'Vanishing Point' Actor Barry Newman Dead at 92

Barry Newman, known for his role in the cult action thriller The Vanishing Point, died on May 11 in a New York City hospital, according to multiple reports. The Emmy-nominated star was 92 years old. No further details have been released on his death.

Barry Newman, known for his role in the cult action thriller The Vanishing Point, died on May 11 in a New York City hospital, according to multiple reports.

The Emmy-nominated star was 92 years old. No further details have been released on his death.

Newman is survived by his wife, Angela, who confirmed her husband's death on Sunday to The Hollywood Reporter. His friends also confirmed the news on social media, per Deadline.

In a tribute shared with THR, Angela expressed that Newman “was a rock for so many people, whose spirit he lifted and allowed to be free,” she said. “He was truly a light for so many, with an incredible, hilarious sense of humor that lit everything and everyone up.”

Amanda Edwards/WireImage

The stage, screen and TV actor, who is also known for his starring role in the 1974 legal drama, Petrocelli, grew up in Boston. While studying at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, he met Lee Strasberg and decided he wanted to be an actor. After graduating, he studied with the influential acting teacher in the Big Apple.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Newman went on to star in feature films such as Daylight in 1996 with Sylvester Stallone, Bowfinger with Steve Martin in 1999 and with the late Peter Fonda in Stephen Soderbergh's The Limey that same year.

Klk Prods/Anglo-Emi/Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock 

In 2009, Newman was diagnosed with vocal cord cancer, per multiple outlets, which limited his acting work. His last project was 2022's Finding Hannah, which was filmed in 2019.

That same year, Newman spoke of first achieving fame with 1971's Vanishing Point, which is one of Steven Spielberg's favorite films. The cult flick was not an overnight success in the U.S., but when it opened in London, "people lined up around the block to see it," Newman told Paul Rowlands, per THR.

“In England, I was a hero, and in America, I was just a guy picking up his bags at the plane terminal!"

ncG1vNJzZmiolaS9rbGNnKamZ5KWv7PFjKecsKWRo3qwrsitrJqqqWKEdnyXaW5y

 Share!