Through an entirely paternal line Barton was a direct descendant of the Sheriff of London, Henry Barton. Charles Barton began acting at the age of thirteen. He worked on stage and was signed to United Artists where he starred in The County Fair (1921).[3] He grew to five foot two inches, and his height limited the amount of work he could get so in the mid 1920s Barton decided to move into directing.[2] In 1927, Barton worked as an assistant director on Wings (1927), directed by William Wellman; he also played a small role.
Barton was an assistant director for some years before directing Wagon Wheels for Paramount Pictures in 1934. In 1935, Paramount awarded him a long-term contract helming four pictures a year thereafter for the studio until 1937.[4] During his time at Paramount, Barton returned to acting briefly for Wellman's Beau Geste (1939).
In May 1939, he joined Columbia Pictures who assigned him to direct Behind Prison Gates, starring Brian Donlevy. He directed a total of 34 features for Columbia through the first half of 1944, including comedian Joe Besser's first starring feature film with Ann Miller for Columbia, Hey Rookie (1944). Joe Besser called him "one of the great comedy directors".[3]
In August 1944, Barton was signed by Universal Pictures to a term deal as producer-director directing 14 features over the next eleven years, including the first of six feature-length Abbott and Costello comedies starting in 1946 with The Time of Their Lives.
Overall, Barton directed nine Abbott and Costello films, including their last movie as a team, Dance with Me, Henry, in 1956.[5]
Personal
Barton's wife of seven years, Nancy, died at their home in 1951 after a two year illness.[6]
In 1958, during divorce proceedings with his new wife Lee, Barton claimed he earned a net figure of US$2,000 (equivalent to $21,100 in 2023) a month.[7]
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