Show business is recovering the loss of a multi-talented star.
Harris Yulin, the renowned star of stage and screen whose memorable performances sparkled on the big screen and on the stage, has passed away at the age of 87.
His manager Sue Leibman verified that the veteran performer died on June 10 in New York City because of cardiac arrest.
To several generations of moviegoers, however, Yulin will be remembered as the hot-blooded judge in Ghostbusters II whose temper blew up a courtroom full of supernatural mayhem. Prolific, genre- and medium-spanning, Yulin reached back over decades of filmmaking. Whether it was blockbusters such as Scarface, Clear and Present Danger and Training Day, or a guest appearance on Frasier which earned him an Emmy nomination in 1996, he made an indelible impression on Hollywood.
It was not only film and TV, which had to carry the burden of his talent.
An actor in the theater, Los Angeles-born Harris Yulin portrayed Hamlet three times off-Broadway and headed renowned productions of Hedda Gabler, The Price and The Visit. He also contributed back to the craft, serving as a teacher as he taught eight years at the renowned Juilliard School in New York City.
”One of the biggest artists’”
Yulin was most recently preparing a new TV show named American Classic, with Laura Linney and Kevin Kline. The director of the show, Michael Hoffman, talked straight to the heart regarding the legacy of the actor.
Hoffman, in a statement, said: “Very simply one of the greatest artists I have ever known, as reported by CNN.
And what he was as an actor, so was he as a man–the grace, the humility, the generosity. American Classic has been blessed by our experience with him, all of us included.”
Stacy Keach, a long time collaborator, and co-starred with Yulin in the 1971 western DOC, was reported to have been collaborating with him on future projects until his death.
Yulin will also be remembered by fans of the Netflix hit show Ozark, where he did a strong arc with Jason Bateman and Laura Linney. And his extensive television roles throughout the years featured Veep, Billions, Divorce, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and And Just Like That..
Nevertheless, regardless of how much time he will spend in his career, people will always refer back to that memorable scene in Ghostbusters II, when his angry rant in the courtroom opens the valves of supernatural mayhem — and sealed his position in pop culture history.
Harris Yulin, who dated Faye Dunaway in the early 70s, is survived by his wife, actress Kristen Lowman, a son-in-law, a nephew and various godchildren. He is preceded in death by his daughter, actress Claire Lucido.