Richard Egan (1921-1987)

biography

Born in San Francisco on July 29, 1921, actor Richard Egan graduated from the University of San Francisco and later served during World War II. Following the war, Egan taught school and earned a master's degree in theatre history at Stanford before making his debut in films. A theatre major in college, Egan's first film was in the Warner Bros. film noir drama The Damned Don't Cry (1950; with Joan Crawford). After acting in supporting roles in films for various studios, Egan signed with 20th Century Fox where he starred in film noir thrillers, action flicks, and westerns. Some of his best film noir titles include Undercover Girl (1950; with Scott Brady), Split Second (1953; with Jan Sterling), and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (1957; with Julie Adams and Jan Sterling).

While Egan starred in a string of 'A' and 'B' pictures in the 1950s, with the demise of the studio system his film career began to slide, especially after his contract with Fox lapsed in the late 1950s. In the 1960s he acted in such films as Disney's Pollyanna (1960; with Jane Wyman and Hayley Mills) and Mario Bava's Esther and the King (1960; with Joan Collins). Egan shifted his focus to television with his series Empire as well as his appearances in a number of made-for-television films.

the films of richard egan

Undercover Girl (1950)

Up Front (1951)

Underwater! (1955)

Seven Cities of Gold (1955)

The View from Pompey's Head (1955)

Violent Saturday (1955)

Tension at Table Rock (1956)

Love Me Tender (1956)

Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (1957)

Voice in the Mirror (1958)

A Summer Place (1959)

Pollyanna (1960)

Empire, aka Redigo (1962-1964 TV series)

The Destructors (1968)

Chubasco (1968)

The Big Cube (1969)

later years

In the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, Egan took occasional film roles and guest spots on popular television series, such as The Streets of San Francisco and Police Story. Egan also taught acting and encouraged young hopefuls. In 1982, he took a recurring role on the TV soap Capitol and remained with the series until illness forced him off the show. Sadly, Richard Egan succumbed to prostate cancer on July 20, 1987, at the age of 65. He was survived by his wife, actress Patricia Hardy, and four daughters and a son.

richard egan films available from movies unlimited

The Joan Crawford Collection [DVD] DVD
Five-disc set includes "The Women," "Mildred Pierce," "Humoresque," "Possessed" (1947), and "The Damned Don't Cry."
The Damned Don't Cry [DVD](1950) DVD
Joan Crawford stars in this riveting character study about a woman who will stop at nothing to escape her impoverished lifestyle. Told in flashback, the story sees Crawford leaving the small factory town where she grew up and getting involved with a succession of men, eventually winding up in the middle of a deadly confrontation between her gangster boyfriend and his arch-rival. David Brian, Steve Cochran, Kent Smith co-star. 103 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish; audio commentary; featurette; theatrical trailer.
Highway 301 [DVD](1950) DVD
Noirish crime drama follows a vicious gang of armed robbers led by a psychotic killer as they carry out their illegal activities in Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina. Killing defenseless victims at will, the crooks begin to feel the pressure as the law closes in on them. Steve Cochran, Virginia Grey, Gaby Andre star. AKA: "The Big Stickup." 83 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.
Classic Western Round-Up, Vol. 1 [DVD] DVD
One-time desperadoes Fred MacMurray and Jack Oakie go straight and join "The Texas Rangers" (1936) in their fight to uphold the law in Lone Star territory. When one of their former partners continues his outlaw ways, MacMurray and Oakie are called on to catch him. Lloyd Nolan, Jean Peter co-star. Next, the Oregon Territory of the 1850s is the setting for a bitter rivalry between scout-turned-general store owner Dana Andrews and crooked banker Brian Donlevy--a rivalry that intensifies when beautiful Susan Hayward comes between them--in "Canyon Passage" (1946). Audie Murphy stars as a young Jesse James, who becomes the protege of notorious outlaw William Quantrill (Donlevy) before making history as leader of his own gang, in "Kansas Raiders" (1950). With Marguerite Chapman, Tony Curtis. And, in his first starring role, Rock Hudson plays famed frontier badman John Wesley Hardin in director Raoul Walsh's well-crafted Western biodrama "The Lawless Breed" (1953). Julia Adams, John McIntyre and Lee Van Cleef also star. 6 hrs. total on two discs. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English (SDH), French; theatrical trailers.
Demetrius And The Gladiators [DVD](1954) DVD
The story of Christian persecution in ancient Rome begun in "The Robe" continues here, as arena fighter Victor Mature pits his newfound faith against the might of demented emperor Caligula. Also stars Susan Hayward, Jay Robinson, Debra Paget, Michael Rennie, William Marshall and Ernest Borgnine. 101 min. Widescreen; Soundtracks: English 4.0 and stereo, French; Subtitles: English, Spanish; theatrical trailer; scene access.
Love Me Tender [DVD](1956) DVD
Elvis Presley makes his feature film debut in this Civil War-era musical drama. The King plays Clint Reno, a Texas man too young to fight in the war. Clint marries his older brother Vance's sweetheart after the family hears reports of his death on the battlefield. When Vance turns out to be alive, his return is fraught with emotional turmoil and complicated further by a missing government payroll stolen by Vance's comrades-in-arms. Songs include "Poor Boy," "We're Gonna Move," and the title tune. Richard Egan, Debra Paget, and Robert Middleton also star. 89 min. Widescreen; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital stereo, Dolby Digital mono, Spanish Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish; audio commentary; featurettes; photo gallery; theatrical trailers.
The Hunters [DVD](1958) DVD
Exciting aerial action and a love triangle are the elements of this Korean War drama. Robert Mitchum, Lee Philips and Robert Wagner are U.S. pilots putting their lives on the line in combat against Chinese fliers. While on leave in Japan, Mitchum is drawn to May Britt, Philips' wife, but when Philips is shot down behind enemy lines, Mitchum and Wagner undertake an unauthorized rescue mission. 107 min. Standard and Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 4.0; Subtitles: English, Spanish.
A Summer Place [DVD](1959) DVD
Classic soap opera set in a scenic New England town where teenagers and adults discover love and its many entanglements. Richard Egan and Dorothy McGuire are the former lovers who carry on an affair behind their spouses' backs, while Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue play their respective children, engaged in their own romance. With Arthur Kennedy, Constance Ford, and that ever-hummable theme song. 130 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English; theatrical trailer.
These Thousand Hills [DVD](1959) DVD
Hoping to make it big in the cattle ranching business, Lat Evans (Don Murray) pursues wealth so blindly that he manages to lose sight of simple moral values. Forgetting those of modest or morally questionable origins who aided him in obtaining his riches, the resourceful but selfish Evans makes choices that have tragic consequences. Richard Egan, Lee Remick, and Patricia Owens also star in this deeply psychological Western drama. 96 min. Standard and Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital stereo, Dolby Digital mono, Spanish Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish; photo gallery.
Esther And The King [DVD](1960) DVD
Lavish Biblical spectacle starring Joan Collins as Esther, the Jewish girl who marries King Ahasuerus of Persia in hopes of helping ease the persecution of her conquered people. Richard Egan, Denis O'Dea star; Raoul Walsh directs. 110 min.
Pollyanna [DVD](1960) DVD
Beloved Disney family tale about a warm-hearted 12-year-old orphan who goes to live with her aunt in a small New England village at the turn of the century and manages to win over the townsfolk with her optimistic attitudes. Hayley Mills, Jane Wyman, Karl Malden, Agnes Moorehead star. 134 min. Widescreen; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital Surround; Subtitles: Spanish; audio commentary by Mills, more; bonus cartoon; featurettes; "making of" documentary; publicity archives.
The 300 Spartans [DVD](1962) DVD
Epic fight scenes highlight this historical actioner, set in 5th-century B.C. Greece, which depicts the heroic doomed stand of a band of fierce Spartan warriors against overwhelming Persian forces during the Battle of Thermopylae. Richard Egan, Ralph Richardson, Barry Coe, and Diane Baker star. AKA: "Lion of Sparta." 108 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital stereo, Dolby Digital mono, Spanish Dolby Digital mono.
Cult Camp Classics, Vol. 2: Women In Peril [DVD] DVD
Three-disc set includes "Caged!," "The Big Cube" and "Trog."
Day Of The Wolves [DVD](1973) DVD
Knockout crime drama in which seven mysterious bearded men arrive in a small town and proceed to sever all lines of communications. The town's former sheriff eventually arrives on the scene to stop their criminal scheme. Richard Egan, Rick Jason, Martha Hyer, and Jan Murray star. 95 min. Soundtrack: English.
Action Man Collection [DVD] DVD
When businessman (and retired thug) Jean Gabin gets an offer he can't refuse from "Action Man" (1967) Robert Stack, he agrees to pull off one final caper, which runs smoothly until criminal rivals kidnap Gabin's wife. Slick French-Italian crime film co-stars Margaret Lee, Jean Topart. The espionage thriller "Peking Blonde" (1967) concerns a beautiful woman with amnesia who could hold valuable military secrets. Is she really the ex-mistress of a Chinese nuclear scientist? With Edward G. Robinson, Mireille Darc. AKA: "Blonde from Peking." In the knockout crime drama "The Day of the Wolves" (1971), seven mysterious bearded men arrive in a small town and sever all lines of communications. The town's former sheriff eventually arrives on the scene to stop their criminal scheme. Richard Egan, Martha Hyer, and Jan Murray star. Are two mercenaries ready for "The Big Game" (1972) when they are hired to protect a scientist who invents a mind-control weapon? And, could the weapon ever be turned against them? Ray Milland, Stephen Boyd star. AKA: "Control Factor." 6 hrs. total on two discs. Widescreen; Soundtrack: English (dubbed) Dolby Digital mono. Dubbed in English.
Throw Out The Anchor [DVD](1974) DVD
In this amiable comedy, an unemployed, widowed public relations worker takes his son and daughter to Florida for a vacation on a houseboat. But when they get there, the family winds up helping local residents fight corporate polluters. Richard Egan, Dina Merrill, Alison Arngrim star. 90 min. Soundtrack: English.

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richard egan photos and posters available

filmography

FILM
The Sweet Creek County War (1979) with Nita Talbot and Slim Pickens
The Amsterdam Kill (1977) with Robert Mitchum, Bradford Dillman, and Leslie Nielsen
Mission to Glory (1977) with Ricardo Montalban, Rory Calhoun, John Ireland, John Russell, Cesar Romero, and Aldo Ray
Throw Out the Anchor (1974) with Dina Merrill and Alison Arngrim
Shootout in a One-Dog Town (1974) with Richard Crenna and Stefanie Powers
Day of the Wolves (1973) with Martha Hyer and Jan Murray
Left Hand of Gemini (1972) with Ian McShane
Moonfire (1972) with Richard Bull
The House That Would Not Die (1970) with Barbara Stanwyck
The Big Cube (1969) with Lana Turner and George Chakiris
Chubasco (1968) with Susan Strasberg, Ann Sothern, and Christopher Jones
The Destructors (1968) with John Ericson, David Brian, and Patricia Owens
Valley of Mystery (1966) with Julie Adams, Peter Graves, Lisa Gaye, and Lois Nettleton
Fanfare for a Death Scene (1964) with Tina Louise, Ed Asner, and Telly Savalas
The 300 Spartans (1962) with Ralph Richardson, Barry Coe, Diane Baker, and Kieron Moore
Esther and the King (1960) with Joan Collins and Rik Battaglia
Pollyanna (1960) with Hayley Mills, Jane Wyman, and Agnes Moorehead
A Summer Place (1959) with Troy Donahue, Sandra Dee, Constance Ford, and Dorothy McGuire
These Thousand Hills (1959) with Don Murray, Lee Remick, Stuart Whitman, and Patricia Owens
The Hunters (1958) with Robert Mitchum and May Britt
Voice in the Mirror (1958) with Julie London, Troy Donahue, Walter Matthau, and Max Showalter
Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (1957) with Julie Adams, Jan Sterling, Mickey Hargitay, and Walter Matthau
Love Me Tender (1956) with Elvis Presley, Debra Paget, Bruce Bennett, and William Campbell
Tension at Table Rock (1956) with Dorothy Malone, Cameron Mitchell, and Angie Dickinson
The Revolt of Mamie Stover (1956) with Jane Russell, Agnes Moorehead, and Sally Todd
The View from Pompey's Head (1955) with Dana Wynter and Cameron Mitchell
Underwater! (1955) with Jane Russell, Gilbert Roland, and Lori Nelson
Seven Cities of Gold (1955) with Jeffrey Hunter, Michael Rennie, Rita Moreno, and Anthony Quinn
Violent Saturday (1955) with Victor Mature, Virginia Leith, Margaret Hayes, and Tommy Noonan
Untamed (1955) with Tyrone Power, Susan Hayward, and Agnes Moorehead
Khyber Patrol (1954) with Raymond Burr and Dawn Addams
Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954) with Victor Mature, Susan Hayward, Debra Paget, and Michael Rennie
Gog (1954) with Herbert Marshall
Wicked Woman (1953) with Beverly Michaels
The Kid from Left Field (1953) with Dan Dailey, Lloyd Bridges, and Anne Bancroft
The Glory Brigade (1953) with Victor Mature, Lee Marvin, and Alvy Moore
Split Second (1953) with Jan Sterling, Alexis Smith, Stephen McNally, and Keith Andes
Blackbeard the Pirate (1952) with Linda Darnell, Keith Andes, William Bendix, and Irene Ryan
The Devil Makes Three (1952) with Gene Kelly and Pier Angeli
One Minute to Zero (1952) with Ann Blyth and Robert Mitchum
Cripple Creek (1952) with George Montgomery and Karin Booth
The Battle at Apache Pass (1952) with Jeff Chandler, Susan Cabot, Hugh O'Brian, William Reynolds, and James Best
The Golden Horde (1951) with Ann Blyth and Peggie Castle
Up Front (1951) with David Wayne and Tom Ewell
Flame of Araby (1951) with Jeff Chandler, Maureen O'Hara, Susan Cabot, Lon Chaney Jr., and Dewey Martin
Hollywood Story (1951) with Julie Adams, Richard Conte, and Jim Backus
Bright Victory (1951) with Julie Adams, Arthur Kennedy, Peggy Dow, and Jim Backus
Undercover Girl (1950) with Scott Brady, Gerald Mohr, and Alexis Smith
Highway 301 (1950) with Steve Cochran, Virginia Grey, and Gaby Andre
Kansas Raiders (1950) with Audie Murphy, Scott Brady, Brian Donlevy, Richard Arlen, Tony Curtis, James Best, and Dewey Martin
Wyoming Mail (1950) with Alexis Smith and Stephen McNally
The Good Humor Man (1950) with Jack Carson, George Reeves, Lola Albright, and Jean Wallace
The Damned Don't Cry (1950) with Joan Crawford, Steve Cochran, and David Brian

TELEVISION SERIES
Capitol, 1982-1987 CBS daytime TV series. Egan portrayed Samuel Clegg. Also among the regular cast members were Julie Adams, Rory Calhoun, Anthony Eisley, and Julie Parrish
Empire, 1962 TV series. Egan portrayed Jim Redigo. For the 1963 season, the series was shortened from one hour to 30 minutes and retitled Redigo

richard egan film now showing

Watch the trailer for Richard Egan's 1956 film Love Me Tender