Alex Carson
Tanya Roberts, the former Charlie’s Angels starlet passed away on January 4th at the age of 65. Roberts will be forever remembered for her celebrated acting career in addition to having a large heart full of love. Those that knew her personally recall her as being a loving and supportive friend and the kind of person you could turn to when in need of support. She shared 32 happy years with her late husband Barry before he too passed away in 2006. The bond that they shared through all those years was unbreakable. In this video, we’re going to take a closer look at who Tanya’s husband Barry was and how he contributed to her story.
Their Secret Recipe for a Happy Marriage – Don’t Force It
In an interview with her publicist and friend Mike Pingel, Tanya revealed that she and Barry were as she put it ‘best pals’. When asked what the secret to their relationship’s success was, the former Bond girl didn’t have much to say.
“I’m not really sure”, she said.
“We don’t celebrate anniversaries. I feel that it only leads to divorce,” she added.
She went on to explain that she and Barry were both very physical people with similar sets of interests. They weren’t just lovers, but they were also in fact best friends. Instead of focusing too much on keeping their marriage afloat and the “spark” alive, they instead did their best to support each other’s passions and keep an open channel of communication going.
Now, we aren’t marriage experts or anything, but considering the fact that they were together since the 70s and still liked each other, we think that their recipe for success was a pretty decent one.
How It All Began
Their whirlwind romance started in 1973 after Tanya moved to New York City after spending several years in Canada living with her mother. For a time she had hitchhiked across the States soaking in the counterculture movement of the day, but that’s a story for another time.
When she met Barry, he was minding his own business while waiting in a line for a movie. Apparently, Tanya made the first move and it wasn’t long before they were dating. At the time, Barry was a psychology student with aspirations of becoming a screenwriter and Tanya was trying her best to transition from modeling and doing commercials to establishing herself as a reputable actress.
Barry and Tanya got hitched in 1974. Eventually, Ms. Roberts started landing more substantial roles but for a while, the only parts she could score were in erotic B-movies – but that was the price she had to pay to make a name for herself in such a cutthroat competitive industry. In time, her patience and perseverance paid off.
As Tanya starred in hit films such as A View to a Kill, Sins of Desire, and Charlie’s Angels, her ever-supportive husband stood by her side to cheer her on. Barry too started finding his place in show business working as a writer and occasional actor, but we’ll touch on that in just a second – so bear with us.
Barry’s Final Years Were Full Pain And Suffering
After battling with encephalitis for four years, Barry died in June 2006 at the age of 60.
Encephalitis, in case you weren’t aware, is the inflammation of the brain tissue typically caused by a virus or bacteria. In most cases, the patient fully recovers, but in more severe cases the infection directly affects the brain cells eventually leading to their death. Symptoms include headache, fever, confusion, and vomiting.
In Barry’s case, he ended up suffering from severe complications including seizures and mental impairments that left him in a constant state of disorientation and confusion. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a terrible way to depart this world. Can you even imagine how troubling that must have been for both Barry and Tanya?
Not to get too side-tracked, but if you’re enjoying this video so far, make sure you give it a like and subscribe to our channel. And make sure you keep watching. In a minute, we’ll show you Tanya and Barry’s dream home, but first, we should give some credit where it’s due.
Tanya Roberts Stepped Up To The Plate
Tanya was a cast member on That 70s Show where she played Midge Pinciotti when Barry got sick. She left the series in 2001 to care for her terminally ill husband. Not only did she have to see his body slowly deteriorate before her eyes but she also bore the awful burden of watching his mind slip away as well.
His death was devastating to Tanya but after so many years of watching him suffer, it must have also been a minor relief of sorts. Even so, adjusting to life after his passing certainly wasn’t a walk in the park. They had been a couple for over three decades. They had spent so much of their lives with each other. She hardly knew what to do with herself when he was no longer there by her side. It was almost as if she had to relearn how to be herself. Even though she and Barry had always had very separate professional lives, their personal lives had been deeply intertwined.
Tanya’s Second Marriage And Death
After Barry died, Tanya was eventually able to find love once again, which might we add did wonders for her mental well-being. She and her long-term partner Lance O’Brien were together for 18 years before her death on January 4th, 2021.
It’s reported that the cause of her death was some kind of complication related to an untreated urinary tract infection. Most people don’t typically die from UTIs, but in her case, sepsis took over leading to septic shock. The medical community refers to such a medical crisis as Urosepsis.
According to her publicist, the infection first spread to her kidney, gallbladder, and liver before it entered into her bloodstream. There was very little indication that she was battling such an infection in the days leading up to her death. In fact, those close to her reported that she was in good spirits and was optimistic about the then-upcoming new year. She had maintained a very active presence on social media hosting video chats on Zoom and Facebook during the pandemic in the months leading up to her death.
It was on Christmas Eve, after taking her dogs for a walk that she came back home feeling fatigued and lightheaded. Something was wrong, but she still didn’t know what was wrong. After she collapsed, she was rushed to the hospital. There was then a little bit of confusion. TMZ prematurely reported her death on January 3rd after making the assumption that she had passed based upon a statement from O’Brien where he mentioned paying her a visit on that day to say his goodbyes.
Despite the fact that her death was called a day sooner than it actually occurred, she was still in critical condition and intubated at the time of the report and inevitably passed away the very next day. Essentially because of the confusion, O’Brien had to grieve her loss twice.
Barry And Tanya Were A Lot Alike
Both Tanya and her late husband, Barry, were both raised in New York City. Barry was born on April 3, 1946.
Even though Tanya clearly had more star power than her later husband, Barry still managed to make a name for himself in show business. He was a very talented individual despite the fact that he has few credits to his name. Barry’s first television role was in 1981 on a series called Hour Magazine. He was also the screenwriter for Legal Tender in 1991. The film starred his wife, Tanya, as a woman that desperately tries to save her struggling family business the only way she knows how – that is by flaunting her sex appeal.
Tanya Was The One To Propose
Most of the time, it’s the man who goes down on one knee and asks a woman’s hand in marriage but in Tanya and Barry’s case, it was Mrs. Roberts that did the asking. It’s been reported that Tanya decided to throw tradition to the wind and ask for her future-husbands hand in marriage while they were both waiting for a train at a subway station.
Now, I don’t know if you’ve ever spent any time in a New York City subway station, but it’s not what you’re average individual would consider a romantic locale, but maybe that’s why Tanya chose it as the place to pop the question. She was always full of surprises and wasn’t exactly what you would call a classic aromatic.
Despite the fact that they spent 32 years of their lives married to each other, Barry and Tanya never had any children together. The Sheena: Queen of the Jungle star and her husband never shared why they didn’t have any children but really it’s none of our business.
They Had A Happy Life Together
Barry and Tanya bought a home together in 1999 up in the Hollywood Hills. They made sure to pick a property that was sufficiently tucked away so that they could enjoy their privacy. They paid $780k for the 2,678 square foot home which offers 360-degree views of Los Angeles surrounding every room. The property features stunning gardens, palm trees, and a Koi pond equipped with its very own wooden bridge. Tanya and Barry both appreciated the location for its vibrant wildlife.
She told Closer Weekly back in 2015 that living there was a lot like being in the country, but civilization and the hustle and bustle of the city wasn’t very far away whenever they needed it. She called the property the home that she had always dreamed of. After Barry died in 2006, she continued to live there with Lance O’Brien until her death.
It really is a shame that Tanya Roberts passed so young. Especially considering the circumstances surrounding her death. But at least throughout her life, she had loving people around her to keep her company and support her in her passions and goals.
Although, there really isn’t much information available on her late husband Barry, from what we do know, he sounded like a very considerate and supportive husband.
Anyways, we’ve once again reached the end of another facts-packed video. If you’ve enjoyed learning all about Tanya and Barry Roberts with us, do us a favor and give this video a like. And if you haven’t done so already, go ahead and subscribe to our channel. By tapping the bell icon, you can turn on notifications so you can keep up with all of our upcoming videos.
And before you go, leave your favorite memory of Tanya Roberts in the comments section. Do you remember her best from That 70s Show or Charlie’s Angels? Or maybe you’re a fan of one of her more – hmm — steamy films? Either way, let’s pay our respects by remembering her life and career.
