Actor Barry Newman died on May 11

Barry Newman has died at the age of 92.

The actor - who was best known for his starring role in the 1971 action film Vanishing Point - died of natural causes on May 11.

His wife, Angela, has confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that Barry passed away at the NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

Barry enjoyed significant success on Broadway before he appeared in the 1970 courtroom drama The Lawyer, which was loosely based on a real-life murder case. The actor was subsequently cast alongside Cleavon Little and Dean Jagger in Vanishing Point.

In the film, he played the part of Kowalski, a Vietnam war veteran and a dishonourably discharged police officer who is tasked with driving a Dodge Challenger across the US while he tries to avoid becoming embroiled in a criminal conspiracy.

The Richard C. Sarafian-directed movie has developed a cult following over the years, with Steven Spielberg even citing it as one of his all-time favourite films.

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The Boston-born actor later starred in the TV legal drama Petrocelli, which ran from 1974 until 1976. The show was actually inspired by Barry's appearance in The Lawyer, with the actor reprising his role for the TV series.

Barry played the part of Tony Petrocelli, a Harvard-educated lawyer who turned his back on city life in order to practise law in a sleepy part of Arizona.

More recently, Barry made appearances in a string of well-known Hollywood movies, including Bowfinger, 40 Days and 40 Nights and The Limey.

The actor also had recurring roles in various hit TV shows, including L.A. Law, NYPD Blue, The O.C. and Murder, She Wrote.

Barry is survived by his wife Angela.