Introduction
Barry Primus (born February 16, 1938) is an American television and film actor, director, and writer.
Career
Primus is primarily an actor, but he has also doubled and tripled as writer and director. He worked on stage for the first decade of his career. He gained some experience on TV in shows like The Defenders, East Side/West Side and The Virginian. He then made his screen bow in the Manhattan-filmed The Brotherhood (1968). Additional films include Boxcar Bertha (1972), Autopsy (1975), Heartland (1979), Night Games (1980), Absence of Malice (1981), and Guilty by Suspicion (1991). He had a recurring role on the CBS TV series Cagney and Lacey (1982 — 1988) as Christine Cagney's (Sharon Gless) boyfriend Sergeant Dory McKenna, whose drug problem compromises his value as a police officer. He also guest starred in Murder, She Wrote.
After working as director Mark Rydell's assistant on 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 Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, the UCLA campus, and at The Maine Media Workshops in Maine.
He also teaches acting classes at Loyola Marymount University and Columbia University.
Primus's recent film history includes Jackson, a film directed by J.F. Lawton; he also had a cameo in Righteous Kill with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, American Hustle, and Grudge Match.
Filmography
Most notable films:
Personal Life
Primus has been married to choreographer Julie Arenal for over 50 years. He is of no relation to the rock band Primus (band).