Barry Pearl

Last updated
Barry Pearl
Barry Pearl 2017.jpg
Pearl in 2017
Born (1950-03-29) March 29, 1950 (age 75)
Alma mater Carnegie Mellon University [1]
Occupation Actor
Years active1961–present
Spouses
  • Marie Elyse Soape
    (m. 19??; div. 1970)
  • Susan Berger
    (m. 1976;div. 1992)
  • Heather Brown
    (m. 1997;div. 2001)
  • Cindy Pearl
    (m. 2016)
Children4

Barry Lee Pearl (born March 29, 1950, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania) is an American character actor. [2] He is best known for his role as "Doody", one of the three supporting T-Birds, in the 1978 film version of Grease . [3] He also had a cameo as Mr. Weaver in the Grease: Live television special on FOX in 2016.

Contents

Early life

Pearl was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to an Orthodox Jewish family. Despite growing up Orthodox Jewish, he celebrated both Hanukkah and Christmas as a child as 2 of his aunts were married to Christians. [4]

Career

He played "Professor Tinkerputt" in the primetime special Barney's Imagination Island and the US tour of Barney's Big Surprise , a stage production based on the popular TV show as well as a video of the same name. [5]

He also starred in an episode of Disney Channel's Even Stevens . He began his career in 1961 replacing Johnny Borden as “Randolph MaAfee” in Broadway's Bye Bye Birdie . Other Broadway credits include Oliver! in 1962, A Teaspoon Every Four Hours in 1969, The Producers in 2005, Lenny's Back in 2008 and Baby It's You! in 2011. In 2012 he starred in the Lionsgate release The Newest Pledge . He also starred as "Arnold" in the national tour of Happy Days - A New Musical .[ citation needed ] In 2014, he was part of the series Summer with Cimorelli .

During the summers he teaches film arts all across the US to the special needs community with Joey Travolta's Inclusion Film Company.

Filmography

YearTV/Film CreditRoleNotes
1976-1977 C.P.O. Sharkey Recruit Mignone14 episodes
1977Best FriendsGypsyTV pilot episode
Have I Got a Christmas for YouBarry SilverTV special
1978 Grease DoodyFeature film
1979 Barney Miller Mario PellegriniEpisode: "Voice Analyzer"
1981 The Munsters' Revenge Warren ThurstonTV film
Eight Is Enough BruceEpisode: "The Idolbreaker: Part 2"
1982 Benson Jerry ZieglerEpisode: "Katie's Romance"
Hill Street Blues Weapons SalesmanEpisode: "The Shooter"
1983 Making of a Male Model ClarenceTV film
1985 Alice Cop #4Episode: "Vera's Anniversary Blues"
Avenging Angel Johnny GlitterFeature flm
Scarecrow and Mrs. King Leon SacksEpisode: "A Little Sex, a Little Scandal"
HeartBeatChoreographerTV pilot episode
Alfred Hitchcock Presents Assistant DAEpisode: "Wake Me When I'm Dead"
Falcon Crest Music Video DirectorEpisode: "False Hope"
1986 Growing Pains UnknownEpisode: "Be a Man"
Annihilator EddieTV film
Dutch Treat UnknownFeature film
1987FlicksRedFeature film
Throb Oily GuyEpisode: "Moonlighting"
The Tracey Ullman Show Club ManagerEpisode #1.5
Max Headroom Paul WaitesEpisode: "Academy"
Murder, She Wrote P.R. StafferEpisode: "Steal Me a Story"
1990 Major Dad Mike EagletonEpisode: "Face the Music... and Dance: Part 2"
1991 They Came from Outer Space Bill RabkinEpisode: "High Five"
Beverly Hills, 90210 NormanEpisode: "Chuckie's Back"
1993 Sisters Stan SmigelEpisode: "Things Are Tough All Over"
1994 Bedtime with Barney: Imagination Island Professor Erasmus Q. TinkerputtTV special
TrystDoctorFeature film
1995 ER Dr. NobleEpisode: "Long Day's Journey"
1995-1996 Night Stand Buddy / Menachem2 episodes
1996 Siegfried & Roy: Masters of the Impossible Rumpelstiltskin (voice)4 episodes
Baywatch Nights Paul WhitsetEpisode: "Backup"
Where Truth LiesStan HorowitzFeature film
1998 Port Charles Dr. Aikman2 episodes
1999 My Favorite Martian News DirectorFeature film
Baywatch Lyle ForsmanEpisode: "Father of the Groom"
2000 Malibu, CA J.J.Episode: "The House Guest"
Even Stevens Mr. ChaneyEpisode: "Easy Way"
2003 Miss Match MortyEpisode: "The Love Bandit"
2008 Criminal Minds ManEpisode: "Lo-Fi"
2009Special DeliveryDr. ShabinShort film
House Dr. PaulsonEpisode: "Epic Fail"
2011Outside the BoxCaptain KellerEpisode: "The Miracle Worker"
2012Far from the TreeBarryEpisode: "Poker Night"
The Newest Pledge Mr. MotesFeature film
2014Summer with Cimorelli Barry OrtegaEpisode: "Welcome to Show Business"
2016 Grease: Live Mr. Stan WeaverTV special

References

  1. "Resume". BarryPearl.com. Archived from the original on August 3, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  2. "Barry Pearl". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-08-11.
  3. Canby, Vincent (June 16, 1978). "Grease (1978) Screen: A Slick Version of 'Grease':Fantasy of the 50s". The New York Times .
  4. Todd, Roxanne (December 22, 2012). "They'll be home for Christmas". Lancaster Online.
  5. Jay, Nancy; Stinson, Carey (June 18, 2019). "Grease is the word! Barry Pearl is in the house! - Purple Tales Podcast Episode 16". Purple Tales Podcast (Podcast). Retrieved September 14, 2025 via YouTube.