Barry Primus (born February 16, 1938) is an American television and film actor, director, and writer.
Career
While Primus is primarily an actor, he has also worked as a writer and director in films in which he has acted. For the first decade of his career, he was employed as a stage actor. He gained some experience on TV in shows like ''
The Defenders'', ''
East Side/West Side'' and ''
The Virginian''.
He then made his initial film appearance in the Manhattan-filmed ''
The Brotherhood'' (1968). His other films include ''
Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me (film)'' (1971) ''
Boxcar Bertha
''Boxcar Bertha'' is a 1972 American Romance film, romantic crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and produced by Roger Corman, from a screenplay by Joyce Hooper Corrington, Joyce H. Corrington and John William Corrington. Made on a low b ...
'' (1972), ''
Autopsy
An autopsy (also referred to as post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of deat ...
'' (1975), ''
Heartland'' (1979), ''
The Rose'' (1979), ''
Night Games'' (1980), ''
Absence of Malice'' (1981), and ''
Guilty by Suspicion'' (1991). He had a recurring role on the TV series ''
Cagney and Lacey'' (1982 — 1988) as Christine Cagney (
Sharon Gless)'s boyfriend, Sergeant Dory McKenna, whose drug problem compromises his performance as a fellow police officer.
After working as second unit director on
Mark Rydell
Mark Rydell (born Mortimer H. Rydell; March 23, 1929) is an American film director, producer and actor. He has directed several Academy Awards, Academy Award-nominated films including ''The Fox (1967 film), The Fox'' (1967), ''The Reivers (film) ...
's ''The Rose'' (1979), Primus increased his behind-the-camera activities; in 1992, he directed his first theatrical feature, the "inside" Hollywood comedy/drama ''
Mistress''.
A member of the
Actors Studio, Primus has taught acting and directing classes at the
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the History of cinema in the United States, motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private fu ...
,
Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, the
UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...
campus, and at
The Maine Media Workshops in Maine. He has taught acting at
Loyola Marymount University and at
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
.
Primus's recent film work includes ''
Jackson'', a film directed by
J.F. Lawton; he had a cameo in ''
Righteous Kill'' with
Al Pacino and
Robert De Niro, ''
American Hustle'', ''
Grudge Match'', and ''
The Irishman''.
Personal life
Primus has been married to choreographer Julie Arenal for over 50 years.
Filmography
Film
Television
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Primus, Barry
1938 births
Living people
Film directors from New York City
American male television actors
Male actors from New York City