Barry Primus (born February 16, 1938) is an American television and film actor.
Primus is primarily an actor, but has also doubled and tripled as writer and director. He worked on stage for the first decade of his career. He gained some experience on TV in shows like The Defenders, East Side/West Side and The Virginian. He then made his screen bow in the Manhattan-filmed The Brotherhood (1968). Additional films include Boxcar Bertha (1972), Autopsy (1974), Heartland (1979), Night Games (1980), Absence of Malice (1981), and Guilty by Suspicion (1991). He also had a continuing role on the CBS TV series Cagney and Lacey (1982 — 1988) as Christine Cagney's (Sharon Gless) erstwhile boyfriend Sergeant Dory McKenna, whose drug problem compromises his value as a police officer. he also guest starred in Murder, She Wrote.
After working as director Mark Rydell's assistant on The Rose (1979), Primus has increased his behind-the-camera activities; in 1992, he directed his first theatrical feature, the "inside" Hollywood comedy/drama Mistress.