Barbara Barrie
Barrie on the set of Barney Miller in 1975 with Hal Linden
Born
Barbara Ann Berman

(1931-05-23) May 23, 1931[1]
Alma materUniversity of Texas at Austin (B.F.A., 1952)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
  • author
Years active1953–present
Spouse
Jay Harnick
(m. 1964; died 2007)
Children2

Barbara Barrie (born Barbara Ann Berman; May 23, 1931) is an American actress and author.

Her film breakthrough came in 1964 with her performance as Julie in the landmark film One Potato, Two Potato, for which she won the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival. She is best known for her role as Evelyn Stohler in Breaking Away, which brought her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 1979 and an Emmy Award nomination in 1981 when she reprised the role in the television series based on the film.

On television, Barrie is perhaps best known for her portrayal of the wife of the namesake captain in the detective sitcom Barney Miller between 1975 and 1978. She also is known for her extensive work in the theatre, receiving a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 1971 for originating the role of Sarah in Stephen Sondheim's Company.

Theatre

One of Barrie's first professional stage jobs was a resident actress for one season for a theatre company in Corning, New York, where she played the lead in The Moon is Blue in 1953. She also worked at the Rochester Arena Theatre. She made her Broadway debut in the 1955 play The Wooden Dish with Louis Calhern.[2] In 1959, she appeared on Broadway in The Beaux' Stratagem by George Farquhar as Cherry. Some of her earliest Off-Broadway credits were in a 1958 production of The Crucible as Elizabeth Proctor and as Illse in a play version of Mädchen in Uniform directed by Walt Witcover. She was a repertory member of the American Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford for the 1958 and 1959 seasons, playing numerous Shakespearean roles to critical acclaim. In 1961 she went on tour in Europe as Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker.[3][4]

In 1969, she played Viola in Twelfth Night, directed by Joseph Papp at the Delacorte Theater. In 1970, Barrie originated the role of Sarah in Stephen Sondheim's musical Company, in a cast that included Elaine Stritch and Susan Browning. Company won the Tony Award for Best Musical and Barrie was nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.[3]

In 1974, Barrie earned critical acclaim for her Off-Broadway performance as Sparky in The Killdeer by Jay Broad, for which she received an Obie Award for Best Actress and a Drama Desk Award for Most Outstanding Performance. In 1976, Barrie performed in Neil Simon's successful Broadway play California Suite.[4] Barrie played the female lead in the 1979 US premiere of Botho Strauß' 1978 play Big and Little at the Phoenix Theatre in the East Village, Manhattan.[5]

In 1995, Barrie performed in After-Play, written by Anne Meara at the Manhattan Theatre Club.[6] In 2004, Barrie was announced to play Yente in David Leveaux's Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof, and played the role during previews, but she departed over "creative differences" and was replaced by Nancy Opel.[7] In 2014, Barrie performed in I Remember Mama Off-Broadway, receiving an Outer Critics Circle nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play.[4][8]

She appeared in the Joshua Harmon play Significant Other at the Booth Theatre on Broadway in 2017.[9][10] She had appeared in the play's premiere in the Roundabout Theatre Company's Off-Broadway production in 2015.

Film

Barrie made her film debut uncredited in Giant (1956). Her first credited role was as Edna in The Caretakers in 1963. The following year, Barrie received her first leading role in film with One Potato, Two Potato, portraying Julie Cullen Richards, a divorced woman newly remarried to an African-American man while her ex-husband demands custody rights for their child, on grounds that their child is in danger because they are living with a man of color. The film was considered controversial when released, dealing with racial tensions at the time, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Screenplay. She won the Cannes Best Actress Award for her performance.

In 1979, Barrie received critical acclaim for her role as Evelyn Stohler, the small-town mother of a young man who dreams of becoming an Italian bicycle racer in Breaking Away. Breaking Away was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture and Barrie was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. In 1980, she played the mother of Goldie Hawn's character in Private Benjamin. In the 1999 film, Judy Berlin, Barrie was nominated for an Indie Spirit Award for her performance as Sue Berlin, the mother of Edie Falco's character.

Television

Barrie made her television debut in 1955 performing on Kraft Television Theatre. In 1956, she performed in Horton Foote's teleplay Flight as the sister of Kim Stanley's character. She guest-starred on two episodes of Decoy (1958–59). In 1962, she guest-starred on three episodes of Naked City. In 1963 she played Virginia in a teleplay version of The Dark Labyrinth by Lawrence Durrell. During the 1960s, Barrie guest-starred on many of the popular television series of the time. She appeared in three episodes of The Defenders and two episodes of Ben Casey. in 1962 she did an episode of Route 66 where she played a blind instructor (entitled "Even the stones have eyes"), and in 1963 appeared in episode "The Miniature" of The Twilight Zone, playing opposite the young Robert Duvall.

In 1964, Barrie appeared in two episodes of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. The first episode was "Isabel", in which Barrie performed the title role of Isabel Smith, the murder target of her husband Howard, played by Bradford Dillman. The second, titled "Consider Her Ways," also starred Barrie as the lead character, Jane Waterleigh. In 1965 Barrie guest starred as Aimee Rennick in The Fugitive. The episode, entitled "The End Is But The Beginning" is widely considered among fans to be one of the best of the 120 episodes. In 1967 she guest-starred in the TV series The Invaders in the episode "The Enemy". In 1975 Barrie was directed by Lee Grant in the television film For The Use Of The Hall as "Charlotte". In 1977 she appeared in two television films, as the mother of Lesley Ann Warren's character in 79 Park Avenue and as Emily McPhail in Tell Me My Name. In 1978 she played Emily Armsworth in the Disney television film Child of Glass, based on the novel The Ghost Belonged to Me by Richard Peck. In 1978 she played Mrs. Berg in the television film Summer of My German Soldier.

From 1975 to 1978, Barrie was credited in 37 episodes of Barney Miller, starring Hal Linden, as Barney's wife Elizabeth. In the 1979 television mini-series Backstairs at the White House she portrayed Mamie Eisenhower. In the fall of 1980 a television series based on the film Breaking Away debuted on ABC with Barrie reprising her role as Evelyn Stoller. The show lasted only part of one season, but Barrie was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance. Barrie reprised her role as Harriet Benjamin in the 1981 television series Private Benjamin, which was based on the 1980 film of the same name. Also in 1981, Barrie played Ethel Banks in a televised version of the play Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon and appeared in the television film The Children Nobody Wanted in December of that year.

She guest-starred on a 1987 episode of Family Ties as Aunt Rosemary. For her performance as Mrs. Bream on a February 1992 episode of Law & Order ("Vengeance"), Barrie was nominated for the Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama. In 1994 she played the character of Pauline Robillard in the Emmy-winning mini-series Scarlett. In 1997 she voiced Alcmene, the adoptive mother of Hercules, in the Disney animated film Hercules and in 1998 she played the role of Ruth in the television film A Chance of Snow.

Barrie was credited in 92 episodes of the television series Suddenly Susan as Brooke Shields character's grandmother, Aileen Keane. For her performance in a May 2003 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit ("Perfect") as Paula Haggerty, Barrie was nominated for the Emmy Award for Best Guest Actress in a Drama. In 2004 she appeared in Dead Like Me as Georgia's grandmother / Joy's mother. Her final television credits have included roles on Pushing Daisies, Nurse Jackie, and Enlightened.

Books

Barrie has written two children's books. In 1990, she published Lone Star, a biographical book about a girl named Jane who moves from Illinois to Texas and deals with her Orthodox Jewish family assimilating to Texas culture.[11]

Her second book, Adam ZigZag, was published in 1994 and is also biographical, about a young boy named Adam with an actress mother who struggles with dyslexia.[12]

She is also the author of two books about her battle with colorectal cancer: Second Act (1997)[13] and Don't Die of Embarrassment (1999)[14] and has said that speaking out about early detection is "more important than acting."[15]

Personal life

Berman was born in Chicago, Illinois, but raised in Corpus Christi, Texas,[16] where she graduated from Corpus Christi Senior High School in 1948. She briefly attended Del Mar College as a journalism major, and then transferred to The University of Texas at Austin (UT-Austin), where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Drama in 1952. She then moved to New York to begin her professional career.[17]

During her time at UT-Austin, she received two scholarships for drama, including the Kappa Kappa Gamma Donna Dellinger annual scholarship for Most Outstanding Junior in the Drama Department,[18] as well as awards for specific performances, such as the Atlas Award from the Globe Theatre in San Diego for "Best Female Performance for 1950–51" based on her role in the California Theatre's summer production of Much Ado About Nothing as Beatrice.[19][20]

She married director, actor, and producer Jay Malcolm Harnick (1928–2007) in July 1964. They had two children, Jane Caroline Harnick (born 1965) and Aaron Louis Harnick (born 1969). Jay Harnick founded Theatreworks USA and was the brother of Tony Award-winning musical lyricist Sheldon Harnick.[21]

In 1972, Barrie signed her name to the Ms. campaign: “We Have Had Abortions” which called for an end to "archaic laws" limiting reproductive freedom, they encouraged women to share their stories and take action.[22]

She was treated successfully for rectal cancer in 1994. In September 2014, Barrie announced she had been diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable lung disease.[23] She lives in New York City.[10]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1956GiantMary Lou DeckerUncredited
1963The CaretakersEdna
1964One Potato, Two PotatoJulie Cullen RichardsCannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress
Nominated—New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress
1972To Be Young, Gifted, and BlackTelevision film
1975For the Use of the HallCharlotteTelevision film
1978Child of GlassEmily ArmsworthTelevision film
Summer of My German SoldierMrs. Bergen
1979The Bell JarJay Cee
Breaking AwayEvelyn StollerNominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated—National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated—New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress
1980To Race the WindMrs. KrentsTelevision film
Private BenjaminHarriet Benjamin
1981The Children Nobody WantedHannaTelevision film
1982Barefoot in the ParkMrs. BanksTelevision film
Not Just Another AffairMartha DawsonTelevision film
Two of a KindDottie MinorTelevision film
1984All Together NowElly ParkerTelevision film
1985The ExecutionSophie LangbeinTelevision film
1986Vital SignsFrancesTelevision film
1987End of the LineJean Haney
Real MenMom Pirandello
1988Winnie MandelaMrs. DrakeTelevision film
My First LoveRuth WaxmanTelevision film
1993The Odd Couple: Together AgainGloria UngerTelevision film
1997HerculesAlcmeneVoice
1998A Chance of SnowRuth PulmerTelevision film
1999Judy BerlinSue BerlinNominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female
30 DaysBarbara Trainer
2000$pentMrs. Walsh
2004Second BestDorothea
2009Frame of MindThelma
The Six Wives of Henry LefayMae
2010HarvestYetta Monopoli
Twelve ThirtyEve
2018Above All ThingsMaggie
TBAThe Magnificent MeyersonsPost-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1951Love of LifeGinny CrandallUnknown episodes
1955Pond's TheaterEpisode: "Cynara"
Kraft Television TheatreEpisode: "Lady Ruth"
1956Playwrights '56Verna AndersonEpisode: "Flight"
1957Robert Montgomery PresentsMaggie CorrellEpisode: "Wait for Me"
SuspicionEthelEpisode: "Heartbeat"
1958DecoyAnneEpisode: "My Brother's Killer"
1960The Play of the WeekLilaEpisode: "A Palm Tree in a Rose Garden"
The Art Carney SpecialEpisode: "Full Moon Over Brooklyn"
1961The DefendersFran HelberEpisode: "The Attack"
Armstrong Circle TheatreJoanna SommersEpisode: "Black Market Babies"
The United States Steel HourTrina TrentEpisode: "Delayed Honeymoon"
1962Route 66CeliaEpisode: "Even Stones Have Eyes"
The UntouchablesCheryl HinesEpisode: "The Chess Game"
Naked CityRosalind Faber, Sarah Hinson, Marcia Kormack3 episodes
1963Ben CaseyMartha DignanEpisode: "Lullaby for Billy Dignan"
Dr. KildarePeggy FarrowEpisode: "The Mosaic"
The VirginianEllen BeecherEpisode: "The Small Parade"
The Twilight ZoneMyra RussellEpisode: "Miniature"
Alcoa PremiereVirginia StanleyEpisode: "The Dark Labyrinth"
1964Mr. NovakMary SmithEpisode: "How Does Your Garden Grow?"
The Doctors and the NursesLaura CraneEpisode: "The Love of a Smart Operator"
The DefendersShirley Lowell2 episodes
The Alfred Hitchcock HourIsabel SmithEpisode: "Isabel"
The Alfred Hitchcock HourDr. Jane WaterleighEpisode: "Consider Her Ways"
1965The FugitiveAimee RennickEpisode: "The End Is But the Beginning"
Ben CaseyEllen TevlinEpisode: "A Rambling Discourse on Egyptian Water Clocks"
RawhideLiz HarmonEpisode: "Mrs. Harmon"
1966The Trials of O'BrienJean FieldsEpisode: "A Horse Called Destiny"
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler TheatreLaurel CatlanEpisode: "The Eighth Day"
1967IronsideMyra DupontEpisode: "The Leaf in the Forest"
The InvadersGale FrazerEpisode 5: "The Enemy"
1971Play for TodayEpisode: "The Rank and File"
1973The ABC Afternoon PlaybreakTina BordeauxEpisode: "The Mask of Love"
Koska and His FamilyIsabel KoskaEpisode: "Pilot"
1973–1974DianaNorma Brodnick10 episodes
1974The Mary Tyler Moore ShowJudith ChandlerEpisode: "I Love A Piano"
1975–1978Barney MillerElizabeth Miller37 credited episodes (appeared in 11)
1975BronkLornaEpisode: "Terror"
McMillan & WifeEmily ChurchEpisode: "Aftershock"
197779 Park AvenueKaati Fludjicki1 episode
1978VisionsEpisode: "Blackout"
1979Backstairs at the White HouseMrs. Mamie EisenhowerEpisode: "#1.4"
Roots: The Next GenerationsDodie BrattleEpisode: "#1.7"
Lou GrantEdna Raines2 episodes
1980–1981Breaking AwayEvelyn Stoller8 episodes
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
1981Private BenjaminHarriet BenjaminEpisode: "Bye, Bye Benjamin"
1982American PlayhouseSchoolteacherEpisode: "Working"
1982–1983Tucker's WitchEllen Hobbes12 episodes
1983ReggieElizabeth Potter6 episodes
1984Trapper John, M.D.Dr. Kate HanleyEpisode: "All Fall to Grace"
1984–1985Double TroubleAunt Margo15 episodes
1986Kate & AllieAnneEpisode: "Late Bloomer"
1987Mr. PresidentPeggie2 episodes
Family TiesAunt RosemaryEpisode: "The Way We Were"
1988–1990ThirtysomethingBarbara Steadman2 episodes
1989A Fine RomanceAunt GraceEpisode: "A Horse is a Horse, Of Course, Of Course"
1990His & Hers2 episodes
1991BabesMomEpisode: "Mom"
1992Law & OrderMrs. BreamEpisode: "Vengeance"
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
ABC Afterschool SpecialAnne Charney2 episodes
1993LovejoyMiss LillianEpisode: "The Lost Colony"
1994CBS Schoolbreak SpecialShirleyEpisode: "My Summer As a Girl"
ScarlettPauline Robillard2 episodes
The CommishAnn PalmerEpisode: "A Christmas Story"
1996–2000Suddenly SusanHelen Keane92 episodes
1998HerculesAlcmeneVoice, episode: "Hercules and the Parents' Weekend"
2000Once and AgainPeg SammlerEpisode: "Feast Famine"
2003Law & Order: Special Victims UnitPaula HaggertyEpisode: "Perfect"
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
2004Dead Like MePhyllis2 episodes
2007Pushing DaisiesMamma JacobsEpisode: "Girth"
2009Surviving SuburbiaValEpisode: "No Reception"
Army WivesVirginiaEpisode: "As Time Goes By..."
2010Nurse JackieLibby SussmanEpisode: "Silly String"
2011EnlightenedCarolEpisode: "Consider Helen"

References

  1. Leszczak, Bob (2014). The Odd Couple on Stage and Screen: A History with Cast and Crew Profiles and an Episode Guide. McFarland. p. 25. ISBN 9781476615394. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  2. "Barbara Barrie: Performer". Playbill. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  3. 1 2 Barbara Barrie at the Internet Broadway Database
  4. 1 2 3 Barbara Barrie at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
  5. Simon, John (April 16, 1979). "From Top to Botho". New York. p. 90. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  6. Canby, Vincent. " After-Play Review", The New York Times, February 1, 1995, accessed February 19, 2017
  7. Simonson, Robert; Jones, Kenneth (February 16, 2004). "Nancy Opel Replaces Barbara Barrie in Broadway's Fiddler Feb. 17". Playbill. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  8. Brantley, Ben (March 30, 2014). "Barbara Barrie reminisces". The New York Times. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  9. Gans, Andrew (February 14, 2017). "Significant Other Begins Previews on Broadway Valentine's Day", Playbill.
  10. 1 2 Kaufman, Joanne (February 10, 2017). "Barbara Barrie's Loft in the Sky". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  11. Barrie, Barbara (October 1992). Lone Star. Random House Children's Books. ISBN 978-0440407188. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  12. Review: Adam ZigZag,Publishers Weekly; accessed November 24, 2014.
  13. Barrie, Barbara (1997). Second Act: Life After Colostomy and Other Adventures. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-684-83587-7.
  14. Barrie, Barbara (March 18, 1999). Don't Die of Embarrassment: Life After Colostomy and Other Adventures. Scribner. ISBN 978-0-684-84624-8.
  15. Phiffer, Cindy (May–June 1998). "Barbara Barrie – Colostomy and Other Adventures". Coping with Cancer. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
  16. Pfefferman, Naomi (February 25, 2000). "Worshipping Suburbia". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Archived from the original on October 27, 2006. Retrieved December 13, 2006.
  17. "Local girl in first starring role," Corpus Christi Caller-Times, February 17, 1957, p. 7F.
  18. "Miss Barbara Berman receives scholarship," Corpus Christi Times, May 10, 1951, p. 7C.
  19. "Miss Berman wins dramatic award," Corpus Christi Times, October 10, 1951, p. 12.
  20. Guide to the Barbara Barrie papers 1949–2008, New York Public Library, Billy Rose Theatre Division; accessed November 24, 2014.
  21. Robertson, Campbell (March 1, 2007). "Jay Harnick, 78, Advocate of Theater for Children, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  22. Diamondstein, Barbara D. (Spring 1972). "We have had abortions" (PDF). New York: 34–35. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 12, 2019. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  23. Gans, Andrew (September 23, 2014). "Barbara Barrie Reveals Diagnosis with Incurable Lung Disease". Playbill. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
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