Barbara Barrie obit

Barbara Barrie Dies: Star Of Broadway And ‘Barney Miller’ Was 95

 

She was not on the list.

Barbara Barrie, who received a Tony nomination for her role in Broadway’s original Company, an Oscar nomination for her performance in Breaking Away and wide recognition as the wife of Hal Linden’s police captain on TV’s Barney Miller, died October 28 at her home in Manhattan. She was 95.

Her death was reported to The New York Times by her daughter Jane Harnick, who said Barrie’s death was medically assisted and that the actor had been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Following her breakthrough Cannes Film Festival award-winning performance in 1964’s One Potato, Two Potato, Barrie built a career that encompassed the stage, film and television, making marked contributions to all. She appeared in 11 Broadway productions, including original stagings of Stephen Sondheim’s Company, Neil Simon’s The Prisoner of Second Avenue and California Suite, Harvey Fierstein’s Torch Song Trilogy and a 2004 revival of Fiddler on the Roof.

In addition to 1979’s Breaking Away, her film credits included an uncredited role in the classic 1956 drama Giant and as the mother of Goldie Hawn’s character in 1980’s Private Benjamin.

Barrie was most prolific on television, with credits stretching back to the 1950s anthology dramas and such popular 1960s series as Route 66, The Twilight Zone, The Fugitive, Ben Casey and Ironside, among many others. In 1974 she flirted with Gavin MacLeod’s Murray Slaughter on a memorable episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and began her five-season recurring role on Barney Miller the following year. Her character largely was absent beyond the first season as the ABC sitcom increasingly focused on the police precinct workplace comedy rather than the title character’s domestic life.

In addition to her portrayal of Barney Miller‘s Liz Miller, Barrie probably is best known to TV audiences for her series regular role on the 1996-2000 sitcom Suddenly Susan, in which she portrayed “Nana” Keane, grandmother of Brooke Shields’ title character. Barrie appeared in 92 episodes during the show’s five-season NBC run.

Born Barbara Ann Berman on May 23, 1931, in Chicago, Barrie was moved to New York City after college to launch her show business career. She made her Broadway debut in the 1955 play The Wooden Dish, returning four years later in The Beaux Stratagem by George Farquhar. She also appeared in various Off Broadway productions, including 1958’s The Crucible, as well as regional and touring productions.

Her signature stage role arrived in 1970 when she originated the character of Sarah in Company, starring opposite Elaine Stritch, Dean Jones and Beth Howland, among others. She was nominated for a Tony Award for the performance in what would prove to be a seminal Broadway musical.

Barrie’s most recent Broadway role was in Joshua Harmon’s Significant Other in 2017.

In film, Barrie landed her first leading role in 1964’s groundbreaking One Potato, Two Potato, portraying a divorced woman who marries a Black man and in so doing risks losing custody of her child. Both the film and Barrie’s performance were acclaimed highlights of the year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Perhaps Barrie’s most beloved and memorable film performance came in Breaking Away, when she portrayed the mother of the main character played by Dennis Christopher, a small-town young man who dreams of becoming a competitive bicycle racer. Barrie received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance but lost to Meryl Streep in Kramer vs. Kramer. Barrie would reprise the Breaking Away role for a TV series adaptation, earning an Emmy nomination.

Among her numerous other TV credits, Barrie appeared in Family Ties, Law & Order, Pushing Daisies, Nurse Jackie, Kate & Allie, Once and Again and Army Wives. She was Emmy nominated three times, for Breaking Away, Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Barrie was the author of two children’s books: 1990’s Lone Star and 1994’s Adam ZigZag. She also wrote two memoirs following her diagnosis of colorectal cancer: Second Act in 1997 and Don’t Die of Embarrassment in 1999.

Barrie was married to Jay Harnick, the founder and artistic director of TheaterWorksUSA, from 1964 until his death in 2007. In addition to her daughter Jane Harnick, she is survived by son Aaron Harnick and three granddaughters.

 

Filmography

Film

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

1978    Summer of My German Soldier          Mrs. Bergen   

1979    The Bell Jar     Jay Cee           

Breaking Away           Evelyn Stohler 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    Private Benjamin         Harriet Benjamin        

1987    End of the Line           Jean Haney     

Real Men         Mom Pirandello         

1997    Hercules          Alcmene          Voice

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   Celeste

2025    Things Like This         Portia

Television

Year     Title     Role     Notes

1951    Love of Life    Ginny Crandall            Unknown episodes

1955    Pond's Theater —N/a  Episode: "Cynara"

Kraft Television Theatre         —N/a  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           —N/a  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 —N/a  Episode: "The Rank and File"

1972    To Be Young, Gifted, and Black         —N/a  Television film

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    For the Use of the Hall           Charlotte          Television film

Bronk  Lorna   Episode: "Terror"

McMillan & Wife        Emily Church  Episode: "Aftershock"

1977    79 Park Avenue           Kaati Fludjicki            1 episode

1978    Child of Glass Emily Armsworth        Television film

Visions —N/a  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    To Race the Wind        Mrs. Krents     Television film

1980–1981      Breaking Away           Evelyn Stohler 8 episodes

Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

1981    Private Benjamin         Harriet Benjamin         Episode: "Bye, Bye Benjamin"

The Children Nobody Wanted            Hanna  Television film

1982    Barefoot in the Park    Mrs. Banks      Television film

American Playhouse   Schoolteacher  Episode: "Working"

Not Just Another Affair           Martha Dawson          Television film

Two of a Kind Dottie Minor   Television film

1982–1983      Tucker's Witch            Ellen Hobbes  12 episodes

1983    Reggie Elizabeth Potter           6 episodes

1984    All Together Now       Elly Parker      Television film

Trapper John, M.D.     Dr. Kate Hanley          Episode: "All Fall to Grace"

1984–1985      Double Trouble           Aunt Margo     15 episodes

1985    The Execution Sophie Langbein         Television film

1986    Vital Signs       Frances            Television film

Kate & Allie    Anne   Episode: "Late Bloomer"

1987    Mr. President   Peggie 2 episodes

Family Ties     Aunt Rosemary           Episode: "The Way We Were"

1988    Winnie Mrs. Drake      Television film

My First Love Ruth Waxman Television film

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      —N/a  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    The Odd Couple Together Again        Gloria Unger   Television film

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"

A Chance of Snow      Ruth Pulmer    Television film

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"

Stage

Year     Title     Role     Notes

1955    The Wooden Dish       Janey Stewart  Booth Theatre, Broadway

1958    The Crucible   Elizabeth Proctor        Martinique Hotel

1959    The Beaux' Stratagem Cherry Phoenix Theatre, Broadway

1966    Happily Never After   Joan Mills        Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Broadway

1969    Horseman, Pass By     Intellect            Fortune Theatre, Off-Broadway

1969    Twelfth Night  Viola    The Public Theater, Off-Broadway

1970    Company         Sarah   Alvin Theatre, Broadway

1971    The Prisoner of Second Avenue          Edna Edison (Replacement)    Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Broadway

1972    The Selling of the President    Grace Mason   Shubert Theatre, Broadway

1974    The Killdeer    Sparky The Public Theater, Off-Broadway

1976    California Suite           Beth Hollender/Millie Michaels         Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Broadway

1983    Torch Song Trilogy     Mrs. Beckoff (Replacement)   Little Theatre, Broadway

1995    After-Play        Renee Shredman         Manhattan Theater Club, Off-Broadway

2004    Fiddler on the Roof     Yente (Replacement)   Minskoff Theatre, Broadway

2014    I Remember Mama     Katrin  Transport Group, Off-Broadway

2017    Significant Other         Helene Berman           Booth Theatre, Broadway

Awards and nominations

Year     Award  Category          Nominated work         Result

1964

Cannes Film Festival   Best Actress   

One Potato, Two Potato

Won

New York Film Critics Circle Awards            Best Actress    Nominated

1971

Tony Awards   Best Featured Actress in a Musical    

Company

Nominated

1974

Drama Desk Awards   Outstanding Performance       

The Killdeer

Won

1980

Academy Awards        Best Supporting Actress         

Breaking Away

Nominated

New York Film Critics Circle Awards            Best Supporting Actress          Nominated

National Society of Film Critics Awards        Best Supporting Actress          Nominated

1981

Primetime Emmy Awards       Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series   

Breaking Away

Nominated

1992

Primetime Emmy Awards       Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series   

Law & Order

Nominated

2000

Film Independent Spirit Awards         Best Supporting Female         

Judy Berlin

Nominated

2001

Online Film & Television Association            Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series

Once and Again

Nominated

2003

Primetime Emmy Awards       Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series           

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Nominated

2014

Outer Critics Circle Awards    Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play         

I Remember Mama

Nominated