Barbara Barrie, Original "Company" Star and Oscar Nominee, Dies at 95

Barbara Barrie, the actress who originated the role of Sarah in Stephen Sondheim’s“Company”and later earned an Oscar nomination for“Breaking Away,”has died at her home in Manhattan at 95. Her daughter Jane Barrie confirmed the death was medically assisted following a terminal cancer diagnosis.

Barrie’s six-decade career moved between Broadway, film, and television with unusual range. She won Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival in 1964 for“One Potato, Two Potato,”picked up a Tony nomination for“Company”in 1970, and became a familiar face on TV through shows including“Suddenly Susan.”She also survived a cancer battle in the 1990s, which she described as a turning point in her commitment to acting, and she kept performing during that era’s treatment, rehearsing by day and napping through lunch breaks.

Her final public appearance came at the opening night of the“Company”revival on Broadway in December 2021, more than fifty years after she helped launch the original production. She is survived by her daughter Jane and son Aaron. Which Barbara Barrie performance do you think deserves a rewatch this week? Tell us in the comments.