Prolific character actor Barry Corbin has over 200 film and TV credits and six decades of acting experience. He’s made a name for himself in Westerns, but his roots lie in Shakespeare. He’ll be at the Uptown Theatre in Marble Falls on Nov. 9 for his one-man-show, ‘An Evening With Barry Corbin.’ Photos courtesy of Wayne Public Relations
Prolific character actor Barry Corbin will swing through Marble Falls on Nov. 9, 2023, for a performance of his one-man show, “An Evening with Barry Corbin,” at the Uptown Theatre. Even if you don’t know his name, you’ve likely seen his face in “Yellowstone,” “Tulsa King,” “Urban Cowboy,” “Lonesome Dove,” or, most recently “Killers of the Flower Moon.” You might have even heard his voice in “King of the Hill.”
Corbin has been acting for more than 60 years. In that time, he has amassed over 200 film and TV credits, making a name for himself as a reliable source of legitimate country charm. His stage show features stories from his life, Shakespearean monologues, heavy audience participation, a question-and-answer session, and time to get acquainted with the locals.
“It’s just an informal, fun show,” Corbin told 101HighlandLakes.com before the Nov. 9 performance at the Uptown. “Basically, it’s a conversation, and I like for the audience to get involved in it. I’m looking forward to meeting everybody. I’m really looking forward to being in that (part of the) country. It’s such beautiful country.
The West Texas native — born in La Mesa and raised in the Lubbock high plains — became fascinated with acting in the 1940s and ’50s watching B Westerns and silver screen cowboys. “Wild” Bill Elliott, Ben Johnson, and Sunset Carson were mentioned by name.
“I thought, well, I could probably do that,” he said, looking back on his childhood heroes.
By 17 years old, he was pursuing acting as a profession and spent the next 20 years working in theaters in Chicago and New York. Corbin is a classically trained actor and took the stage in productions of legendary plays such as “My Fair Lady,” “Julius Caesar,” and “Oklahoma!”
Like many actors, he made his way to Hollywood in 1977, hoping to break into the movies. By 1979, he landed a role in “Urban Cowboy” alongside John Travolta.
“It was interesting. John Travolta helped me a lot,” Corbin said. “He’d give me pointers like, ‘Don’t shift around too much’ or ‘Stand still while you’re talking so you stay in focus’ or ‘Look at one eye rather than shifting your gaze around.’ Film acting and theater acting are actually pretty much the same. You just have to make a few adjustments.”
After he got his first break, he snagged dozens of roles in hit TV shows and movies for decades, but one stands out to him as particularly special.
“’Lonesome Dove’ was one I wanted to do immediately,” he said, recalling that he had loved the famous novel by legendary Texas author Larry McMurtry.
Corbin played the supporting role of Roscoe Brown in the 1989 TV series adapted from the book.
“I didn’t really care what part, I just wanted to be in it,” he said.
Corbin’s storied career has seen him paired with writer, director, and producer Taylor Sheridan, who is best known for creating “Yellowstone” and its spinoffs: “1883,” “1923,” and the upcoming “6666.” Corbin had a small role in “Yellowstone” and enjoyed working with Sheridan.
“It was a lot of fun doing the show. Taylor Sheridan wrote the part for me,” he said. “He was wonderful to get along with.”
Most recently, he played a role in “Killers of the Flower Moon,” the latest film from director Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. It is currently in theaters, including at Cinergy Cinemas in Marble Falls.
Corbin told 101HighlandLakes.com that he had wanted to do a theater show in which he could share his life’s stories for a long time, he was just waiting until he was old enough to dispense a little wisdom on his audience. He turned 83 on Oct. 16.
“I’ve been telling these stories for years, and I’d always thought about doing a show like this,” he said. “I figured I needed some gravitas before I did it.”
