Barbara Barrie, the actress you almost certainly recognize even if the name takes a second, has died at 95 at her Manhattan home. Her daughter confirmed to The New York Times that Barrie ended her life with medical assistance after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. She leaves behind a career that stretched across five decades, from an Oscar nomination for“Breaking Away”to a Tony nomination for the original Broadway cast of“Company”to her beloved turn as Vicki Groener on“Suddenly Susan.”
What’s resonating most with fans is a detail from one of her final interviews. In the mid-1990s, while performing in“After-Play,”Barrie scheduled chemotherapy at Columbia Presbyterian every Thursday, then napped at lunch so she could keep rehearsing. She called the experience a“turning point”and said it proved how much the work meant to her. Her philosophy was simple and striking:“I want to tell the story. Not my story, but the story.”
She is survived by her daughter Jane Harnick and son Aaron Harkin; her husband, Jay Harnick, died in 2007. Barrie’s death also adds a personal face to the ongoing conversation about medical aid in dying. For a woman who spent her life telling other people’s stories, she made sure her own final chapter was written on her terms.
What’s your favorite Barbara Barrie role? Tell us in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.