Barbara Barrie, Oscar- and Tony Award-Nominated Actress, Dies at 95

Barbara Barrie, a Tony Award and Academy Award-nominated actress, passed away at the age of 95 in her Manhattan home on Wednesday. Her daughter, Jane Harnick, confirmed the news to the New York Times. Barrie's illustrious career encompassed television, film, and theater. She was nominated for a Tony Award in 1970 for her role in Stephen Sondheim's original production of “Company” and received an Oscar nomination in 1979 for her performance in “Breaking Away.”

In addition to her film roles, Barrie was nominated for a best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1964 for her debut film “One Potato, Two Potato.” She also earned an Emmy nomination in 1981 for reprising her role in “Breaking Away” for the television series based on the film. On television, Barrie portrayed the wife of detective Barney Miller, played by Hal Linden, from 1975 to 1978.

She also appeared on the sitcom “Suddenly Susan” as Brooke Shields’ grandmother. Born in Chicago in 1931, Barrie's family later moved to Texas, where she attended Del Mar College and later the University of Texas. She made her Broadway debut in 1955 in “The Wooden Dish,” with other stage credits including “The Beaux Stratagem,” “Happily Never After,” “The Crucible,” and “The Miracle Worker.”

Her film career began with “The Caretakers” and included notable films such as “The Bell Jar,” “Private Benjamin,” “Judy Merlin,” and “Breaking Away.” In 1994, Barrie was diagnosed with rectal cancer and later announced in 2014 that she had idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive lung disease. Survived by her son Aaron Harnick and three granddaughters, Barrie authored four books in the 1990s, including young readers’ books “Adam Zigzag” and “Lone Star,” as well as memoirs “Second Act” and “Don’t Die of Embarrassment.” Her goal was to raise awareness about rectal cancer and combat the stigma surrounding the illness.