Barry Primus

Barry Primus Headshot

Actor • Director • Writer

Birth Date: February 16, 1938

Age: 86 years old

Birth Place: New York, New York

Veteran character actor turned director who has worked extensively on stage, TV, and in over 25 feature films. Among Primus' many film acting credits are Martin Ritt's "The Brotherhood" (1968), Jerry Schatzberg's "Puzzle of a Downfall Child" (1970), Sydney Pollack's "Absence of Malice" (1981) and Martin Scorsese's "Boxcar Bertha" (1979) and "New York, New York" (1977). He also acted opposite Bette Midler in three films: "The Rose" (1979), "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" (1986), and "Big Business" (1988). On TV, Primus appeared in "Washington Behind Closed Doors," "Paper Dolls," "The Equalizer," "Murder, She Wrote," and in a recurring role on "Cagney and Lacey."

An associate of director Mark Rydell, Primus assisted him on three films and directed the second unit on "The Rose." He made his feature screenwriting and directing debut with "Mistress" (1992), a black comedy about Hollywood filmmaking that was one of the first productions of Robert De Niro's TriBeCa Films.

Credits

FayeStream

Self
Movie
2024
91%

Five Families

Actor
Frank
Show
2019

The IrishmanStream

Actor
Ewing King
Movie
2019
95%

Five Families

Actor
Frank
Movie
2019

Bad Hurt

Actor
Marty
Movie
2015

13 Nights of Elvira

Actor
Ford Maddox
Show
2014

The Longest Week

Actor
Bernard the Chauffer
Movie
2014

Grudge Match

Actor
Joey the Bartender
Movie
2013

Big Guns

Actor
Movie
2006

Boston LegalStream

Guest Star
Professor Jeffrey Benoit
Series
2004
86%

Cross Bronx

Actor
Mary Green
Movie
2004

When Will I Be Loved

Actor
Victor Barrie
Movie
2004

Break a Leg

Actor
Ira Goldstein
Movie
2003

James Dean

Actor
Nicholas Ray
Movie
2001

Black and White

Actor
Priest
Movie
1998

The PracticeStream

Guest Star
Series
1997

Gold Coast

Actor
Ed Grossi
Movie
1997

Flipping

Actor
Joey
Movie
1996

Crime of the Century

Actor
Ellis Parker
Movie
1996

Trade Off

Actor
Detective Gold
Movie
1995

Women of Spring Break

Actor
Frank Blair
Movie
1995

T-Force

Producer
Movie
1994

The X-FilesStream

Guest Star
Robert Dorlund
Series
1993
74%

Peligroso Deseo

Director
Movie
1992

Mistress

Director
Movie
1992

Mistress

Screenwriter
Movie
1992

Night and the City

Actor
Tommy Tessler
Movie
1992

Hollywood Mistress

Director
Movie
1991

Guilty by Suspicion

Actor
Bert Alan
Movie
1991

Law & OrderStream

Guest Star
Series
1990

Torn Apart

Actor
Arie Arnon
Movie
1990

Big Business

Actor
Michael
Movie
1988

Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death

Actor
Ford Maddox
Movie
1988

21 Jump StreetStream

Guest Star
Judge Warren Briggs
Series
1987

Talking Walls

Actor
Professor Hirsch
Movie
1987

The Stranger

Actor
Sergeant Drake
Movie
1987

Stillwatch

Actor
Toby Wilson
Movie
1987

SpaceCamp

Actor
Brennan
Movie
1986

Jake Speed

Actor
Lawrence
Movie
1986

The Equalizer

Guest Star
Walter Wesley
Series
1985

Brotherly Love

Actor
Detective Trelska
Movie
1985

HunterStream

Guest Star
Andy McBride
Series
1984

Miami ViceStream

Guest Star
Series
1984
71%

Hotel

Guest Star
Soap
1983

Heart of Steel

Actor
Amendola
Movie
1983

Cagney & LaceyStream

Actor
Sgt. Dory McKenna
Series
1982

Portrait of a Showgirl

Actor
Dennis Philips
Movie
1982

Paper Dolls

Actor
Alan
Movie
1982

On Golden PondStream

Casting
Movie
1981
91%

Absence of MaliceStream

Actor
Waddell
Movie
1981
81%

Night Games

Actor
Jason St. John
Movie
1980

The Rose

Actor
Dennis
Movie
1979
73%

HeartlandStream

Actor
Jack
Movie
1979
100%

Autopsy

Actor
Father Paul Lenox
Movie
1978

Avalanche

Actor
Mark Elliott
Movie
1978

The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew MysteriesStream

Guest Star
Series
1977

El Diamante Mitera

Actor
Movie
1977

Love for Ransom

Actor
Harry Jaworsky
Movie
1977

New York, New York

Actor
Paul Wilson
Movie
1977
57%

Roger and Harry

Actor
Harry Jaworsky
Movie
1977

Macchie solari

Actor
Movie
1975

Big Rose

Actor
Ed Mills
Movie
1974

The Gravy Train

Actor
Tony
Movie
1974

La Rançon de la solitude

Actor
Movie
1974

The Streets of San FranciscoStream

Guest Star
Insp. Dave Lambert
Series
1972

Boxcar BerthaStream

Actor
Rake Brown
Movie
1972
56%

Le Baron Rouge

Actor
Hermann Goering
Movie
1971

Von Richthofen and Brown

Actor
Hermann Goering
Movie
1971

Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me

Actor
Gnossos "Paps" Pappadopoulis
Movie
1971

Puzzle of a Downfall Child

Actor
Aaron Reinhardt
Movie
1970

The Desperate Hours

Actor
Hank Griffin
Show
1967