Hollywood Mourns Loss: Oscar-Nominated Star Barbara Barrie Passes Away at 95
Oscar-, Emmy-, and Tony-nominated actress Barbara Barrie has died at 95. Celebrated for her extensive career on stage, screen, and television, including her role in Broadway's "Company" and the film "Breaking Away," Barrie was a prolific talent. She openly shared her health struggles and authored books to combat medical stigmas.
Barbara Barrie, the acclaimed Oscar-, Emmy-, and Tony-nominated actress, passed away on Wednesday in Manhattan at the age of 95. Her daughter confirmed to the New York Times that her death was medically assisted, following a terminal cancer diagnosis.
Barrie boasted a remarkable career spanning over six decades across stage, screen, and television. On Broadway, she made her debut in 1955 in “The Wooden Dish.” She became a prominent figure in theater, most notably as an original cast member of Stephen Sondheim’s celebrated 1970s musical, “Company,” for which she earned a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Sarah. Her other significant Broadway credits included “California Suite” (1976), “The Crucible” (1958), and roles in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “The Taming of the Shrew” from 1958-1959. Her final stage appearance was in “Significant Other.”
Her film career began with a debut in “Giant” in 1956. She gained international recognition in 1964, winning the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her performance in “One Potato, Two Potato.” In 1979, Barrie starred in the critically acclaimed film “Breaking Away,” which garnered five Oscar nominations, and she herself received a Best Supporting Actress nod for her role.
On television, Barrie was a familiar face, appearing in iconic shows such such as “The Defenders,” “Naked City,” “Twilight Zone,” “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour,” “Barney Miller,” and “Suddenly Susan.” She received Emmy nominations for her role in the TV adaptation of “Breaking Away,” as well as for her guest appearances on “Law & Order” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (SVU).
Born on May 23, 1931, in Chicago, Barbara Barrie grew up in Texas and graduated from the University of Texas in 1952 with a drama major. She openly shared her personal battles, including her diagnosis with rectal cancer in the early 1990s. She authored two books, “Second Act” (1997) and “Don’t Die of Embarrassment” (1999), to help destigmatize the illness. In 2014, she announced her diagnosis with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a degenerative disease.
Barbara Barrie is survived by her daughter, her son Aaron Harnick, and three granddaughters. Her husband, Jay Harnick, passed away in 2007.