Frank Richards (actor)

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Frank Richards
Frank Richards in Stories of the Century 1954.jpg
Frank Richards in Stories of the Century 1954
Born(1909-09-15)September 15, 1909
DiedApril 15, 1992(1992-04-15) (aged 82)


Frank Richards (September 15, 1909 – April 15, 1992) was an American character actor, typically portraying a hoodlum or thug with a menacing appearance.

Contents

Richards was born in New York City and raised in Fall River, Massachusetts. [1]

Richards began acting in stock theater in Cape Cod while he worked 16 hours a day as a driver of a fruit truck. He continued his stock acting for eight years. [2] He acted on Broadway in The Wanhope Building (1947), Embezzled Heaven (1944), The World We Make (1939), and Brown Danube (1939). [3]

After serving in the military during World War II, Richards studied dialects, diction, and speech in New York, in addition to working in radio and television. [2]

He appeared in 150 films and televisions shows from 1940 into the mid 1980s. He appeared in a 1952 episode of Superman "The Night of Terror" and a 1953 episode of The Lone Ranger . His first stage appearance was in 1938 and his last film was John Cassavetes' A Woman Under the Influence in 1974. [4]

On April 15, 1992, Richards died in Las Vegas, Nevada. [1]

Selected filmography

Selected Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1953 Death Valley Days Bartender PurdySeason 1, Episode, "Land of the Free"
1953 The Lone Ranger Bill AdamsEpisode "The Devil's Bog"
1953 The Lone Ranger Jeb LoganEpisode "Son by Adoption"
1953 The Lone Ranger DukeEpisode "Gunpowder Joe"
1954 The Lone Ranger MattEpisode "Texas Draw"
1954 The Abbott and Costello Show SlugEpisode "Private Eye"
1954 Death Valley Days TownsmanSeason 2, Episode 13, "Snowshoe Thompson"
1956 Death Valley Days TownsmanEpisode "Paydirt"
1958 Death Valley Days Sitting BullEpisode, "The Greatest Scout of All"
1960 Wanted Dead or Alive JakeEpisode "Miracle at Pot Hole"
1958 Death Valley Days Town MarshallEpisode "The Gunsmith"
1960 Death Valley Days Red HackerEpisode "The Deserter"

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References

  1. 1 2 Goldrup, Tom and Jim (August 2012). The Encyclopedia of Feature Players of Hollywood, Volume 3. BearManor Media. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  2. 1 2 "Ugly -- Yes -- But It Pays For Actor In Warbonnet". Rapid City Journal. South Dakota, Rapid City. July 21, 1951. p. 3. Retrieved 30 March 2019 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Frank Richards". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  4. "Frank Richards". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2012.