Leslie Hulme (9 January 1933 – 29 July 2016), known professionally as Ken Barrie, was an English voice actor and singer. He was best known for voicing the titular character and several other characters in the children's television series Postman Pat, as well as singing the theme tune. He also sang the theme tune of the BBC Television programme Charlie Chalk.

Biography Barrie was born on 9 January 1933 in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Under the stage name Les Carle, he recorded for Embassy Records, an offshoot of Woolworths that released inexpensive cover versions of pop hits, between 1962 and 1965.Singles Discography for Embassy Records. Retrieved 29 July 2016 He changed his stage name when a friend told him it was French for "the Charlies", and took his new name of Ken Barrie from the names of his wife's brothers.

His singing and narrating voice and whistling was heard in many movies and television commercials. Barrie provided singing voices in feature films for many actors, including George C. Scott, in Jane Eyre (1970), Horst Buchholz in The Great Waltz (1972), and Larry Hagman in Applause (1973).

He became the voice of the children's television show Postman Pat in 1981, narrating the first and second series and also providing the voices of the characters Postman Pat, Ted Glen, Granny Dryden, Peter Fogg, Major Forbes, George Lancaster, Jeff Pringle, Alf Thompson, Reverend Peter Timms, P.C. Arthur Selby, and Sam Waldron. He retired from voicing Pat in 2008 when the series was revamped as Postman Pat Special Delivery Service, though stayed on as the voice of Ted, Alf, P.C. Selby and Reverend Timms for the show's first series (sixth series overall) before leaving the show completely in 2013. A single of the theme song, credited to Barrie, reached number 44 on the UK singles chart in 1982, and re entered the chart the following year.

He sang the soundtrack for the television show Charlie Chalk and recorded the soundtracks for the films Sharks' Treasure (1975), Emily (1976) and Silent Scream (1979). He also whistled the tune for the theme song of the 1987 BBC series My Family and Other Animals, based on the book by Gerald Durrell, and sang the theme song to the hit long running BBC sitcom Hi-de-Hi!.

Personal life Barrie was married to Doreen Pye from 1954 until her death in 2009. He also had two children, a son named Paul Hulme and a daughter named Lorraine Hulme Peterson. Barrie's son Paul Hulme was a music engineer who went on to work for the music departments for many films, although Hulme died in a road accident in 1998 at the age of 38.

Death Barrie died at his home in Denham, Buckinghamshire, on 29 July 2016 from liver cancer."Ken Barrie, the voice of Postman Pat, dies at the age of 83". ITV News. 29 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016 Retrieved 30 July 2016 He is survived by his daughter Lorraine Hulme Peterson.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1970 Jane Eyre Edward Rochester (Singing voice) 1972 The Great Waltz Johann Strauss, Jr. (Singing voice) Uncredited1973 Applause Bill Sampson (Singing voice)1979 Ray Charles' World of Music Singer 1986 Christmas Eve With Val Doonican Unknown 1990 Postman Pat's ABC Narrator (voice) Postman Pat's 123 1994 Read Along with Postman Pat 1998 BBC Future Generations Postman Pat (voice) 1999 Calling All Toddlers Narrator (segment: Postman Pat: Postman Pat and the Hole in the Road) 2002 Calling All Toddlers 2 Narrator (segment: Postman Pat: Postman Pat has the Best Village) 2003 Postman Pat's Magic Christmas Postman Pat, Ten Glen, Reverend Timms, Mr. Pringle, Santa Clause (voice) 2004 Postman Pat's Pirate Treasure Postman Pat, Ted Glen, Alf Thompson, PC Selby, Reverend Timms, Matt Clifton (voice) 2006 Making Children Smile (voice) 2009 The Official BBC Children in Need Medley Ted Glen (voice)

Television Year Title Role Notes1976 Centre Play Singer 1 episode1980-1988 Hi-de-Hi! Opening and closing theme song singing voice 58 episodes1981-2008 Postman Pat Narrator, Postman Pat, Ted Glen, Alf Thompson, PC Selby, Reverend Timms, Mr. Pringle, Granny Dryden, Peter Fogg, Major Forbes, George Lancaster, Matt Clifton, Sam Waldron, Santa Claus, The Train Inspector (voice) 144 episodes1988-1989 Charlie Chalk Song vocals (voice) 13 episodes

Video games Year Title Role Notes2007 Postman Pat and the Greendale Rocket Postman Pat (voice)

References

External links Ken Barry at the British Film Institute