Jeff Richards (baseball player/actor)

Jeff Richards
250px Richards as Buck Winston in The Opposite Sex (1956).
Born	Richard Mansfield Taylor (1924-11-01)November 1, 1924 Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Died	San Bernardino, California, U.S.
Occupation	Baseball player, actor
Years active	1946-1949 (Baseball, shortstop) 1948-1966 (film and television)
Spouse(s)	Shirley Sibre (m. 1954–55) (divorced) Vickie Taylor (1955-?)

Jeff Richards (November 1, 1924 – July 28, 1989), was an American minor league baseball player with the Portland Beavers, who later became an actor. He was sometimes credited as Dick Taylor and Richard Taylor.

Early life and career

He was born Richard Mansfield Taylor in Portland, Oregon. Taylor joined the United States Navy during World War II and served until 1946.

After the war was over, Richard Taylor played shortstop for the Portland Beavers for a year and then for the Salem Senators; however, his baseball career ended after he tore his ligament and was unable to play anymore.

He then went to Hollywood to pursue a film career. He got a screen test at Metro-Goldwyn Mayer and the studio changed his name to Jeff Richards. The former baseball player started his acting career during the late 1940s with mostly bit parts, but in 1950 he played a strong role, displaying his baseball skills as Bob Langdon in Kill the Umpire and later as Dave Rothberg in Angels in the Outfield (1951).

He is best known for his role as Benjamin Pontipee in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954). Following this performance, he tied with George Nader and Joe Adams for the Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer. Despite this, his acting career soon floundered.

Richards was one of the male supporting roles amid an all-star cast of actresses in The Opposite Sex (1956). His leading roles came in several low-budget films, including the western The Marauders, the rodeo drama Born Reckless, the mad-scientist story Island of Lost Women and the underwater adventure The Secret of the Purple Reef, each of which had little or no impact.

In 1958, on television, Richards played the title role in the NBC western television series Jefferson Drum, the story of a crusading journalist, with Eugene Martin portraying his young son. The series was cancelled after twenty-six episodes aired over two seasons.

Richards guest-starred in numerous television series, including the role in 1961 of Jubal Evans in the episode "Incident of His Brother's Keeper" of the CBS western Rawhide.

His last role was in 1966 as Kallen in the film Waco.

Personal life

He was married to Vickie Taylor and they had one child before they divorced.

Jeff Richards died on July 28, 1989, aged 64 from unknown causes. He is buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.

Filmography

• Waco (1966)
• The Secret of the Purple Reef (1960)
• Island of Lost Women (1959)
• Born Reckless (1958)
• Don't Go Near the Water (1957)
• The Opposite Sex (1956)
• It's a Dog's Life (1955)
• The Marauders (1955)
• Many Rivers to Cross (1955)
• Seagulls Over Sorrento (1954)
• Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
• Big Leaguer (1953)
• Code Two (1953)
• Battle Circus (1953)
• Above and Beyond (1952)
• The Sellout (1952)
• Desperate Search (1952)
• Angels in the Outfield (1951)
• Kill the Umpire (1950)
• The Girl from Jones Beach (1949)
• The Big Punch (1948)

External links

• Jeff Richards at the Internet Movie Database
• AOL Movie page
• Jeff Richards at Find a Grave