Harris Yulin Obituary, Death: The entertainment industry bids farewell to one of its most respected and enduring talents. Harris Yulin, the veteran actor known for his commanding presence across Broadway, television, and film, passed away from cardiac arrest on June 10, 2025, in New York City. He was 88 years old. His family announced his passing on June 11, sparking tributes from across the entertainment world.
Born on November 5, 1937, in Los Angeles, Yulin’s love for storytelling and performance began early in life. He moved to New York in the early 1960s to pursue theater, where his breakout came with the 1963 production of Next Time I’ll Sing to You. His stage career flourished, and he became a Broadway staple with powerful performances in productions like Watch on the Rhine, The Visit, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Price, and Hedda Gabler.
Yulin’s screen debut came in the 1971 Western Doc, portraying Wyatt Earp. From there, he steadily built a remarkable film career, earning critical acclaim for roles in films such as Scarface (1983), where he played the ill-fated Detective Mel Bernstein, Ghostbusters II (1989), Clear and Present Danger (1994), Multiplicity, Training Day (2001), and The Hurricane.
On television, Yulin’s work was equally diverse and memorable. He received an Emmy nomination in 1996 for his guest role as crime boss Jerome Belasco on Frasier. He left an indelible mark with recurring roles and appearances on hit shows including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, 24, Entourage, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Veep, And Just Like That…, and notably as Buddy Dieker on Ozark. For Ozark, he and the cast were nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2019 for Outstanding Ensemble Performance.
In addition to acting, Yulin was an accomplished director and mentor in theater. He earned a Lucille Lortel Award for directing The Trip to Bountiful and served as co-artistic director of the Los Angeles Classic Theater. Offstage, he was known for his love of literature, birdwatching, and sailing—passions that reflected the depth and quiet strength of his character.