Barbara Barrie | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Barrie in 1980 | |
| Born | Barbara Ann Berman (1931-05-23)May 23, 1931 (age 94)[1] |
| Alma mater | University of Texas at Austin (B.F.A., 1952) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1953–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
Barbara Barrie (bornBarbara 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 filmOne Potato, Two Potato, for which she won theBest Actress Award at theCannes Film Festival. She is best known for her role as Evelyn Stohler inBreaking Away, which brought her anAcademy Award nomination forBest Supporting Actress in 1979 and anEmmy Award nomination in 1981 when she reprised the role in thetelevision 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 sitcomBarney Miller between 1975 and 1978. She also is known for her extensive work in the theatre, receiving aTony Award nomination forBest Featured Actress in a Musical in 1971 for originating the role of Sarah inStephen Sondheim'sCompany.
One of Barrie's first professional stage jobs was a resident actress for one season for a theatre company inCorning, New York, where she played the lead inThe Moon is Blue in 1953. She also worked at the Rochester Arena Theatre. She made herBroadway debut in the 1955 playThe Wooden Dish withLouis Calhern.[2] In 1959, she appeared on Broadway inThe Beaux' Stratagem byGeorge Farquhar as Cherry. Some of her earliestOff-Broadway credits were in a 1958 production ofThe Crucible asElizabeth Proctor and as Illse in a play version ofMädchen in Uniform directed byWalt Witcover. She was a repertory member of theAmerican 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 asAnnie Sullivan inThe Miracle Worker.[3][4]
In 1969, she playedViola inTwelfth Night, directed byJoseph Papp at theDelacorte Theater. In 1970, Barrie originated the role of Sarah inStephen Sondheim's musicalCompany, in a cast that includedElaine Stritch andSusan Browning.Company won theTony Award for Best Musical and Barrie was nominated forBest Featured Actress in a Musical.[3]
In 1974, Barrie earned critical acclaim for her Off-Broadway performance as Sparky inThe Killdeer by Jay Broad, for which she received anObie Award for Best Actress and aDrama Desk Award for Most Outstanding Performance. In 1976, Barrie performed inNeil Simon's successful Broadway playCalifornia Suite.[4] Barrie played the female lead in the 1979 US premiere ofBotho Strauß' 1978 playBig and Little at thePhoenix Theatre in theEast Village, Manhattan.[5]
In 1995, Barrie performed inAfter-Play, written byAnne Meara, at theManhattan Theatre Club.[6] In 2004, Barrie was announced to play Yente inDavid Leveaux's Broadway revival ofFiddler on the Roof, and played the role during previews, but she departed over "creative differences" and was replaced byNancy Opel.[7] In 2014, Barrie performed inI Remember Mama Off-Broadway, receiving anOuter Critics Circle nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play.[4][8]
She appeared in theJoshua Harmon playSignificant Other at theBooth Theatre on Broadway in 2017.[9][10] She had appeared in the play's premiere in theRoundabout Theatre Company's Off-Broadway production in 2015.
Barrie made her film debut uncredited inGiant (1956). Her first credited role was as Edna inThe Caretakers in 1963. The following year, Barrie received her first leading role in film withOne 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 withracial tensions at the time, and was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Screenplay. She won theCannes Best Actress Award for her performance.[citation needed]
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 Italianbicycle racer inBreaking Away.Breaking Away was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture and Barrie was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actress. In 1980, she played the mother ofGoldie Hawn's character inPrivate Benjamin. In the 1999 film,Judy Berlin, Barrie was nominated for anIndie Spirit Award for her performance as Sue Berlin, the mother ofEdie Falco's character.[citation needed]
Barrie made her television debut in 1955 performing onKraft Television Theatre. In 1956, she performed inHorton Foote's teleplayFlight as the sister ofKim Stanley's character. She guest-starred on two episodes ofDecoy (1958–59). In 1962, she guest-starred on three episodes ofNaked City. In 1963 she played Virginia in a teleplay version ofThe Dark Labyrinth byLawrence Durrell. During the 1960s, Barrie guest-starred on many of the popular television series of the time. She appeared in three episodes ofThe Defenders and two episodes ofBen Casey.[citation needed] in 1962 she did an episode ofRoute 66, entitled "Even Stones Have Eyes", where she played a blind instructor, and in 1963 appeared inThe Twilight Zone episode "Miniature", playing opposite the youngRobert Duvall.
In 1964, Barrie appeared in two episodes ofThe 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 byBradford Dillman. The second, titled "Consider Her Ways," also starred Barrie as the lead character, Jane Waterleigh. In 1965 Barrie guest starred as Aimee Rennick inThe 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 seriesThe Invaders in the episode "The Enemy". In 1975 Barrie was directed byLee Grant in the television filmFor The Use Of The Hall as "Charlotte". In 1977 she appeared in two television films, as the mother ofLesley Ann Warren's character in79 Park Avenue and as Emily McPhail inTell Me My Name. In 1978 she played Emily Armsworth in the Disney television filmChild of Glass, based on the novelThe Ghost Belonged to Me byRichard Peck. In 1978 she played Mrs. Berg in the television filmSummer of My German Soldier.[citation needed]
From 1975 to 1978, Barrie was credited in 37 episodes ofBarney Miller, starringHal Linden, as Barney's wife Elizabeth. In the 1979 television mini-seriesBackstairs at the White House she portrayedMamie Eisenhower. In the fall of 1980a television series based on the filmBreaking 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 anEmmy Award for her performance.[citation needed] Barrie reprised her role as Harriet Benjamin in the 1981 television seriesPrivate Benjamin, which was based onthe 1980 film of the same name. Also in 1981, Barrie played Ethel Banks in a televised version of the playBarefoot in the Park byNeil Simon[citation needed] and appeared in the television filmThe Children Nobody Wanted in December of that year.
She guest-starred on a 1987 episode ofFamily Ties as Aunt Rosemary. For her performance as Mrs. Bream on a February 1992 episode ofLaw & Order ("Vengeance"), Barrie was nominated for theEmmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama. In 1994 she played the character of Pauline Robillard in theEmmy-winning mini-seriesScarlett. In 1997 she voicedAlcmene, the adoptive mother of Hercules, in the Disney animated filmHercules and in 1998 she played the role of Ruth in the television filmA Chance of Snow.[citation needed]
Barrie was credited in 92 episodes of the television seriesSuddenly Susan asBrooke Shields character's grandmother, Aileen Keane. For her performance in a May 2003 episode ofLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit ("Perfect") as Paula Haggerty, Barrie was nominated for theEmmy Award for Best Guest Actress in a Drama. In 2004 she appeared inDead Like Me as Georgia's grandmother / Joy's mother. Her final television credits have included roles onPushing Daisies,Nurse Jackie, andEnlightened.[citation needed]
Barrie has written two children's books. In 1990, she publishedLone Star, a biographical book about a girl named Jane who moves from Illinois to Texas and deals with herOrthodox Jewish familyassimilating 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 withdyslexia.[12]
She is also the author of two books about her battle with colorectal cancer:Second Act (1997)[13] andDon't Die of Embarrassment (1999)[14] and has said that speaking out about early detection is "more important than acting."[15]
Barrie was born inChicago, Illinois, but raised inCorpus Christi, Texas,[16] where she graduated fromCorpus Christi Senior High School in 1948. She briefly attendedDel Mar College as a journalism major, and then transferred to TheUniversity of Texas at Austin (UT-Austin), where she graduated with aBachelor 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 theKappa 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 ofMuch 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 foundedTheatreworks USA and was the brother ofTony Award-winning musical lyricistSheldon Harnick.[21]
In 1972, Barrie signed her name to theMs. 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 forrectal cancer in 1994. In September 2014, Barrie announced she had been diagnosed withidiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable lung disease.[23] She lives in New York City.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Giant | Mary Lou Decker | Uncredited |
| 1963 | The Caretakers | Edna | |
| 1964 | One Potato, Two Potato | Julie Cullen Richards | Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress Nominated—New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress |
| 1972 | To Be Young, Gifted, and Black | — | Television film |
| 1975 | For the Use of the Hall | Charlotte | Television film |
| 1978 | Child of Glass | Emily Armsworth | Television film |
| Summer of My German Soldier | Mrs. Bergen | ||
| 1979 | The Bell Jar | Jay Cee | |
| Breaking Away | Evelyn Stoller | Nominated—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 | |
| 1980 | To Race the Wind | Mrs. Krents | Television film |
| Private Benjamin | Harriet Benjamin | ||
| 1981 | The Children Nobody Wanted | Hanna | Television film |
| 1982 | Barefoot in the Park | Mrs. Banks | Television film |
| Not Just Another Affair | Martha Dawson | Television film | |
| Two of a Kind | Dottie Minor | Television film | |
| 1984 | All Together Now | Elly Parker | Television film |
| 1985 | The Execution | Sophie Langbein | Television film |
| 1986 | Vital Signs | Frances | Television film |
| 1987 | End of the Line | Jean Haney | |
| Real Men | Mom Pirandello | ||
| 1988 | Winnie Mandela | Mrs. Drake | Television film |
| My First Love | Ruth Waxman | Television film | |
| 1993 | The Odd Couple Together Again | Gloria Unger | Television film |
| 1997 | Hercules | Alcmene | Voice |
| 1998 | A Chance of Snow | Ruth Pulmer | Television film |
| 1999 | Judy Berlin | Sue Berlin | Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female |
| 30 Days | Barbara Trainer | ||
| 2000 | $pent | Mrs. Walsh | |
| 2004 | Second Best | Dorothea | |
| 2009 | Frame of Mind | Thelma | |
| The Six Wives of Henry Lefay | Mae | ||
| 2010 | Harvest | Yetta Monopoli | |
| Twelve Thirty | Eve | ||
| 2018 | Above All Things | Maggie | |
| 2024 | The Magnificent Meyersons |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | Love of Life | Ginny Crandall | Unknown episodes |
| 1955 | Pond's Theater | — | Episode: "Cynara" |
| Kraft Television Theatre | — | Episode: "Lady Ruth" | |
| 1956 | Playwrights '56 | Verna Anderson | Episode: "Flight" |
| 1957 | Robert Montgomery Presents | Maggie Correll | Episode: "Wait for Me" |
| Suspicion | Ethel | Episode: "Heartbeat" | |
| 1958 | Decoy | Anne | Episode: "My Brother's Killer" |
| 1960 | The Play of the Week | Lila | Episode: "A Palm Tree in a Rose Garden" |
| The Art Carney Special | — | Episode: "Full Moon Over Brooklyn" | |
| 1961 | The Defenders | Fran Helber | Episode: "The Attack" |
| Armstrong Circle Theatre | Joanna Sommers | Episode: "Black Market Babies" | |
| The United States Steel Hour | Trina Trent | Episode: "Delayed Honeymoon" | |
| 1962 | Route 66 | Celia | Episode: "Even Stones Have Eyes" |
| The Untouchables | Cheryl Hines | Episode: "The Chess Game" | |
| Naked City | Rosalind Faber, Sarah Hinson, Marcia Kormack | 3 episodes | |
| 1963 | Ben Casey | Martha Dignan | Episode: "Lullaby for Billy Dignan" |
| Dr. Kildare | Peggy Farrow | Episode: "The Mosaic" | |
| The Virginian | Ellen Beecher | Episode: "The Small Parade" | |
| The Twilight Zone | Myra Russell | Episode: "Miniature" | |
| Alcoa Premiere | Virginia Stanley | Episode: "The Dark Labyrinth" | |
| 1964 | Mr. Novak | Mary Smith | Episode: "How Does Your Garden Grow?" |
| The Doctors and the Nurses | Laura Crane | Episode: "The Love of a Smart Operator" | |
| The Defenders | Shirley Lowell | 2 episodes | |
| The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Isabel Smith | Episode: "Isabel" | |
| The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Dr. Jane Sumner Waterleigh | Episode: "Consider Her Ways" | |
| 1965 | The Fugitive | Aimee Rennick | Episode: "The End Is But the Beginning" |
| Ben Casey | Ellen Tevlin | Episode: "A Rambling Discourse on Egyptian Water Clocks" | |
| Rawhide | Liz Harmon | Episode: "Mrs. Harmon" | |
| 1966 | The Trials of O'Brien | Jean Fields | Episode: "A Horse Called Destiny" |
| Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | Laurel Catlan | Episode: "The Eighth Day" | |
| 1967 | Ironside | Myra Dupont | Episode: "The Leaf in the Forest" |
| The Invaders | Gale Frazer | Episode 5: "The Enemy" | |
| 1971 | Play for Today | — | Episode: "The Rank and File" |
| 1973 | The ABC Afternoon Playbreak | Tina Bordeaux | Episode: "The Mask of Love" |
| Koska and His Family | Isabel Koska | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| 1973–1974 | Diana | Norma Brodnick | 10 episodes |
| 1974 | The Mary Tyler Moore Show | Judith Chandler | Episode: "I Love A Piano" |
| 1975–1978 | Barney Miller | Elizabeth Miller | 37 credited episodes (appeared in 11) |
| 1975 | Bronk | Lorna | Episode: "Terror" |
| McMillan & Wife | Emily Church | Episode: "Aftershock" | |
| 1977 | 79 Park Avenue | Kaati Fludjicki | 1 episode |
| 1978 | Visions | — | Episode: "Blackout" |
| 1979 | Backstairs at the White House | Mrs. Mamie Eisenhower | Episode: "#1.4" |
| Roots: The Next Generations | Dodie Brattle | Episode: "#1.7" | |
| Lou Grant | Edna Raines | 2 episodes | |
| 1980–1981 | Breaking Away | Evelyn Stoller | 8 episodes Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series |
| 1981 | Private Benjamin | Harriet Benjamin | Episode: "Bye, Bye Benjamin" |
| 1982 | American Playhouse | Schoolteacher | Episode: "Working" |
| 1982–1983 | Tucker's Witch | Ellen Hobbes | 12 episodes |
| 1983 | Reggie | Elizabeth Potter | 6 episodes |
| 1984 | Trapper John, M.D. | Dr. Kate Hanley | Episode: "All Fall to Grace" |
| 1984–1985 | Double Trouble | Aunt Margo | 15 episodes |
| 1986 | Kate & Allie | Anne | Episode: "Late Bloomer" |
| 1987 | Mr. President | Peggie | 2 episodes |
| Family Ties | Aunt Rosemary | Episode: "The Way We Were" | |
| 1988–1990 | Thirtysomething | Barbara Steadman | 2 episodes |
| 1989 | A Fine Romance | Aunt Grace | Episode: "A Horse is a Horse, Of Course, Of Course" |
| 1990 | His & Hers | — | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | Babes | Mom | Episode: "Mom" |
| 1992 | Law & Order | Mrs. Bream | Episode: "Vengeance" Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series |
| ABC Afterschool Special | Anne Charney | 2 episodes | |
| 1993 | Lovejoy | Miss Lillian | Episode: "The Lost Colony" |
| 1994 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | Shirley | Episode: "My Summer As a Girl" |
| Scarlett | Pauline Robillard | 2 episodes | |
| The Commish | Ann Palmer | Episode: "A Christmas Story" | |
| 1996–2000 | Suddenly Susan | Helen Keane | 92 episodes |
| 1998 | Hercules | Alcmene | Voice, episode: "Hercules and the Parents' Weekend" |
| 2000 | Once and Again | Peg Sammler | Episode: "Feast or Famine" |
| 2003 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Paula Haggerty | Episode: "Perfect" Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series |
| 2004 | Dead Like Me | Phyllis | 2 episodes |
| 2007 | Pushing Daisies | Mamma Jacobs | Episode: "Girth" |
| 2009 | Surviving Suburbia | Val | Episode: "No Reception" |
| Army Wives | Virginia | Episode: "As Time Goes By..." | |
| 2010 | Nurse Jackie | Libby Sussman | Episode: "Silly String" |
| 2011 | Enlightened | Carol | Episode: "Consider Helen" |
