Prolific actor who was best known for playing such character roles as rebel soldiers, bartenders, captains, councilmen, detectives, doctors, football players, henchmen, criminals, deserters, fight managers, bellboys, lieutenants, judges, sheriffs, marshals, and historical figures including outlaws Jesse James and his brother Frank James.

He was born Milton Poimboeuf in Houston, Texas, to Louis Leonce Poimbouef (1886-1936), and his wife, Emma Murray, on January 11, 1910 or 1911. He was educated locally, attended high school, and the prestigious Allen Academy in Bryan, Texas, and the Texas School of Mines in El Paso, Texas, and had been both a star high school football player and a star college football player. Following his education, he moved to Los Angeles, and worked in the advertising business, before pursuing an acting career. He began his acting career on the stage as a member of a national touring company most notably in the role of 'Dude Lester' in playwright Jack Kirkland's adaptation of author Erskine Caldwell's novel, "Tobacco Road" (1935), at the Selwyn Theatre in Chicago. During this time he also made the transition to appearing in films and eventually on television when he was spotted by actors John Wayne and Mickey Rooney in a football game in which his Texas All-Stars lost to UCLA. The two actors were so impressed by his playing ability that they offered to help him break into movies. He made his actual fim debut playing in the short comedy film, "Family Troubles" (1933). The film which was directed by and written for the screen by George Stevens, which was also written for the screen by James W. Horne, and which also starred Henry Armetta, Matthew Betz, Fred Kelsey, Bert Roach, and Mathilde Comont, tells the story of a father who overhears his son and his son's friend plotting a murder, not realizing they are writing a play. Besides, playing in the short comedy film, "Family Troubles" (1933), and playing the role of 'Marshal Larry West-Posing as Rusty Stevens' in the classic western film, "The Dalton Gang" (1949), his many other film credits include, "This Day And Age" (1933), "Flying Down To Rio" (1933), "Bridal Bail" (1934), "The Hoosier Schoolmaster" (1935), "Night Waitress" (1936), "Beloved Enemy" (1936), "When's Your Birthday?" (1937), "The Woman I Love" (1937), "Dead End" (1937), "The Last Gangster" (1937)," "Navy Blue And Gold" (1937), "All American Sweetheart" (1937), "Saleslady" (1938), "Sinners In Paradise" (1938), "Think It Over" (1938), "The Crowd Roars" (1938), "Letter Of Introduction" (1938), "Young Dr. Kildare" (1938), "The Duke Of West Point" (1938), "There's That Woman Again" (1938), "Panama Patrol" (1939), "First Offenders" (1939), "Calling Dr. Kildare" (1939), "Only Angels Have Wings" (1939), "S.O.S. Tidal Wave" (1939), "Wyoming Outlaw" (1939), "Calling All Marines" (1939), "Saga Of Death Valley" (1939), "The Secret Of Dr. Kildare" (1939), "Days Of Jesse James" (1939), "Jack Pot" (1940), "Ghost Valley Raiders" (1940), "Adventures Of Red Ryder" (1940), "One Man's Law" (1940), "Sailor's Lady" (1940), "The Tulsa Kid" (1940), "Frontier Vengeance" (1940), "Texas Terrors" (1940), "Wyoming Wildcat" (1941), "The Phantom Cowboy" (1941), "Two Gun Sheriff" (1941), "Desert Bandit" (1941), "Kansas Cyclone" (1941), "The Apache Kid" (1941), "Death Valley Outlaws" (1941), "A Missouri Outlaw" (1941), "Arizona Terrors" (1942), "Stagecoach Express" (1942), "Jesse James, Jr." (1942), "Remember Pearl Harbor" (1942), "The Cyclone Kid" (1942), "The Sombrero Kid" (1942), "Outlaws Of Pine Ridge" (1942), "The Traitor Within" (1942), "The Sundown Kid" (1942), "Dead Man's Gulch" (1943), "Carson City Cyclone" (1943), "Days Of Old Cheyenne" (1943), "Fugitive From Sonora" (1943), "Black Hills Express" (1943), "The West Side Kid" (1943), "The Man From The Rio Grande" (1943), "Canyon City" (1943), "California Joe" (1943), "The Purple Heart" (1944), "Outlaws Of Santa Fe" (1944), "My Buddy" (1944), "Bells Of Rosarita" (1945), "The Chicago Kid" (1945), "The Last Crooked Mile" (1946), "Plainsman And The Lady" (1946), "Out California Way" (1946), "That's My Gal" (1947), "Slippy McGee" (1948), "Madonna Of The Desert" (1948), "Lightnin' In The Forest" (1948), "Train To Alcatraz" (1948), "Ringside" (1949), "Square Dance Jubilee" (1949, He played the role of 'Don Blake' in the film, was executive producer on the film, and sang the song, ""The Gal With The Mink Blue Jeans," in the film), "Tough Assignment" (1949, He played the role of 'Dan Reilly' in the film and was executive producer on the film), "Red Desert" (1949, He played the role of 'Pecos Jones' in the film, produced the film, and he wrote the story, "This Guy Gideon," for the film), "I Shot Billy The Kid" (1950), "Gunfire" (1950), "Train To Tombstone" (1950; he played the role of 'Len Howard' in the film and also wrote the screenplay), "Border Rangers" (1950), "My Outlaw Brother" (1951), "Untamed Heiress" (1954), "Jesse James' Women" (1954; he played the roles of Jessie James/J. Woodsen in the film, was associate producer on the film, and wrote the film, and sang the song, "Careless Lover," in the film), "The Twinkle In God's Eye" (1955), "I'll Cry Tomorrow" (1955), "7 Men From Now" (1956), "Gun Duel In Durango" (1957), "China Doll" (1958), "Frankenstein 1970" (1958), "Born Reckless" (1958), "Andy Hardy Comes Home" (1958), "The Last Mile" (1959), "Warlock" (1959), "The Big Operator" (1959), "Ocean's Eleven" (1960), "Buffalo Gun" (1961), "Walk On The Wild Side" (1962), "Twilight Of Honor" (1963), "Iron Angel" (1964), "Law Of The Lawless" (1964), "The Carpetbaggers" (1964), "War Party" (1965), "Fort Courageous" (1965), "Convict Stage" (1965, He played the role of 'Marshal Jethro Karnin' in the film and also wrote the story for the film), "Town Tamer" (1965), "Apache Rising" (1965), "Alvarez Kelly" (1966), "Red Tomahawk" (1967), "Hostile Guns" (1967), "Fort Utah" (1967), "Bandolero!" (1968), "The Shakiest Gun In The West" (1968), "Shalako" (1968), "Keene" (1969), "Hunters Are For Killing" (1970), "The Cockeyed Cowboys Of Calico County" (1970), "Dirty Dingus Magee" (1970), "Rio Lobo" (1970), "One More To Train To Rob" (1971), "Johnny Got His Gun" (1971), "The Eyes Of Charles Sand" (1972), "Junior Bonner" (1972), "Incident On A Dark Street" (1973), "Partners In Crime" (1973), "Punch And Jody" (1974), "Boss Nigger" (1974), "Blazing Stewardesses" (1975), "Whiffs" (1975), "Hustle" (1975), "The Wackiest Wagon Train In The West" (1976), "Meanwhile, Back At The Ranch" (1976), "From Noon Till Three" (1976), "Orca" (1977), "Doctor Dracula" (1978), "Kate Bliss And The Ticker Tape Kid" (1978), "Hot Lead And Cold Feet" (1978), "The Swarm" (1978), "Hooper" (1978), "Seabo" (1978), "The One Man Jury" (1978), "Shame, Shame On The Bixy Boys" (1978), "Undercover With The KKK" (1979), "Goldie And The Boxer" (1979), and "Dan August: Once Is Never Enough" (1980).

Besides playing the role of the racist Jud Larabee on five episodes of the family romance television series drama, "Little House On The Prairie," his many other television credits include, "Public Defender," "Stories Of The Century," "Dragnet," "Screen Directors Playhouse," "Sergeant Preston Of The Yukon," "Lux Video Theatre," "Code 3," "The O. Henry Playhouse," "Cheyenne," "Have Gun - Will Travel," "The Phil Silvers Show," "The Deputy," "Sugarfoot," "Shotgun Slade," "Bat Masterson," "U.S. Marshal," "Colt .45," "Bourbon Street Beat," "M Squad," "Peter Gunn," "This Man Dawson," "Maverick," "Rawhide," "Lawman," "The Roaring 20's," "The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet," "Surfside 6," "77 Sunnyside Strip," "Bronco," "Alcoa Premiere," "Frontier Circus," "Checkmate," "Hawaiian Eye," "Wide Country," "The Dick Powell Theatre," "McHale's Navy," "Sam Benedict," "The Eleventh Hour," "Laramie," "Mr. Novak," "Channing," "Perry Mason," "Arrest And Trial," 'The Fugitive," "Broadside," "Mickey," "F Troop," "The Munsters," "The Legend Of Jesse James," "Bonanza," "Iron Horse," "Laredo," "Pistols 'n' Petticoats," "T.H.E. Cat," "Dragnet 1967," "Batman," "Hondo," "Cimarron Strip," "It Takes A Thief," "The Wild Wild West," "The Outsider," "Daniel Boone," "The Outcasts," "The Virginian," "The Bold One: The Lawyers," "Land Of The Giants," "The Immortal," "Dan August," "O'Hara, U.S. Treasury," "The F.B.I." "Hec Ramsey," "Gunsmoke," "Marcus Welby, M.D." "Love, American Style," "Owen Marshal, Counselor At Law," "Circle Of Fear," 'Emergency!" "Dusty's Trail," "Hawkins," "Mannix," "Adam-12," "The Waltons," "Kolchak: The Night Stalker," "Ironside," "The Rookies," "Petrocelli," "The Family Holvak," "Baretta," "Barbary Coast," "The Blue Knight," "McMillan & Wife," "Big John, Little John," "The Quest," "The Six Million Dollar Man," "The Bionic Woman," "Rich Man, Poor Man - Book II," "Police Woman," "The Rockford Files," "Project U.F.O." "The Magical World Of Disney," "Police Story," "Quincy M.E.," "240-Robert," "CHiPs," "Charlie's Angels," "Knots Landing," "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," and "The Dream Merchants." His last film role was playing 'Pete' in the adventure comedy romance film, "Back Roads" (1981). In addition to acting, directing, producing, and writing, he released two songs, "White Cross In Korea" (1954), and "Give Me Back The Love I Gave" (1954), on Trumpet Records.

During his acting career, he also used the name Don Red Barry, Donald 'Red' Barry, Donald M. Barry, Donald Red Barry, Donald Barry, and Don Barry. During his impressive acting career, he worked with the likes of Spencer Tracy, John Bromfield, Wally Vernon, James Garner, Buddy Ebsen, Will Hutchins, Randolph Scott, Jack Kelly, A.C. Lyles, Sean Connery, William Holden, Richard Widmark, and Jack Webb, among many others. He committed suicide at his home in Hollywood, California, on July 17, 1980, at the age of 69 or 70, following a domestic dispute that had been investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department. He was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, California, in the Court of Valor Section. He was married three times, first to actress Peggy Stewart Barry (1923-2019), from 1940 until they divorced on April 12, 1944, secondly to Ona-Dell Ward from October 6, 1947, until they divorced sometime before 1952, and thirdly to Barbara Patin Barry from 1963, until his death on July 17, 1980, although they had been estranged for sometime before that. The couple had two children together. The actor once said of his 'Red Ryder' co-star actor Noah Beery Sr. (1882-1946), "How can you describe a man who loved his profession and everyone in it? I shall always remember how he helped a brash, smart-ass, young punk. I loved him."