Vorlage:Infobox actor 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 and served until 1946.
After the war was over, Richard Taylor played short stop 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 where 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 in 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 Award for Most Promising Newcomer as the year's most promising male film personality. Despite this, his acting career would soon declined.
In 1958, he played the title role in the NBC western series Jefferson Drum, the story of a crusading journalist with Eugene Martin portrayed his young son. The series was cancelled after one season on screen.
He was married to Vickie Taylor and they had one child before they divorced.
Jeff Richards died on July 28, 1989, aged 65 from unkown causes
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)
