Frank Richards (actor)

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

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
Year Title Role Notes
1953 Death Valley Days Bartender Purdy Season 1, Episode, "Land of the Free"
1953 The Lone Ranger Bill Adams Episode "The Devil's Bog"
1953 The Lone Ranger Jeb Logan Episode "Son by Adoption"
1953 The Lone Ranger Duke Episode "Gunpowder Joe"
1954 The Lone Ranger Matt Episode "Texas Draw"
1954 The Abbott and Costello Show Slug Episode "Private Eye"
1954 Death Valley Days Townsman Season 2, Episode 13, "Snowshoe Thompson"
1956 Death Valley Days Townsman Episode "Paydirt"
1958 Death Valley Days Sitting Bull Episode, "The Greatest Scout of All"
1960 Wanted Dead or Alive Jake Episode "Miracle at Pot Hole"
1958 Death Valley Days Town Marshall Episode "The Gunsmith"
1960 Death Valley Days Red Hacker Episode "The Deserter"

References
  1. Goldrup, Tom and Jim (August 2012). The Encyclopedia of Feature Players of Hollywood, Volume 3. BearManor Media. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  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.
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