Richard Herd was a renowned character actor, known for his stern and authoritative presence on stage and screen. Despite never achieving household name status, he made a lasting impact on the entertainment industry through his numerous film and television appearances.
Born on September 26, 1932, in Boston, Massachusetts, Richard was the son of Katherine and Richard Herd, a railroad engineer and World War II veteran. Tragedy struck early in his life when his father passed away, and Richard was left to deal with the challenges of bone marrow cancer, which affected the growth of his legs.
Despite these obstacles, Richard's mother's love of music sparked his initial interest in performing. He began playing the drums and received early acting training on radio and in summer stock productions. His studies under Claude Rains and appearances in plays such as "Our Town" and "Sing Out Sweet Land" further honed his craft.
Richard's military service during the Korean War was cut short due to a knee injury, but he went on to work for the Army Signal Corps in training films. After his honorable discharge, he continued to gain experience in classical plays and industrial films, eventually making his New York debut in "The Dress Circle" at Carnegie Hall.
Richard's film debut was in the 1970 movie "Hercules in New York," starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, it wasn't until the mid-1970s that he settled in Hollywood, replacing Richard Long in the role of James McCord in "All the President's Men" (1976). He went on to appear in a range of films, including "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden" (1977),"F.I.S.T." (1978),"The China Syndrome" (1979),and "The Onion Field" (1979).
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Richard appeared frequently on television, playing authoritative figures on shows such as "Kojak," "The Rockford Files," "The Streets of San Francisco," and "Starsky and Hutch." He also appeared in several TV movies, including "Pueblo," "Captains and the Kings," and "Ike: The War Years," in which he portrayed General Omar Bradley.
On stage, Richard appeared in a pre-Broadway tryout of "On the Waterfront" and played to great applause in productions of "Other People's Money" and "The Big Knife." His standout performance was in the one-man show "Cecil B. DeMille Presents," which he toured throughout the country.
Richard's memorable TV roles included "Admiral Noyce" on "SeaQuest 2032," "Wilhelm" on "Seinfeld," and "Admiral Owen Paris" on "Star Trek: Voyager." He also appeared in several films, including "Private Benjamin" (1980),"Deal of the Century" (1983),"Planes, Trains & Automobiles" (1987),and "Sgt. Bilko" (1996).
In addition to his acting work, Richard occasionally moved behind the camera, directing the play "Idle Wheels" for the Road Theatre Company and producing the New York play "Agamemnon." He was also a co-producer and performer of the play "The Couch with the Six Insides" and had his play "Prisoner of the Crown" produced at Dublin's Abbey Theatre.
Richard married three times and had two children with his second wife. He was married to his third wife, Patricia Herd, for over 40 years until his passing.
Richard Herd's final film appearances were in "The Mule" (2018) and "The Silent Natural" (2019). He was diagnosed with cancer and passed away on May 26, 2020, at the age of 87.
