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Allan Rich

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Allan Rich
Rich in 1984
Born
Benjamin Norman Schultz

(1926-02-08)February 8, 1926
DiedAugust 22, 2020(2020-08-22) (aged 94)
OccupationActor
Years active1963–2014
Spouse
Elaine Rich
(m. 1951; died 2015)
Children2

Benjamin Norman Schultz (February 8, 1926 – August 22, 2020),[1] known professionally as Allan Rich, was an American character actor.

Career

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Rich began his acting career when he was nine years old.[2] He appeared in the Broadway productions I'll Take the High Road (1943), Career Angel (1944), Darkness at Noon (1951), and The Emperor's Clothes (1953).[3] In 1948, Rich played the title role in a production of Ben Jonson's Volpone in Yellow Springs, Ohio.[4]

Beginning in 1979, Rich was distributor and publisher of Hollywood portraits made by George Hurrell.[2]

Personal life and death

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Rich was one of the many alleged communist sympathizers blacklisted in the 1950s Hollywood blacklist.[5] He married Elaine in 1951, who would go on to be a personal manager to a number of actors after the couple moved to Los Angeles in 1976. The couple had two children together.[6] Elaine Rich died in 2015, aged 81.[6]

Rich spent the last five years of his life as a resident at the Lillian Booth Actors Home, run by the Actors Fund of America. He died from progressive dementia in Englewood, New Jersey, in August 2020, at the age of 94.[7][8]

Activism

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Rich was the co-founder of non-profit organization We Care About Kids, which produces educational short films for middle and high school youths.[9][better source needed]

Filmography

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Film
Year Title Role Notes
1973 Serpico Dist. Atty. Herman Tauber
1974 The Gambler Bernie
1975 The Happy Hooker Desk Sergeant
1978 Uncle Joe Shannon Dr. Clark
1979 Voices Montrose Meier
The Frisco Kid Mr. Bialik
The Seekers General Wayne
1980 Hero at Large Marty Fields
Leo and Loree Jarvis
1982 Eating Raoul Nazi
The Entity Dr. Walcott
Frances Mr. Bebe
1984 Kidco Jim Clark
1985 Rocky IV Boxing Commissioner Scene deleted
1986 Bad Guys Luigi Constantine
1989 Another Chance J.R. Jacobs
Checking Out Dr. Haskell
1990 Betsy's Wedding Nate Tobias
1991 Highlander II: The Quickening Allan Neyman
1994 Quiz Show Robert Kintner
Disclosure Ben Heller
1995 Two Much Reverend Larrabee
1996 Jack Dr. Benfante
The Rich Man's Wife Bill Adolphe
1997 Out to Sea Sebastian
Amistad Judge Juttson
1998 A League of Old Men Judge Also director
Malaika Sal's Pizza Customer
1999 The Dogwalker
2001 Skippy Gordan Gates
2002 The Burial Society Hy Leibowicz
2003 Intoxicating Michael Reilly
2006 The Alibi Klump
2007 Man in the Chair Speed
The Memory Thief Zvi
Rise: Blood Hunter Harrison
My Sexiest Year Papa
2008 The Last Word Francis
2013 Rain from Stars Old John
2014 Wish I Was Here Klump Final film role
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1977 The San Pedro Beach Bums Captain Rossinki Episode: "The Bums vs. the Reds"
1977 Hawaii Five-O Lou Marvin Episode: "Practical Jokes Can Kill You"
1979 Happy Days Professor Thomas Episode: "Potsie Quits School"
1979 The Seekers Gen. "Mad Anthony" Wayne 2 episodes
1979 Barney Miller Mr. Ramson, the furrier Episode: "Voice Analyzer"
1980 CHiPs Judge Towers Episode: "Jailbirds"
1981–1983 Hill Street Blues Judge Maurice Schiller 4 episodes
1981 Barney Miller Lenord the theatre producer Episode: "Resignation"
1983 Magnum, P.I. Coluga Episode: "From Moscow to Maui"
1986 Life With Lucy The Judge Episode: "Lucy, Leagle Beagle"
1987 The Golden Girls Alexi Episode: "Letter to Gorbachev"
1995 The Nanny Judge Episode: "The Party's Over"
1998 The New Batman Adventures Edward "King" Barlowe Voice, episode: "Joker's Millions"
2000–2001 Judging Amy Jim Southam 4 episodes
2004 Curb Your Enthusiasm Solly Season 4
2010 House M.D. Sidney Episode: "Selfish"

References

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  1. ^ McNary, Dave (August 24, 2020). "Allan Rich, Actor in 'Serpico,' 'Quiz Show,' 'Amistad,' Dies at 94". Variety. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Doolittle, Leslie (December 7, 1997). "Portrait of a character: Veteran actor Allan Rich". The Orlando Sentinel. Florida, Orlando. p. 2. Retrieved March 11, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Allan Rich". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on March 12, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  4. ^ "Area Theater Stages Farce". Dayton Daily News. Ohio, Dayton. November 28, 1948. p. 63. Retrieved March 11, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Hollywood's Comeback Kid at 80". Archived from the original on September 3, 2011. Retrieved April 24, 2011.
  6. ^ a b Barnes, Mike (August 17, 2015). "Elaine Rich, Personal Manager for Fran Drescher, Dies at 81". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  7. ^ Barnes, Mike (August 24, 2020). "Allan Rich, Character Actor Who Overcame the Blacklist, Dies at 94". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  8. ^ Young, Julius (August 25, 2020). "Allan Rich, 'Serpico,' Quiz Show' star who overcame Hollywood blacklist, dead at 94". Fox News. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  9. ^ http://www.wecareaboutkids.org/kids-team.htm [bare URL]
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