A towering talent of stage and screen has taken his final bow.
Harris Yulin, the Emmy-nominated actor whose commanding presence lit up films like Scarface, Ghostbusters II, and Clear and Present Danger, has passed away at the age of 87. He died on June 10 in New York City from cardiac arrest, his representative confirmed.
Known for his versatility, depth, and quiet intensity, Yulin’s career spanned more than five decades — across stage, film, and television. He was as much at home on Broadway as he was on Hollywood sets, with a resume that was as eclectic as it was masterful.
🎭 A Life Devoted to the Craft
Born in Los Angeles, Yulin began his career where so many greats do: on stage in New York City. He made his theatrical debut in 1963 in Next Time I’ll Sing to You and later moved to Broadway in the ’80s with Watch on the Rhine. Over the years, he embodied complex characters in The Price, Hedda Gabler, The Visit, and Arthur Miller’s final play Finishing the Picture.
Not just an actor, Yulin was a director and a teacher — a man of the theater in every sense. He directed revered productions of The Glass Menagerie, The Trip to Bountiful, and This Lime Tree Bower, and taught the next generation of artists at Juilliard and Columbia University.
🎬 From Mob Bosses to Comedic Geniuses
Yulin made his film debut in 1970’s End of the Road, but it was the 1980s that cemented his place in cinematic history.
He brought gravitas to the gritty world of Scarface, charmed audiences in Ghostbusters II, and stood toe-to-toe with Harrison Ford in Clear and Present Danger. Later, he flexed his range in comedies like Bean, and found a new generation of fans with television roles in Ozark, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Billions.
In 1996, his unforgettable guest role on Frasier earned him a Primetime Emmy nomination, a nod to his uncanny ability to elevate any project with restraint, elegance, and fire.
🕊️ A Legacy of Grace, Humility, and Mastery
Harris Yulin was preparing to return to set for the Michael Hoffman–directed series American Classic, co-starring Kevin Kline and Laura Linney, when he passed. Hoffman’s tribute was nothing short of poetic:
“Harris Yulin was very simply one of the greatest artists I have ever encountered… His work had a purity I’ve experienced nowhere else. And what he was as an actor, he was as a man — the grace, the humility, the generosity.”
In a world of loud fame, Yulin’s impact came not from flash — but from substance. From intellectual honesty, emotional precision, and his lifelong passion for the art of acting.
“He was part of the vanguard of a generation who cared passionately about the craft,” a statement from his family read.
“His performances were a gift to audiences, to fellow actors, and to the art itself.”
👨👩👧 Survived by Those Who Loved Him
Harris Yulin is survived by:
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His wife Kristen Lowman
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Son-in-law Ted Mineo
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Nephew Martin Crane
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Godchildren Marco and Lara Greenberg
A memorial service is planned for a later date.
🕯️ A teacher, a titan, a true actor’s actor.
May Harris Yulin’s memory — and the art he left behind — continue to inspire generations to come.
