Barry Newman, ‘Vanishing Point’ Actor, Dead at 92

Barry Newman, an actor known for his role in cult classic ’70s film Vanishing Point, has died. He was 92.

Newman’s death was confirmed by friends and reported by Deadline, which reports that the late actor died May 11 in New York. A cause of death was not immediately available.

Newman’s role in Vanishing Point, which was released in 1971, saw him playing a former race car driver and drug addict who must drive a car from Colorado to California with the promise of free meth at the end of the trip, but only if he completes the drive in 15 hours.

The movie “is regarded as one of the defining American action films of the ’70s by genre enthusiasts,” per Variety, and is one of Steven Spielberg‘s favorite films, according to Deadline.

While Newman was celebrated for his work in Vanishing Point, he was also known for playing a lawyer on NBC’s Petrocelli, a series he starred in from 1974 through 1976. His other television credits include L.A. Law, Murder, She Wrote, NYPD Blue, The O.C. and The Ghost Whisperer.

Newman’s film credits include Daylight, Goodbye Lover, The Limey — from Spielberg — and Bowfinger.

The late actor largely stopped working in 2009 after he was diagnosed with vocal cord cancer, per Deadline. His final role is listed on IMDb as Bill Tannery in 2015’s Raise Your Kids on Seltzer. He is expected to posthumously appear in the indie Finding Hannah.

Newman is survived by his wife, Angela, as well as his niece Judith Newman and his nephews. 

Angela remembered her husband in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter. She said he “was a rock for so many people, whose spirit he lifted and allowed to be free,” adding, “He was truly a light for so many, with an incredible, hilarious sense of humor that lit everything and everyone up.”