Barry Bostwick

Barry Bostwick
Bostwick at the premiere for Earth in April 2009
Born	Barry Knapp Bostwick February 24, 1945 (1945-02-24) (age 64) San Mateo, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor/Singer
Years active	1970–present
Spouse(s)	Sherri Jensen (1994-present) Stacey Nelkin (1987-1991)

Barry Knapp Bostwick (born February 24, 1945)^[1] is an American actor and singer. He is arguably best known for playing Brad Majors in the 1975 cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, replacing Peter Scolari as Mr. Tyler in the sitcom What I Like About You,^[2] as well as the mayor Randall Winston in the sitcom Spin City. He has also had considerable fame in musical theater.

Early life

Bostwick was born in San Mateo, California, the son of Betty (née Defendorf), a homemaker, and Henry "Bud" Bostwick, Jr., a city planner and actor.^[3][4] His only sibling, Henry "Pete" Bostwick, was killed in a car accident on June 20, 1973. Bostwick attended San Diego's United States International University in 1967, majoring in acting, got his start on the Hillbarn Theatre stage now located in Foster City, and worked for a time as a circus performer.

Career

In 1972, Bostwick originated the role of bad boy, Danny Zuko in the stage production of Grease, earning a Tony Award nomination for his performance. In 1975 he starred with Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon in the Rocky Horror Picture Show. He also won a Tony Award for his performance in the 1977 musical The Robber Bridegroom. From 1996 to 2002, Bostwick portrayed Randall Winston, the Mayor of New York City in the sitcom Spin City opposite Michael J. Fox and his successor, Charlie Sheen. In 2006 Bostwick landed a role replacing Peter Scolari as Mr. Tyler in the relatively unknown star vehicle sitcom for then sixteen year old Amanda Bynes What I Like About You.^[5]

Since 2004, Bostwick has had a recurring role on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Other television credits include guest appearances in Charlie's Angels, Hawaii Five-O, The Golden Palace, Grace Under Fire, Cold Case, Scrubs, and Las Vegas, among others. He has also had leading roles in various mini-series, including George Washington, its sequel The Forging of a Nation, Scruples, A Woman of Substance, War and Remembrance, and Till We Meet Again.

Bostwick served as host of the nationally televised annual Capitol Fourth celebration on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for eight years.

Bostwick was also seen in a Pepsi Twist commercial. In the Cold Case episode Creatures of the Night, in which he is the main suspect, the theme of the episode revolves around The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which is among his best-known performances to date.

Recently, Bostwick gained a recurring role, as Grandpa Clyde Flynn on Phineas and Ferb. Bostwick is also the spokesperson for Optimum Voice.^[6]

In 2003, Bostwick appeared on Scrubs as a patient diagnosed with prostate cancer and in 2008, appeared in an episode of TV series Ugly Betty as an attorney to the Meade family. In June of 2009 he played Father Jimmy, the ineffective exorcist in the independent horror comedy "The Selling" written by Gabriel Diani and directed by Emily Lou.

Personal life

Bostwick married Stacey Nelkin, but they were divorced in 1991. Bostwick is married to his second wife Sherri Ellen Jenkins and has two children, Brian and Chelsea.

In 1997, Bostwick was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and 10 days later had his prostate removed. In 2004, he won the Gilda Radner Courage Award from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

Filmography

• The Rocky Horror Picture Show
• George Washington
• George Washington: Forging of a Nation
• Weekend at Bernie's II
• Once In A Lifetime
• Chestnut
• Betrayed By Innocence
• Road Movie
• Movie, Movie
• Skulls III
• Swing
• One Hot Summer Night
• Megaforce
• Spy Hard
• Fantastic Planet
• Jennifer On My Mind
• Challenger
• Evening
• Nancy Drew
• 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure
• Working
• Hannah Montana: The Movie^[7]

Stage productions

• Grease, 1972, (Danny Zuko). Nominated for Tony Award
• They Knew What They Wanted, 1976, (Joe). Nominated for Tony Award
• The Robber Bridegroom, 1977, Tony Award, Best Actor
• Nick & Nora opposite Joanna Gleason, 1991

Further reading

• Evans, David and Scott Michaels. Rocky Horror: Concept to Cult. London: Sanctuary, 2002.
• Lipton, Michael A. and Nancy Matsumoto. “Serial Dad: Michael J. Fox Looks Up to 6’4” Actor”. People March 10, 1997: 99.
• Uhry, Alfred. "The Trail of the Robber B". The Robber Bridegroom CD Liner Notes 1998: 2.
• Hunt, Paula. "Bostwick Tells Story of Survival". Express-News, March 6, 2006.

References

External links

• Barry Bostwick at the Internet Broadway Database
• Barry Bostwick at the Internet off-Broadway Database
• Barry Bostwick at the Internet Movie Database
• Barry Bostwick at Allmovie
• Barry Bostwick Fansite