Bio
Raymond J. Barry is an American film, television and stage actor, perhaps best known for his role as Ron Kovic's (played by Tom Cruise) father in the Academy Award-winning film Born on the Fourth of July.
Barry's work in theatre began in the 1966 Living Theater production of The Brig, which led him to join the Open Theater of Joseph Chaikin the following year.
For the next seven years, until 1973, he took part in the company's creation of The Serpent, Terminal, Mutation Show, Masques, Endgame, and Nightwalk – all of which toured in Western Europe, the Near East, Canada and the USA.
In 1973, Barry set up theatre workshops in Sing Sing and Attica penitentiaries and eventually founded a company of ex-offenders which was funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council of the Arts.
This work continued until 1980 when the Reagan administration discontinued funding for such programs.
Since the late seventies, Barry has performed primarily in movies and on stage, while focusing on his work as a playwright.
On screen, Barry starred in Tim Robbins' Dead Man Walking, in Michael Cimino's Year of the Dragon, Oliver Stone's Born on the Fourth of July and Walt Disney's Flubber.
His other feature film credits include The Deep End, The Ref, The Chamber, COP, Falling Down, K-2, Rapid Fire, Cool Runnings, Training Day, Interview with the Assassin, Steel City and Little Children.
In 1987, he received the Dramalogue Award for his lead performance in Sam Shepard's Buried Child. He also received the 1990 Dramalogue Award and the L.A. Drama Critics Award for Writing and Best Actor, respectively, for his play Once in Doubt at the L.A. Theater Center.
Television shows Barry has appeared in include The Oldest Rookie, L.A. Law, Frasier, Melrose Place, Hyperion Bay, The X Files, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Dragnet, Alias, and Law & Order.
He also had a recurring role as Arlo Givens, the father of main character Raylan Givens, in the western-styled television drama series Justified, from 2010-2013.