter the chracterisation to make the character unlikeable. Simply write them out and write them out well and then crack on. Making Barry a thief seems a total betrayal of the chracter's origins. If the Producer doesn't like the actor or doesn't get on with him, that shouldn't enter in to the equation. There're viewers that do, therefore, their feelings should at least be taken into consideration so that, when writing the character out, the viewer can at least have the satisfaction of seeing the character go out in a great/dramatic way.

I'd love to see the episodes leading up to Barry's sacking. Was he in one episode and gone in the next? (there're rumours that he left "under a cloud" meaning Smethurst may have wrote him out off-screen as he did Nicola Freeman).

I would have liked Barry to have turned up the following week, drunk, get more drunk in the Bar and then be abusive & threatening towards "Bomber" & Mary. He could have tried to take Tommy on but, because of his inebriated state, finds himself put on his arse and then turfed out of the Motel (some OB night shooting would have been nice). Imagine Barry turning, looking back and up at the lit "Crossroads Motel" sign, shaking his head and saying "You can keep your flamin'' job! I don't wanna work for you anyway!" as he staggers off in to the night - CUE END CREDITS 

[Hampstead]

I wonder does anyone have a link to a photo of Harry as he is today,wouid be interesting to see just how he's aged.

[Aston Cross]

I think if you follow this link, it should give you some idea of what he looks like in recent times: http://www.australia-online.com/vbhs/view.php?id=HarryNurmi

[Daniel Freeman]

Ooh Lord! He looks like a blond Alan Carr ! 

Bless him. Tooowumba - sounds like a location from the old 'Skippy' days.