Sam Freed (born August 29, 1948) is an American actor who has performed on Broadway and television and in movies. His first major regular role on television was as Bob Barsky in the last three seasons of '' Kate & Allie''. In the short-lived series '' Ferris Bueller'', he played Bill Bueller, the father of the

title character The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...

. He also portrayed James C. Whiting III, the

executive editor Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dir ...

of ''

The Baltimore Sun ''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries. Founded in 1837, it is currently owned by Tr ...

'', in the fifth and final season of ''

The Wire ''The Wire'' is an American crime drama television series created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon. The series was broadcast by the cable network HBO in the United States. ''The Wire'' premiered on June 2, ...

''. He was married to late actress

Barrie Youngfellow Barrie Youngfellow Freed (born Barrie Sarah Rivchun; October 22, 1946 – March 28, 2022) was an American actress. She was the wife of stage and screen actor Sam Freed. Career Youngfellow began her career in the early 1970s in a small role in a ...

, who co-starred in the 1980s ABC-TV/syndicated sitcom series '' It's a Living''.

Formative years

Sam Freed was the youngest of six children of a traveling salesman father and a

homemaker Homemaking is mainly an American and Canadian term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping, housewifery or household management. It is the act of overseeing the organizational, day-to-day operations of a hous ...

mother. He graduated from York Suburban Senior High School and began developing his acting skills at the York Little Theatre. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre from

Penn State #Redirect Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a public state-related land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvania. Founded in 1855 as the Farmers' High ...

in 1970. His first production at the university was ''

Under Milk Wood ''Under Milk Wood'' is a 1954 radio drama by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, commissioned by the BBC and later adapted for the stage. A film version, '' Under Milk Wood'' directed by Andrew Sinclair, was released in 1972, and another adaptatio ...

''. While he apprenticed with Festival Theatre, he first met

, whom he would eventually marry.

Acting career

Freed was immediately hired after graduation by Jon Jory at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. After moving to New York City in January 1971, he performed in

dinner Dinner usually refers to what is in many Western cultures the largest and most formal meal of the day, which is eaten in the evening. Historically, the largest meal used to be eaten around midday, and called dinner. Especially among the elit ...

and summer theatres and helped build

theatrical scenery Theatrical scenery is that which is used as a setting for a theatrical production. Scenery may be just about anything, from a single chair to an elaborately re-created street, no matter how large or how small, whether the item was custom-made or ...

. Later that year, he joined The Proposition, an

improvisational comedy Improvisational theatre, often called improvisation or improv, is the form of theatre, often comedy, in which most or all of what is performed is unplanned or unscripted: created spontaneously by the performers. In its purest form, the dialogue, a ...

revue which at the time also featured

Jane Curtin Jane Therese Curtin (born September 6, 1947) is an American actress and comedian. First coming to prominence as an original cast member on the hit TV comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' in 1975, she went on to win back-to-back Emmy Awards for ...

''Kate and Allie''

Freed played three different characters on '' Kate & Allie'', two of them as a

guest star In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or othe ...

. In "Candidate," Season 2's fifth episode which originally aired on November 5, 1984, he was Jonathan Conti, a political contender who entered into a brief extramarital relationship with Allie Lowell (

). In "Late Bloomer," the Season 3 finale first shown on May 12, 1986, he was Keith, the ex-husband of Julia Peterson ( Lindsay Wagner). The episode, which also featured Barbara Barrie, Roger Bowen and

Mercedes Ruehl Mercedes J. Ruehl (; born February 28, 1948) is an American screen, stage, and television actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, two Obie Awards, an ...

, was originally intended to be a spin-off for a new sitcom with the same name, but it was never realized. Freed's debut as Bob Barsky, a retired professional football player working as a local television sportscaster, was in "Dates of Future Past," the twelfth installment of Season 4 from December 15, 1986. Barsky's first encounter with Allie in a

grocery store A grocery store ( AE), grocery shop ( BE) or simply grocery is a store that primarily retails a general range of food products, which may be fresh or packaged. In everyday U.S. usage, however, "grocery store" is a synonym for supermarket, ...

was the start of a romantic relationship that culminated in their marriage early in the program's sixth and final season. By that time, Freed had become a series regular.

References

External links

*
Sam Freed at the Internet Off-Broadway Database (lortel.org)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Freed, Sam 1948 births Living people American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors Male actors from Pennsylvania Penn State College of Arts and Architecture alumni People from York, Pennsylvania