Barry Lee Pearl (born March 29, 1950, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania) is an American character actor. He is best known for his role as "Doody", one of the three supporting T-Birds, in the 1978 film version of Grease. He also had a cameo as Mr. Weaver in the Grease: Live television special on Fox in 2016.
Early life Pearl was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to an Orthodox Jewish family. Despite growing up Orthodox Jewish, he celebrated both Hanukkah and Christmas as a child as 2 of his aunts were married to Christians.
Career He played "Professor Tinkerputt" in the primetime special Barney's Imagination Island and the US tour of Barney's Big Surprise, a stage production based on the popular TV show as well as a video of the same name.
He began his career in 1961 replacing Johnny Borden as “Randolph MaAfee” in Broadway's Bye Bye Birdie. Other Broadway credits include Oliver! in 1962, A Teaspoon Every Four Hours in 1969, The Producers in 2005, Lenny's Back in 2008 and Baby It's You! in 2011. In 2012 he starred in the Lionsgate release The Newest Pledge. He also starred as "Arnold" in the national tour of Happy Days - A New Musical. In 2014, he was part of the series Summer with Cimorelli.
During the summers he teaches film arts all across the US to the special needs community with Joey Travolta's Inclusion Film Company.
Filmography Films YearFilmRoleDirectorNotes1965A Thousand ClownsNick Burns' DoubleFred CoeUncredited1967P.J.KidJohn GuillerminUncredited1968Pink is a Many Splintered ThingLumberjack Saying "Timber" (voice)Gerry ChiniquyShort film1969The Adventures of the Prince and the PauperTom Canty (the Pauper)Elliot Geisinger1978GreaseDoodyRandal Kleiser1981FlicksRedPeter WinogradSegment: "New Adventures of the Great Galaxy"1987Dutch TreatDead MeatBoaz Davidson1994TrystDoctorPeter Foldy1998Barney's Big SurpriseProfessor TinkerputtClark SanteeDirect-to-video release2009Imps*BobScott MansfieldSegment: "Bookreading". Direct-to-video release Special Delivery Dr. ShabinSean Spence 2010The Newest PledgeMr. MotesJason Michael Brescia2016Lights, Camera, IndependenceSelfDocumentaryStraight Outta OzMuseum CuratorTodrick HallVisual album released on YouTube in conjunction with album release2019The Silent NaturalMilwaukee OwnerDavid Risotto2020Squeeze BarryCole VallisShort film2024Rock and Doris (try to) Write a MovieWeasel; GrouchoMichael Schlesinger
Television Year(s)TitleRole(s)Notes1966The Ballad of Smokey the BearSmokey the Bear (voice)TV movie1969N.Y.P.D.Second BoyS2E13 "The Body in the Trunk"1976The DoctorsAnesthesiologistEpisodes #3,406 and #3,4091976–1977C.P.O. SharkeyRecruit MignoneMain role in first season. 14 episodes1977Best Friends GypsyTV movie Have I Got a Christmas for YouBarry SilverTV movie 1979Barney MillerMario PellegriniS5E14 "Voice Analyzer"1981The Munsters' RevengeWarren ThurstonTV movie Eight Is EnoughBruceS5E19 "The Idolbreaker: Part 2" 1982BensonJerry ZieglerS3E14 "Katie's Romance" Hill Street BluesSalesmanS2E17 "The Shooter" 1983Making of a Male ModelClarenceTV movie1985AliceCop No. 4S9E8 "Vera's Anniversary Blues" Scarecrow and Mrs. KingLeon SacksS2E14 "A Little Sex, A Little Scandal" HeartBeat ChoreographerTV movie Alfred Hitchcock PresentsAssistant District AttorneyS1E3 "Wake Me When I'm Dead" Falcon CrestMusic Video DirectorS5E12 "False Hope" 1986Growing PainsS1E20 "Be a Man" AnnihilatorEddieTV movie 1986–1999Days of Our Livesvarious roles8 episodes1987ThrobOily GuyS1E21 "Moonlighting" The Tracey Ullman ShowClub ManagerS1E5 Max HeadroomProsecutor Paul WaitesS2E1 "Academy" Murder, She WroteP.R. StafferS4E8 "Steal Me a Story" 1990Major DadMike EagletonS1E26 "Face the Music... and Dance: Part 2"1991They Came from Outer SpaceBill RabkinS1E13 "High Five" Beverly Hills, 90210NormanS2E17 "Chuckie's Back" 1993SistersStan SmigelS3E16 "Things Are Tough All Over"1994Bedtime with Barney: Imagination IslandProfessor TinkerputtTelevision special1995ERDr. NobleS1E14 "Long Day's Journey"1996Siegfried & Roy: Masters of the ImpossibleRumpelstiltskinBaywatch NightsPaul WhitsetS1E14 "Backup" Night Stand with Dick DietrickMenachem; Little BuddyS1E11 "Hatred's Not a Four-Letter Word"; S1E47 "Gold-Diggers of 1996" 1998Port CharlesDr. Aikman5 episodes1999BaywatchLyle ForsmanS10E8 "Father of the Groom"2000Malibu, CAJ.J.S2E23 "The House Guest" Even StevensMr. ChaneyS1E10 "Easy Way" 2001Behind the MusicSelf (Doody)S4E17 "Grease"2002Where Are They Now?Self (Doody)S3E12 "Grease" After They Were FamousSelfS3E13 "Grease" RugratsQuartet Singer (voice)S9E2 "Babies in Toyland Part 2" 2003Miss MatchMortyS1E8 "The Love Bandit"2008Criminal MindsManS3E20 "Lo-Fi"2009HouseDr. PaulsonS6E2 "Epic Fail"2011Outside the BoxCaptain KellerS1E1 "The Miracle Worker"2012Far from the TreeBarryS3E2 "Poker Night"2014Summer with CimorelliBarry OrtegaS1E4 "Welcome to Show Business"2016Grease Live!Stan WeaverTelevision special Paul O'Grady's 100 Years of Movie MusicalsSelf (Doody)Television special 2018Behind Closed Doors Self (Doody)S1E8 "Grease"2018–2021Boomers Murray Klein6 episodes2019BlindDateMevarious roles3 episodes2021Arnetia Walker: Just One StepSelfTelevision special 2022The Jimmy Star Show with Ron RussellSelf (Guest)S23E6 "Barry Pearl/Marlyn Bandiero" Meet the BizSelfS3E6 "Barry Pearl - 'To Touch Another Life'" The Walls Are WatchingAuctioneer SimsTV movie The Actor's ChoiceSelfS8E41 "Bertila Damas, Barry Pearl and Jeff Stetson" 20232 Cops and a CarSgt. Seumas ShillingshawS3E2 "Case File: Willy 'WiFi' Witzsimmons: Day 13"2024Nobody Wants ThisAbeS1E2 "A Shiksa Walks Into a Temple"2025Live from Detroit: The Jeff Dwoskin ShowSelf (Guest)Episode #376: "Grease Is Still the Word at 47: Barry Pearl Remembers the Magic"
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