▁Lew ▁Ay res ▁in ▁the ▁tit ular ▁role , ▁and ▁as ▁Mr . ▁Pot ter ▁in ▁It ' s ▁a ▁Wonder ful ▁Life — a ▁role ▁that ▁was ▁highly ▁placed ▁on ▁the ▁American ▁Film ▁Institute ' s ▁list ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 0 0 ▁Hero es ▁and ▁Villa ins ▁in ▁a ▁film ▁that ▁the ▁critic ▁Philip ▁French ▁described ▁as ▁" a ▁complex ▁inspir ational ▁work ". ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁Barry more ▁increasing ly ▁worked ▁in ▁radio , ▁initially ▁as ▁Eb ene zer ▁Sc ro oge ▁in ▁Charles ▁Dick ens ' s ▁A ▁Christmas ▁Carol , ▁which ▁was ▁broadcast ▁ann ually ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁then ▁in ▁Mayor ▁of ▁the ▁Town , ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁and ▁also ▁in ▁a ▁radio ▁series ▁sp un ▁off ▁from ▁the ▁Dr . ▁K ild are ▁films ▁( play ing ▁the ▁same ▁character ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁films ), ▁among ▁others . ▁ ▁Two ▁of ▁the ▁films ▁in ▁which ▁Barry more ▁appeared — Gr and ▁Hotel ▁( 1 9 3 2 ), ▁and ▁You ▁Can ' t ▁Take ▁It ▁with ▁You ▁( 1 9 3 8 ) — won ▁the ▁Academy ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁Picture . ▁He ▁was ▁considered ▁for ▁the ▁Academy ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁Director ▁for ▁his ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁film , ▁Madame ▁X , ▁and ▁won ▁the ▁Best ▁A ctor ▁award ▁for ▁his ▁performance ▁in ▁A ▁Free ▁Soul ▁( 1 9