From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Peter Thomas Barton (born July 19, 1956) is an American actor. He was a graduate of Valley Stream North High School, where he played soccer and wrestled. He also attended Nassau Community College. In the 1980s and 1990s, he starred in several TV series, including Shirley, with Shirley Jones; The Powers of Matthew Star, with Louis Gossett, Jr.; Burke's Law with Gene Barry; and the