Barry Newman, the actor known for his rebelliousness, died at the age of 92. Newman starred as Kowalski, the protagonist in the 1971 movie “Vanishing Point,” which was a breakthrough in American cinema depicting freedom on the open road. His wife, Angela Newman, confirmed his death on May 11 in Manhattan. Newman was briefly a leading man in movies and television in the 1970s, starring in the 1970 feature film “The Lawyer” and the NBC legal drama, “Petrocelli,” which ran from 1974 to 1976.
Newman re-entered the acting scene two decades later, taking on character roles in memorable movies like Steven Soderbergh’s “The Limey” (1999); “Bowfinger” (1999), alongside Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy; and “40 Days and 40 Nights” (2002), a romantic comedy starring Josh Hartnett.
Despite his performance in various films, Newman’s most outstanding appearance was undeniably in “Vanishing Point.” In the movie, Newman played Kowalski, a car-delivery driver who makes a bet with his drug dealer; if he can make it from Denver to San Francisco in about 15 hours, he gets free amphetamines. The movie showcases one long psychedelic car chase, as Kowalski skillfully evades highway cops and accepts his deification by a radio D.J. named Super Soul. The movie did not immediately attract critical praise, but is now regularly featured on lists of the best American road movies, car movies, and action movies.
Barry Foster Newman was born on Nov. 7, 1930, in Boston, where he grew up. He earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Brandeis University in 1952 and played saxophone and clarinet in a military band while serving in the Army until 1954. Newman tagged along with a friend to an acting class being taught by Lee Strasberg while studying for a master’s degree in anthropology at Columbia University. He enjoyed it and began pursuing it as a career.
Newman married Angela Spilker in 1994, but they later divorced in 2007. However, they remarried in 2018. Newman’s wife, Angela Newman, is his only immediate survivor.
Newman became known for his ability to portray characters with opposing types of masculinity, from the quick-witted lawyer in Petrocelli to the stoic hot-rodder in “Vanishing Point”. However, Newman chose to play the character of Kowalski because he wanted to play the antithesis of the character he had just played in “The Lawyer.”
Newman lived in the same apartment in Midtown Manhattan from 1962 until his death, leaving behind a legacy in American cinema.
