Barry Newman, who somehow made muscle cars look cool in the 1971 film “Vanishing Point” and played the lead role in NBC’s legal drama “Petrocelli,” has died. He was 92 years old.
According to media reports, Newman died on May 11 at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, he took college courses with renowned acting coach Lee Strasberg, who inspired him to become an actor. After graduating from Brandeis University and serving time in the military, Newman moved to New York City to study with Strasberg.
Newman performed in various Broadway and New York theater shows before moving on to feature films such as 1971’s “The Lawyer” and, of course, “Vanishing Point,” in which he played Kowalski, a car delivery driver who sells hot rods. Known for the transport of record times – but with a habit of getting into trouble with the highway police.
He starred in NBC’s “Petrocelli,” which followed a Harvard-educated lawyer from Boston as he sets up shop in a small Arizona town. The series ran for two seasons until 1976. This earned Newman nominations for both an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award.
In the years after “Petrocelli” ended, Newman appeared in several TV series, including “The OC,” “Nightingales,” “Ghost Whisperer,” “NYPD Blue,” “L.A. Law” and “Murder, She Wrote.” .
He also appeared in notable films including Sylvester Stallone’s “Daylight”, Steve Martin’s “Bowfinger” and Stephen Soderbergh’s “The Limey” with Peter Fonda.
Newman is survived by his wife, Angela.