Biography: Barnard Hughes was born Bernard Aloysius Kiernan Hughes on July 16, 1915 in Bedford Hills, New York to Marcella "Madge" and Owen Hughes. He attended La Salle Academy and Manhattan College. He joined the Shakespeare Fellowship Repertory company in New York City for two years. He served in the army during World War II. He met his wife, Helen Stenborg, in 1946 while rehearsing a show called "Laugh That Off" to be performed at military hospitals. They appeared together on Broadway in Hughs's last show, Waiting in the Wings. They had two children: director Doug Hughes and actress Laura Hughes.

Film/TV Credits: Film credits include: "The Lost Boys," "TRON," "Midnight Cowboy," "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit," "Doc Hollywood," "The Odd Couple II," "Sisters," "Oh, God!," and "Cradle Will Rock." Television credits include: "The Love Boat," "All in the Family," "Blossom," "As the World Turns," "Homicide: Life on the Street," and "Dark Shadows."

Other Awards: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series for "Lou Grant" in 1978.

Trivia:
The marquees of Broadway theaters were dimmed in his honor on July 12, 2006.
Was standby for Henry Fonda in the Broadway production of Generation, while simultaneously performing off-Broadway in Hogan's Goat at the American Place Theatre. He only appeared in the first act of Hogan's Goat, which ended at 8:00pm; this allowed him to arrive in time for the Generation's 8:30pm curtain at the Morosco Theatre. He went several times for Fonda, including opening night of Hogan's Goat.