Richard Brome (1970 - 1652)

Dramatist. England’s last important comic playwright of the Jacobean period, he was one of the “Sons of Ben”, a group of followers of Ben Jonson. His finest plays are broad satires of middle-class life in London. They include “The City Wit” (1628), “The Northern Lass” (1629), “The Weeding of Covent Garden” (1632), “The Sparagus Garden” […]

Richard Brooker (1954 - 2013)

Richard Brooker, a former trapeze artist, started his career in acting in a casting magazine, “Dramalogue”. He began his career in the third Friday the 13th film, and later appeared in small film roles in Deathstalker, Deep Sea Conspiracy, and the television series Trapper John, M.D.. Brooker later became a director, for such notable series […]

Richard Bull (1924 - 2014)

Richard Bull was born on June 26, 1924 in Zion, Illinois. After years of living in Los Angeles, he moved back to Chicago in 1994 with his wife Barbara Collentine. Bull and Collentine, also 89, moved to the Motion Picture & Television Fund home from Chicago in September 2012. Richard Bull is best remembered for his […]

Richard Burbage (1567 - 1619)

English Actor. He is remembered for building the renown Globe Theatre, along with his older brother Cuthbert Burbage. Born on January 6, 1567, reportedly at Stratford-on-Avon, England, his father was also an accomplished actor and built the first permanent theater in England since Roman times, known simply as The Theatre. By his early 20s he […]

Richard Burton (1925 - 1984)

Richard Burton Actor. He is best remembered for his roles in such movies as “Cleopatra” (1963), “Where Eagles Dare” (1971), “Raid on Rommel” (1973), as the voice of Sir Winston Churchill in the television series, “The Valiant Years,” and for being married to Actress Elizabeth Taylor twice.  Born in Pontrhydyfen, Wales, as Richard Walter Jenkins, […]

Richard Cain (1931 - 1973)

Organized Crime Figure. Richard Cain was born in Chicago but grew up in Owosso, Michigan. He was made into the Chicago Outfit early in life, despite the fact that his grandfather had been a prominent anti-Mafia activist in The Patch. He joined the Chicago Police Department in the 1950’s, functioning as a double agent. Cain […]

Richard Canfield (1855 - 1914)

American Folk Figure. Called “America’s Greatest Gambler”, Richard Canfield started running a small faro parlor in Pawtucket, Rhode Island thay landed him in jail. In Providence he established a gambling parlor as well.  At separate times he ran two high stakes  gambling houses in New York City; one which was across from the famous Delmonico […]

Richard Carlson (1912 - 1977)

The son of a lawyer, Richard Carlson was born in Albert Lea in southern Minnesota. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with an Master of Arts degree, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He appeared on the Broadway stage in the 1930s after studying and teaching drama in Minnesota. His first film role was […]

Richard Chase (1950 - 1980)

Chase was born in Santa Clara County, California. He was abused by his mother, and Chase exhibited by the age of 10 evidence of the Macdonald triad: enuresis, pyromania, and zoosadism. In his adolescence, he was known as an alcoholic and a chronic drug abuser.  Chase developed hypochondria as he matured. He often complained that […]

Richard Conte (1910 - 1975)

Richard Conte was born Nicholas Peter Conte on March 24, 1910, in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of Italian-Americans Julia (Fina), a seamstress, and Pasquale Conte, a barber. He graduated from William L. Dickinson High School in Jersey City. Conte worked as a truck driver, messenger, shoe salesman and a singing waiter before starting his […]

Richard Crane (1918 - 1969)

Actor. American motion picture and television figure of the 1940s through the 1960s. Portrayed the title character in the 1950s TV serial “Rocky Jones, Space Ranger.” (bio by: A.J. Marik)

Richard Crenna (1926 - 2003)

Crenna was born in Los Angeles, the only child of Edith J. (née Pollette), who was a hotel manager in LA, and Domenick Anthony Crenna, a pharmacist. His parents were both of Italian descent. Crenna attended Virgil Junior High School, followed by Belmont High School in Los Angeles. Following high school, Crenna served in the […]

Richard Cromwell (1910 - 1960)

Richard Cromwell earned $75 per week for his work on Tol’able David. Noah Beery, Sr. and John Carradine co-starred in the film. Later, Cohn signed Cromwell to a multi-year contract based on the strength of his performance and success in his first venture at the box-office. Amidst the flurry of publicity during this period, Cromwell […]

Richard Davalos (1930 - 2016)

Richard Davalos Actor.  Born Richard Norman Davalos, he was a versatile actor whose most famous roles were of James Dean’s brother Aron in the 1955 film “East of Eden” and of the convict Blind Dick in the 1967 film “Cool Hand Luke”. Richard Davalos started his acting career, which would span six decades, in 1953 […]

Richard Dawson (1932 - 2012)

Dawson was born in Gosport, Hampshire, England, on November 20, 1932 to Arthur and Josephine Emm. At the age of 14 he ran away from home to join the British Merchant Navy, where he pursued a boxing career. After his discharge, he pursued a comedy career using the stage name Dickie Dawson; when he reached […]

Richard Deacon (1921 - 1984)

This tall, bald and usually bespectacled character actor often portrayed pompous, prissy, and/or imperious figures. Richard Deacon made appearances on The Jack Benny Program as a salesman and a barber, and on NBC’s Happy as a hotel manager. He had a brief role in Alfred Hitchcock’s film The Birds (1963) as Mitch’s (Rod Taylor) neighbor […]

Richard Denning (1914 - 1998)

Richard Denning Originally studied business management in Los Angeles but decided to break into acting instead. He won a radio contest called “Do You Want to Be an Actor”, and was awarded a Warner Bros. screen test. Warner rejected him, but Paramount took him on the condition that he change his name to Denning. (Studio […]

Richard Derr (1918 - 1992)

Actor. He made his first film appearance at age 23 in “Charlie Chan in Rio” (1941), after signing with 20th Century-Fox. He appeared in many World War II themed B films before landing lead roles in “The Bride Goes Wild” (1948) and “Joan of Arc” (1948). His other credits include “When Worlds Collide” (1951), “The […]

Richard Devon (1926 - 2010)

Richard Devon (December 11, 1926 – February 26, 2010) was an American character actor best known for his roles in television and film. Devon was born in Glendale, California. Beginning in the 1950s, he was employed as a character actor in many Four Star Television television series but not exclusively. For instance, he appeared also […]

Richard Dix (1893 - 1949)

Richard Dix was born Ernst Carlton Brimmer on July 18, 1893, in St. Paul, Minnesota. There he was educated, and at the desire of his father, studied to be a surgeon. His obvious acting talent in his school dramatic club led him to leading roles in most of the school plays. At 6′ and 180 […]

Richard Doddridge Blackmore (1825 - 1900)

British Author. He is best remembered for his novel “Lorna Doone” (1869), a recreation of his native Exmoor during the 17th century, which established him in the front rank of British novelists of that time. He was born at Longworth in Berkshire (now Oxfordshire), England where his father was Curate-in-Charge of the local parish. His […]

Richard Duane Hongisto (1936 - 2004)

Law Enforcement Offical.  His controversial career spanned three states over 30 years. A native of Minnesota, Hongisto moved with his family to San Francisco in 1942. In 1961 he joined the San Francisco Police Department where he soon earned the reputation of being an activist. Ten years later he was elected Sheriff of San Francisco […]

Richard Dysart (1929 - 2015)

Richard Dysart Richard Dysart, the Emmy-winning actor who portrayed the cranky senior partner Leland McKenzie in the slick, long-running NBC drama L.A. Law, has died. He was 86. Dysart, who also played Coach in the original 1972 Broadway production of Jason Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning That Championship Season, died Sunday at home in Santa Monica after […]

Richard Eastham (1916 - 2005)

Actor. He is best remembered for his television roles as, ‘General Phil Blankenship’ on “Wonder Woman” from 1976 to 1977, and ‘Dr. Howell’ on Falcon Crest’ from 1982 to 1983. ‘Born Dickinson Swift Eastham in Opelousas, Louisiana, he made his debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1949. He soon went onto appear in several […]

Richard Egan (1921 - 1987)

Actor. He is best remembered for his many leading roles in action – adventures movies and made-for-television movies.  Born Richard Egan in San Francisco, California, he was attending the University of San Francisco when Pearl Harbor was bombed, and he immediately dropped out to join the US Army.  During World War II, he served as […]

Richard Elihu Sloan (1857 - 1933)

Arizona Territorial Governor.  Sloan was the last governor of the Arizona Territory, serving from his appointment by Taft in 1909 until statehood in 1912. A graduate of Cincinnati Law School, he had come to Phoenix for his health. He was appointed to the Territorial Supreme Court 1897, and served there for nearly 7 years, longer […]

Richard Fagan (1947 - 2016)

Richard Fagan learned basic guitar skills as a young child and began to refine those skills and singing do-wop in Philadelphia as a teenager. According to Richard’s account, he encountered two other people singing in the Junior High lunch room, suggested some changes while joining along and immediately had new friends and singing companions. After […]

Richard Farina (1937 - 1966)

Author, Musician, Lyricist. Born to Cuban and Irish parents, he attended Brooklyn Technical High School in New York City, New York. He received an academic scholarship to attend Cornell University in Ithaca, New York where he majored in engineering before switching to English. He dropped out in 1959 shortly before he was to graduate and […]

Richard Farnsworth (1920 - 2000)

Actor. A stuntman for more then 30 years before gradually moving into acting. Farnsworth’s abilities at horseback riding got him regular work as stunt doubles for some of the biggest names in Hollywood. It wasn’t until after he was 50 that he began to be recognized as an actor. He got an Oscar nomination in […]

Richard Foy (1970 - 1947)

Actress, Entertainer. Son of actor Eddie Foy Sr. and one of “The Seven Little Foys” vaudeville act. (bio by: Erik Lander)  Family links:  Parents:  Eddie Foy (1856 – 1928)  Madeline Morando Foy (1869 – 1918)  Siblings:  Bryan Foy (1896 – 1977)*  Charley Foy (1898 – 1984)*  Mary Foy (1901 – 1987)*  Eddie Fitzgerald Foy (1905 […]