Barbara Barrie, an Oscar-nominated actress celebrated for her roles on both the big and small screen, died at her New York City home on Wednesday. She was 95.
Barrie's daughter confirmed to The New York Times that the actress ended her life via medical aid following a diagnosis of terminal cancer. She was born Barbara Ann Berman on May 23, 1931, in Chicago.
Her most recognized role was that of the nurturing mother in the 1979 film "Breaking Away," which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She later reprised this role in the short-lived 1981 television series based on the film, securing an Emmy nomination.
Barrie’s extensive career spanned seven decades, beginning with her Broadway debut in 1955's "The Wooden Dish." She garnered a Tony nomination for originating the role of Sarah in Stephen Sondheim's 1970 musical "Company." Her final Broadway appearances included a 2004 revival of "Fiddler on the Roof" and a 2017 run in Joshua Harmon's play "Significant Others."
Television audiences also knew Barrie as the wife of the titular character in the sitcom "Barney Miller" from 1975 to 1982, and as the eccentric grandmother in "Suddenly Susan" from 1996 to 2000.
Her film credits include "One Potato, Two Potato" (1964), for which she was named best actress at the Cannes Film Festival, "Giant" (1956), and "Private Benjamin" (1980). She also received Emmy nominations for her guest work on "Law & Order" in 1992 and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" in 2003.
Beyond acting, Barrie was the author of four books published in the 1990s, including "Second Act" and "Don’t Die of Embarrassment," which addressed her personal experiences with colon and rectal cancer and advocated against the stigma surrounding colostomy.
In 2014, she announced she had been diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a degenerative disease.
Barrie was preceded in death by her husband, Jay Harnick, founder and artistic director of TheaterWorksUSA, in 2007. She is survived by her daughter Jane Harnick and her son Aaron Harnick, along with three granddaughters.