Rick Springfield, born Richard Lewis Springthorpe, was a child of Eileen Louise (Evennett) and Norman James Springthorpe, a Lt. Colonel in the Australian Army, in Guildford, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. His maternal grandparents were of English descent, while his father had English and Scottish ancestry. As a child, Rick moved with his family to various army bases in Australia and Britain.
During his teenage years, Rick fronted several music bands, including the Jordy Boys, WakedyWak, and Zoot, with Zoot being his most successful venture, paving the way for his future success as a musician. He relocated to the United States in the early 1970s and released his debut album, Beginnings, which featured the hit single "Speak to The Sky." His subsequent album, Comic Book Heroes, was moderately successful.
After losing his record label, Rick learned to speak with an American accent to further his acting career. He signed a contract with Universal television and appeared in various shows, including The Six Million Dollar Man, The Rockford Files, and The Young and the Restless. His luck changed in the early 1980s when he signed with RCA Records and was cast as Dr. Noah Drake on the soap opera General Hospital.
Rick's breakthrough album, Working Class Dog, was released in 1981 and featured the hit single "Jessie's Girl," which catapulted him to teen idol status. He continued to star on General Hospital while touring and releasing his album Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet, which included the hit single "Don't Talk To Strangers." He then released his third album with RCA, Living In Oz, which is considered by many his finest and hardest rock album. Rick quit General Hospital and returned to his rock roots.
In 1984, Rick starred in the movie Hard to Hold and released the soundtrack, which featured the hits "Love Somebody," "Don't Walk Away," and "Bop Til Ya Drop." His subsequent album, Tao, marked the beginning of his decline from rock star status. In 1988, he released his album Rock Of Life, which was his moodiest and least recognized album.
In 2015, Rick received positive reviews for his role as Meryl Streep's boyfriend in the movie Ricki and the Flash.
