biography

Richard Long Born in Chicago on December 17, 1927, handsome actor Richard Long was spotted by a talent agent for films while he was in a play as a senior at Hollywood High School. As a result, he nabbed two important film roles fresh out of high school. His first roles came in a pair of RKO film noir thrillers directed by Orson Welles: Tomorrow Is Forever (1946; with Claudette Colbert and Orson Welles) and The Stranger (1946; with Edward G. Robinson and Orson Welles). Long's strong performances did not go unnoticed; Universal-International signed the youth in late 1946. The studio quickly cast him as the eldest son of Ma and Pa Kettle in the comedy The Egg and I (1947; with Claudette Colbert, Fred MacMurray, and Marjorie Main). Long acted in four of the nine films in the Ma and Pa Kettle series, later moving on to more adult roles. A two-year stint in the Army ended in 1953, after which he resumed his film career. In 1954, he married actress Suzan Ball, who was very ill at the time of their marriage; Ball died the following year from cancer. In 1957, he married another beautiful actress, scream queen Mara Corday. Corday filed for a divorce on at least two separate occasions early on in their marriage, but the couple reconciled after Long suffered a heart attack in April 1961. Although their relationship was a tumultuous one, they remained married for the rest of his life.

Rock Hudson and Richard Long Universal and Long parted ways in 1955, and his film career began to sputter. From the mid 1950s through the mid 1960s, Long acted in just six more films, including William Castle's House on Haunted Hill (1959; with Vincent Price and Carol Ohmart), Follow the Boys (1963; with Connie Francis and Paula Prentiss), and Make Like a Thief (1964), which was his last theatrically released film. Although his film career had gone south, Long made a name for himself in television beginning in the late 1950s, starring in the series Maverick, Bourbon Street Beat, 77 Sunset Strip, The Big Valley, and Nanny and the Professor.

the films of richard long

Tomorrow is Forever (1946)

Richard Long, George Brent, and Orson Welles

Orson Welles directed and starred in the film noir thriller Tomorrow is Forever, Richard Long's first film. Pictured are Richard Long, George Brent, and Orson Welles

The Stranger (1946)

Richard Long

From another Orson Welles film noir thriller The Stranger, released by RKO

The Life of Riley (1949)

Richard Long and Meg Randall

With Meg Randall in the Universal-International comedy The Life of Riley

Ma and Pa Kettle (1949)

Richard Long, Meg Randall, Marjorie Main, and Percy Kilbride

From Universal-International's hilarious comedy Ma and Pa Kettle, the sequel to the 1947 film The Egg and I. Pictured are Richard Long, Meg Randall, Marjorie Main, and Percy Kilbride

Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm (1951)

Meg Randall, Richard Long, and Marjorie Main

From Universal-International comedy Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm, which marked Richard Long's last appearance in the popular comedy film series. Pictured are Meg Randall, Richard Long, and Marjorie Main

Air Cadet (1951)

James Best, Alex Nicol, Charles Drake, Gail Russell, Stephen McNally, Richard Long, and Robert Arthur

From the Universal-International drama Air Cadets with James Best, Alex Nicol, Charles Drake, Gail Russell, Stephen McNally, and Robert Arthur

All American (1953)

Richard Long and Mamie Van Doren

With Mamie Van Doren in the football-themed Universal-International drama All American

Cult of the Cobra (1955)

Faith Domergue, Marshall Thompson, and Richard LongRichard Long and Marshall ThompsonRichard LongRichard Long

From Universal-International's intriguing horror flick Cult of the Cobra. LEFT: With Faith Domergue and Marshall Thompson. CENTER A: With Marshall Thompson. CENTER B: Long as G.I. Paul Abel. RIGHT: Long comes face to face with the cobra

Fury at Gunsight Pass (1956)

Morris Ankrum, Lisa Davis, and Richard Long

With Morris Ankrum and Lisa Davis in the Columbia western Fury at Gunsight Pass

House on Haunted Hill (1959)

Richard Long and Carolyn CraigRichard Long and Carolyn Craig

With Carolyn Craig in the Allied Artists horror flick House on Haunted Hill, directed by William Castle

Follow the Boys (1963)

Russ Tamblyn, Paula Prentiss, Richard Long, Dany Robin, Roger Perry, Connie Francis, Ron Randell, and Janis Paige

From the MGM romantic musical Follow the Boys. Pictured are Russ Tamblyn, Paula Prentiss, Richard Long, Dany Robin, Roger Perry, Connie Francis, Ron Randell, and Janis Paige

The Big Valley (1965-1969 ABC TV Series)

Richard LongLee Majors, Linda Evans, Peter Breck, Richard Long, and Barbara Stanwyck

LEFT: Long portrayed Jarrod Barkley on the ABC TV western The Big Valley. RIGHT: Cast photo from 1966, with Lee Majors, Linda Evans, Peter Breck, and Barbara Stanwyck

Nanny and the Professor (1970-1971 ABC TV Series)

Juliet Mills, Kim Richards, Trent Lehman, David Doremus, and Richard Long

From the ABC situation comedy Nanny and the Professor. Pictured are Juliet Mills, Kim Richards, Trent Lehman, David Doremus, and Richard Long

later years

Television series and made-for-television films kept Richard Long busy throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. His final work can be seen in the made-for television movies The Girl Who Came Gift-Wrapped (1974; with Karen Valentine, Tom Bosley, and Farrah Fawcett) and Death Cruise (1974; with Poly Bergen and Cesare Danova). A heavy smoker and troubled with heart problems for years, Long died at the age of 47 on December 21, 1974. He was survived by his wife, Mara Corday, and their two sons and daughter. Long's sister Barbara was married to actor Marshall Thompson until he passed away in 1992.

filmography

FILM
Death Cruise (1974) with Polly Bergen, Kate Jackson, Celeste Holm, Tom Bosley, and Cesare Danova
The Girl Who Came Gift-Wrapped (1974) with Karen Valentine, Tom Bosley, Farrah Fawcett, Dave Madden, and Louise Sorel
Make Like a Thief (1964)
The Tenderfoot (1964) with Brian Keith, Brandon De Wilde, and James Whitmore
Follow the Boys (1963) with Connie Francis, Paula Prentiss, Janis Paige, Russ Tamblyn, Ron Randell, and Roger Perry
Tokyo After Dark (1959) with Michi Kobi
House on Haunted Hill (1959) with Vincent Price, Carol Ohmart, Carolyn Craig, and Elisha Cook Jr.
He Laughed Last (1956) with Frankie Laine, Anthony Dexter, and Jesse White
Fury at Gunsight Pass (1956) with David Brian, Neville Brand, Lisa Davis, and Morris Ankrum
Cult of the Cobra (1955) with Faith Domergue, Marshall Thompson, Kathleen Hughes, William Reynolds, Jack Kelly, and David Janssen
Playgirl (1954) with Shelley Winters, Barry Sullivan, Colleen Miller, Gregg Palmer, Kent Taylor, and and Mara Corday
Saskatchewan (1954) with Alan Ladd, Shelley Winters, J. Carrol Naish, and Hugh O'Brian
All American (1953) with Tony Curtis, Lori Nelson, Mamie Van Doren, Gregg Palmer, Stuart Whitman, and Frank Gifford
All I Desire (1953) with Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Carlson, Lyle Bettger, Marcia Henderson, Lori Nelson, Maureen O'Sullivan, and Billy Gray
Back at the Front (1952) with Tom Ewell, Harvey Lembeck, Mari Blanchard, Gregg Palmer, and Russell Johnson
Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm (1951) with Marjorie Main, Percy Kilbride, and Ray Collins
Air Cadet (1951) with Stephen McNally, Gail Russell, Alex Nicol, Charles Drake, Rock Hudson, Peggie Castle, James Best, and Parley Baer
Kansas Raiders (1950) with Audie Murphy, Brian Donlevy, Marguerite Chapman, Scott Brady, Tony Curtis, Richard Arlen, James Best, Dewey Martin, and Richard Egan
Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town (1950) with Marjorie Main, Percy Kilbride, Charles McGraw, Jim Backus, and Hal March
The Life of Riley (1949) with William Bendix and Rosemary DeCamp
Ma and Pa Kettle (1949) with Marjorie Main, Percy Kilbride, and Meg Randall
Criss Cross (1949) with Burt Lancaster, Yvonne De Carlo, Dan Duryea, Stephen McNally, and Alan Napier
Tap Roots (1948) with Van Heflin, Susan Hayward, Boris Karloff, Julie London, and Ward Bond
The Egg and I (1947) with Claudette Colbert, Fred MacMurray, Marjorie Main, Louise Allbritton, and Percy Kilbride
The Dark Mirror (1946) with Olivia de Havilland, Lew Ayres, and Thomas Mitchell
The Stranger (1946) with Edward G. Robinson, Loretta Young, and Orson Welles
Tomorrow Is Forever (1946) with Claudette Colbert, Orson Welles, George Brent, and Natalie Wood

TELEVISION SERIES
Thicker Than Water, 1973 TV series. Long portrayed Ernie Paine
Nanny and the Professor, 1970-1971 ABC TV series. Long portrayed Professor Harold Everett
The Big Valley, 1965-1969 ABC TV series. Long portrayed Jarrod Barkley. Also starring in this series were Barbara Stanwyck, Peter Breck, Lee Majors, and Linda Evans
77 Sunset Strip, 1958-1964 ABC TV series. Long portrayed Rex Randolph during the 1960-1961 season
Bourbon Street Beat, 1959-1960 ABC TV series. Long portrayed Rex Randolph. Also starring in this series was Van Williams
Maverick, 1957-1962 ABC TV series. Long portrayed Gentleman Jack Darby during the 1958-1959 season. Also starring in this series was Peter Breck, Jack Kelly, and James Garner

richard long trailers now showing

Watch the trailer for Richard Long's 1949 noir thriller Criss Cross

richard long film now showing

Watch Richard Long's 1974 made-for-TV movie Death Cruise
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This page premiered June 28, 2004.
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