Veteran stage and screen actor Harris Yulin, known for his memorable roles in “Scarface,” “Ghostbusters II,” and “Training Day,” died Tuesday, June 10, of a cardiac arrest in New York City. He was 87 years old.
Yulin’s manager, Sue Leibman, and his family confirmed his death in a statement to The Los Angeles Times on Thursday. The family described him as being “part of the vanguard of a generation who cared passionately about the craft of acting.”
Born November 5, 1937, in Los Angeles, Yulin was abandoned as an infant and left on the steps of an orphanage. He was adopted at four months old and raised in a Jewish household by a Russian family who gave him his last name. According to sources, his inspiration to become an actor came during his bar mitzvah, when he discovered he enjoyed performing before an audience, unlike many of his friends.
After studying acting at UCLA, Yulin moved to New York to establish his theater career. He made his New York stage debut in 1963 in “Next Time I’ll Sing to You” opposite James Earl Jones and Estelle Parsons. His Broadway debut came in 1980 with the revival of “Watch on the Rhine,” followed by performances in “The Price,” “The Visit,” “The Diary of Anne Frank,” and “Hedda Gabler.”
Yulin’s film career began in 1970 with “End of the Road” alongside James Earl Jones and Stacy Keach. The following year, he earned critical acclaim for portraying Wyatt Earp in the revisionist Western “Doc” with Keach as Doc Holliday. Film critic Roger Ebert praised both actors for their naturalistic approach to the Western genre.
Throughout his five-decade career, Yulin accumulated more than 100 film and television credits according to IMDb. His most recognizable film roles included the corrupt Miami detective Mel Bernstein, who attempted to extort money from Al Pacino’s Tony Montana in 1983’s “Scarface,” and the dismissive Judge Stephen Wexler in 1989’s “Ghostbusters II.”
Other notable film appearances included corrupt police officer Rosselli in “Training Day” (2001), a manipulative national security adviser in “Clear and Present Danger” (1994), and a scientist who creates multiple versions of Michael Keaton’s character in “Multiplicity” (1996). His filmography also featured “Rush Hour 2,” “Bean,” “The Hurricane,” and “The Place Beyond the Pines.”
On television, Yulin earned a Primetime Emmy nomination in 1996 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as crime boss Jerome Belasco on “Frasier.” He appeared in numerous television series including “WIOU,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “24,” “Nikita,” “Veep,” “The X-Files,” “Entourage,” and “The Blacklist.”
In recent years, Yulin appeared in the Netflix series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” as Orson, the father of David Cross’ character, and in “Ozark” as Buddy Dieker, an eccentric old man with a criminal past. He also had roles in “Billions,” “FBI: Most Wanted,” and “And Just Like That.”
Beyond acting, Yulin was accomplished as a stage director, overseeing productions including “The Glass Menagerie,” “The Trip to Bountiful,” “This Lime Tree Bower,” “Men’s Lives,” and “The Man Who Came to Dinner.” He also served as an instructor at prestigious institutions including Juilliard, Columbia University, and HB Studio.
Yulin continued working until his death, preparing to begin production this week on the MGM+ series “American Classic” starring Kevin Kline, Laura Linney, and Jon Tenney. The series, directed by Michael Hoffman, began production on the East Coast, and Yulin’s role will be recast, according to People magazine.
Hoffman, who previously worked with Yulin on the 2005 film “Game 6,” provided a statement mourning the actor’s passing. The director indicated that Yulin was one of the greatest artists he had ever encountered, praising his combination of technical skill with fresh discovery that gave his work immediacy and vitality.
Yulin was previously married to actress Gwen Welles from 1975 until her death in 1993. He also notably dated actress Faye Dunaway from 1971 to 1972, when they were co-stars in the Western film “Doc.”
He is survived by his second wife, actress Kristen Lowman, son-in-law Ted Mineo, nephew Martin Crane, and godchildren Marco and Lara Greenberg. Yulin was predeceased by his daughter, actress Claire Lucido, who died in 2021. The family statement noted that he was an avid birder and lover of the sea. A memorial service will be held at a later date.
