She attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, where she received her academic and practical training in acting in the school's drama department, which was administered by the distinguished Broadway actress and teacher Maude Adams.

[5] She joined Maudie Edwards company at the Palace Theatre in Swansea 1952 Barry's performances in Hollywood productions began in 1946 with her involvement in five Warner Bros. films released that year.

The following is only a small selection of the television series in which Barry appeared: The Alcoa Hour, Playhouse 90, The Third Man, Yancy Derringer, Sugarfoot, Maverick, The Rifleman, The Millionaire, 77 Sunset Strip, Rawhide, Gunsmoke, The Donna Reed Show, My Three Sons, Bachelor Father, Markham, Laramie, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Tales of Wells Fargo, Going My Way, Thriller, Route 66, Perry Mason, The Twilight Zone, Harris Against the World, The Green Hornet, The Felony Squad, Judd for the Defense, CBS Playhouse, Ironside, The High Chaparral, and Mannix.

[4] As Barry's career extended into the 1970s and beyond the 1990s, she continued her frequent guest roles on an array of top-rated weekly television series, such as Columbo; Police Woman; Charlie's Angels; Three's Company; Quincy, M.E.

[4] Barry also performed in a dozen made-for-television movies and became a recurring character on several major daily daytime dramas or soap operas playing Addie Horton on Days of Our Lives (1971–1974), Sally Gleason on Guiding Light (1985–87), Isabelle Alden on Loving (1992–1994), and Peg English on All My Children (1981–2005).

[11] During her prolific television career, Barry received three Emmy Award nominations for her performances, in 1957 for her role as a dying socialite in "Dark Victory" on Matinee Theater, in 1958 as Miss Calhoun in Startime's episode "The Wicked Scheme of Jebal Deeks", and in 1959 as Lucille in Playhouse 90's presentation "Reunion".

"[13] With regard to expanding support for female directors, producers, actors, technicians, and writers, Barry helped to promote the establishment of other WIF chapters throughout the United States and then, in the 1990s, in other countries through the creation of Women in Film and Television International.