DR. LIONEL BARRETT
Real Name: Dr. Lionel Barrett B.S. M.D. Ph.d.
Occupation: Parapsychologist, Scientist, Writer
Known Relatives: Edith Ann Barrett (wife), unnamed father-in-law (deceased)
Base of Operations: New York City, New York
First Appearance: Legend of Hell House (1973)
History: Dr. Lionel Barrett is an accomplished American physicist and scientist at the Academy of Applied Science in Brookdale, New York, outside New York City. He is also well-known as a cynical skeptic of paranormal activity, spending much of his scientific career debunking so-called paranormal encounters and haunted houses in general.
Not much is known about Barrett's past. Born somewhere in the Midwest, he stricken with polio at twelve years old, which left him partially paralyzed in his right leg, requiring the use of a cane as an adult. He turned to swimming for exercise and grew up excelling in science and studied physics and medicine at the University of Michigan. He met his wife Edith while in the University. She was a theater arts major who had been sexually abused by her father and had shunned male companionship in her life, but since the polio had left Barrett impotent, she befriended him and eventually married him. After their marriage, Barrett took a job as a physics teacher at New York University on the West Coast.
A brilliant teacher and theoretical physicist, Barrett became a proficient denier of paranormal activity and shared his research debunking reputed haunted houses in New York and New England, developing personal scientific theories that explained what he considered passed as "hauntings" in the public. However, he did believe in psychic ability in human beings, developing the theory that there were individuals that could process information on an unconscious level from the psychic energies they believed existed. He was well aware of the careers and abilities of reputed psychics, such as Florence Tanner and B.F. Fischer.
In December 1970, businessman Rolf Deutsch hired Barrett to determine whether or not there was any evidence of life after death. In ill heath, he expected Barrett could confirm whether or not such a thing existed and promised to fund a device to prove his theories if he conducted a renewed investigation at the Belasco Mansion in rural Maine, the scene of two disastrous investigations. Barrett's theory was that so-called paranormal energy was merely a wavelength on the electromagnetic spectrum that simulated hauntings and that it could be discharged with a counter charge of electricity. Barrett's device, the Reversor, at this point was in its blueprint stage, and Deutsch would fund its creation with his investigation at the Belasco Mansion.
Deutsch, however, recommended that both Tanner and Fischer accompany him to lend their style of research to be included in his research. Barrett was opposed to this but followed along for the funding. A survivor of the previous investigation, Fischer, however, showed up only for the money offered him, leaving Tanner to work with Barrett. After one psychic reading in the house by her, Barrett subjected her second one to rigorous scientific control and was stunned to see her produce ectoplasm. This extraordinary feat confounded him as it was well above her abilities. Furthermore, she began believing she was being visited by the ghost of Daniel Belasco, the son of Emeric Belasco, the builder of the mansion. However, her religious beliefs were constantly being by Barrett's pragmatic approach, and whenever her doubt in her beliefs became evident, Daniel's ghost continued returning back to her.
While Tanner was being visited and attacked by Daniel's ghost, the activity in the house was also breaking down Edith's composure and releasing her buried sexual inhibitions. She tried seducing Fischer twice, getting caught by Lionel on the second attempt. Tanner, meanwhile, tried convincing Barrett that Daniel Belasco existed and deduced that his father's ghost was controlling the activity, keeping the other ghosts prisoner. However, after she became possessed, Barrett revealed his plan to scientifically exorcise the ghosts with the Reversor, and she tried to destroy it to save the trapped spirits. Barrett then watched her attack Fischer and managed to knock her out. As he repaired the damage she had created to his machine, she tried to rush to the defense of the house's spirits in the chapel in the house, getting killed when the cross in the room fell on her.
After discovering her remains, Barrett went ahead and activated the Reversor with himself, his wife and Fischer retreating to a safe distance from it outside the mansion. Afterward, Fischer was stunned that the house's previous paranormal presence had dissolved, seemingly cleaning it and ridding it of ghosts. Barrett was exalted his theory was correct, but he was shocked when his equipment showed it building back up in intensity. As he watched, the device exploded in his face, and while wracked in pain, an unseen presence dragged him into the chapel where a light fixture fell and broke his back, ending his life. He was later found there by Edith, but Fischer soon deduced that both of them had been correct. The house had only been haunted by Emeric Belasco, using the mass storage of energy in it to create the illusion of a mass haunting.
Barrett was laid to rest at the Calvary Cemetery in the Queens Borough of New York City. Although the Reversor was confiscated by Deutsch Industries, it soon fell into the collection of Dr. Anil Sleevemore. The technology and theories behind it were updated in the 1990s by Professor Walter Oldman at Santa Rosita University in California, who used Barrett's theories in new equipment to seemingly exorcise Kane Manor.
Case Files: Belasco House, et al.
Powers/Abilities: Dr. Lionel Barrett was a brilliant scientist trained in physics and biology. He was also well versed in medicine and had a number of scientific degrees.
Comments: Dr. Lionel Barrett was played by actor Clive Revill. B.F. Fischer was was played by Roddy McDowell, Florence Tanner was played by Pamela Franklin and Edith was played by Gail Hunnicutt.
It should be noted that in the novel, "Hell House," written by Richard Matheson, that Lionel's wife was named Edith. The character was named Ann in the 1973 movie.
Dr. Anil Sleevemore is a fictional psychic researcher played by actor Brian George on "That's So Raven" (2002-2007) and "Raven's Home" (2017-2020).
Professor Walter Oldman and Kane Manor are from "Scary Movie 2" (2001). Oldman was played by actor Tim Curry.
Santa Rosita is a fictional California town from "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1963).
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