Remembering Richard Long: A Life In Hollywood

Hey there. You know, there are certain actors who, for a brief moment, light up the screen with their charm and talent, only to fade away far too soon. Two names that always come to mind are Bill Bixby from "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" and Richard Long, who graced our TV screens on "The Big Valley" and "Nanny and the Professor." Today, I want to talk about Richard Long, a man whose journey in life and in Hollywood was as unpredictable as it was tragic. His story is one of highs and lows, filled with both incredible joy and deep pain, and it all came to an unexpected end when he was just 47 years old.

A Life That Began in Chicago

Richard Long was born on December 17, 1927, in Chicago, Illinois. He was the fifth of six kids in his family, with parents Sherman D. Long, a commercial artist, and Dale McCord Long. The Long family wasn’t always in the world of Hollywood glitz and glamour. In fact, it wasn’t until 1944, when Richard was a teenager, that they decided to make the big move to Hollywood. Can you imagine? Packing up your life and heading west in search of something more. Richard spent his senior year at Hollywood High School, but acting wasn’t even on his radar. He once joked about it, saying, “I had no intention of becoming an actor. I took a senior drama class because it was easy and I needed the credit for my English requirement.” Sometimes, life takes unexpected turns, doesn’t it?

From High School Drama to Hollywood Stardom

Now, here’s where things get interesting. In 1946, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle wrote about how Richard stumbled into the world of acting almost by accident. It all started when a guy named Jack Murton, who worked in casting at International, was just thumbing a ride one day. He ended up chatting with a couple of Hollywood High School students and learned that they were putting on a stage play soon. One of the students mentioned a kid named Dick Long who was making waves with his performance. Murton was intrigued enough to check it out. He sent for Richard, just to see what he looked like, and before you knew it, Richard was in front of producers David Lewis and Irving Pichel, reading lines. They loved what they saw and had him in front of the cameras the very next day. William Goetz, the studio head, saw the footage and signed Richard to a contract. Just like that, a high school kid from Chicago found himself in the world of Hollywood.

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Richard’s Acting Beginnings

And it wasn’t just any high school play. The play Richard was in was called "Louisiana Susie," and it was his first real attempt at acting since he was 12 years old. Back then, he played the school teacher in "Tom Sawyer" at a Chicago church. Talk about a journey from a small church play to the big screen. Sometimes, life throws you a curveball, and Richard Long’s life was certainly full of those. So, let’s take a moment to reflect on Richard’s incredible journey. If you want to learn even more about his life and career, just keep scrolling down. There’s so much more to discover about this talented man whose life was cut tragically short.