Served in the US Marine Corps

First produced screenplay, "The D.I."

Wrote feature film version of "Shenendoah"

Wrote "The Green Berets" for John Wayne

Wrote book for Broadway musical version of "Shenendoah"

Wrote screenplay for "Smokey and the Bandit"

First collaboration with Elizabeth Montgomery; wrote NBC miniseries "The Awakening Land" in which she starred

Created series "Our House" (NBC)

Wrote pilot for TV adaptation of "In the Heat of the Night"

Seven years after Barrett's death, Showtime produced his script, "Ruby Jean and Joe"