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Barnard Hughes
Hughes as Dr. Joe Bogert onDoc (1975)
Born	Bernard Aloysius Kiernan Hughes (1915-07-16)July 16, 1915 Bedford Hills, New York, U.S.
Died	July 11, 2006(2006-07-11) (aged 90) New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1939–2000
Spouse	Helen Stenborg ​ (m. 1950)​
Children	2

Bernard “Barnard” Aloysius Kiernan Hughes (July 16, 1915 – July 11, 2006) was an AmericanTV,theater, andfilmactor. Hughes became famous for a variety of roles: his most notable came after middle age, and he was often cast as a dithering authority figure or grandfatherly elder.

Hughes was born inBedford Hills, New York, the son of Irish immigrants Marcella "Madge" (née Kiernan) and Owen Hughes.^[1][2] He attendedLa Salle Academy andManhattan College inNew York City. Hughes served in theUnited States Army duringWorld War II. He married actressHelen Stenborg on April 19, 1950, and remained married until his death. They had two children, the theatre directorDoug Hughes, and a daughter, Laura. Hughes and his wife are interred atChurch of the Transfiguration, Episcopal (Manhattan) inNew York City.

Hughes spoke to Dick Cavett on his show, revealing that he was inspired by seeing actor Dennis King on Broadway as Richard II in the playRichard of Bordeaux by Gordon Daviot (Elizabeth Mackintosh). Hughes changed the "e" in his first name to an "a" to help his acting career on the advice of a numerologist. Through high school and college, Hughes worked a series of odd jobs, including a stint as a dockworker and as a salesman at Macy's. He auditioned for the Shakespeare Fellowship Repertory company in New York City on the advice of a friend, and ended up joining the company for two years.

Hughes played more than 400 theatre roles. He won Broadway's 1978 Best ActorTony Award for his performance as the title character inHugh Leonard'sDa.^[3] In 1988 he recreated the role for the filmDa.

On screen, he appeared in the film transcription ofHamlet (1964), and also appeared in such films asMidnight Cowboy (1969),Where's Poppa? (1970),Cold Turkey (1971)The Hospital (1971),Tron (1982),Maxie (1985),The Lost Boys (1987),Da (1988) - the screen reprise of his most successful stage-role,Doc Hollywood (1991) and the big successSister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993). He also played the old man who gave a ride to Felix and Oscar inThe Odd Couple II (1998) and was featured inThe Fantasticks (1995).^[4]

Hughes appeared on TV in such series asNaked City,The Secret Storm,Dark Shadows,Love Story,Blossom, andHomicide: Life on the Street.^[4] In 1973, he had a notable recurring role onAll in the Family as a Roman Catholic priest, Father John Majeski, doing battle withArchie Bunker, and won an Emmy for his portrayal of a senile judge onLou Grant.^[3] Hughes made three appearances inThe Bob Newhart Show as the father of Dr. Robert Hartley. He was the central character in three sitcoms:Doc, in which he played a physician;Mr. Merlin, in which he playedMerlin, a magician mentoring a 20th-century teenager; andThe Cavanaughs, co-starringChristine Ebersole, in which he played the family patriarch (Art Carney played his brother, andGlynis Johns made guest appearances). Hughes sang "Danny Boy" in one episode of the latter series. He also made a memorable appearance as The King (with Jim Dale as The Duke) in the PBS mini-seriesAdventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Hughes also made recurring appearances on daytime dramas includingGuiding Light,The Secret Storm andAs the World Turns as well as a brief appearance as aprivate investigator in an early episode ofDark Shadows. He also did many voice-overs for various television commercials includingKix cereal.

Hughes died of natural causes on July 11, 2006, just five days before his 91st birthday.^[5]

• Barnard Hughes atIMDb
• Barnard Hughes at theInternet Broadway Database
• Barnard Hughes at theInternet Off-Broadway Database
• Barnard Hughes and Helen Stenborg papers, 1880s-2011, held by Billy Rose Theatre Division,New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

• 1915 births
• 2006 deaths
• 20th-century American male actors
• American male film actors
• American male stage actors
• American male television actors
• American people of Irish descent
• Drama Desk Award winners
• Male actors from New York City
• Military personnel from New York City
• Military personnel from New York (state)
• Manhattan College alumni
• People from Bedford Hills, New York
• Primetime Emmy Award winners
• Tony Award winners
• United States Army personnel of World War II

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