Biography
Barré began his career as a newspaper illustrator in his native Quebec but moved to New York in 1903, where he continued to illustrate for various newspapers and magazines. Simultaneously, he started, together with William Nolan, the first animation production company, called Barré-Nolan Studio in 1912.
Their cooperation did not last long, and Barré left the company and started his own, Barré Studio. Barré was not only an illustrator and an animator but also an innovator, who introduced such important techniques as the “slash and tear technique” and “perf and peg system”. With the use of those techniques, he animated, directed and produced two series: The Animated Grouch Chasers (1915-1916) distributed by Edison Company, and Phables (1916), distributed by William Randolph Hearst’s International Film Service.
In 1916 the company was renamed Barré-Bowers Studio as Charles Bowers joined the company as co-owner. The studio made Mutt and Jeff in 1916 based on Bud Fisher’s popular comic strip characters. This production proved to be disastrous for Barré, as Bowers formed a new partnership with Fisher, and created Bud Fisher Films Cooperation, which took over the production of Mutt and Jeff.
Due to his unsuccessful partnership with Bowers and Fisher, Barré left the company and the animation industry in 1919. He briefly returned to animation in 1926 to work for Pat Sullivan Cartoons.
Family and early life
Born into a large family, twelve people including him, Barré was the only one with artistic ambitions.