Barnes appeared in over 50 films between 1920 and 1935, primarily in comedies. Barnes started his show career in vaudeville later turning to stage and film acting. During the 1920s, he often played "brash young go-getters" in supporting and leading roles. He’s best known for his roles as Buster Keaton's business partner Billy Meekin in Seven Chances (1925) and in W. C. Fields' comedy It's a Gift (1934), portraying an inquisitive Insurance Salesman. He retired from movies in 1935 and died two years later.

Filmography