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Richard Lawson

Actor

Richard Lawson

Born March 7, 1947 in Loma Linda, California, USA41 films

Richard Lee Lawson (born March 7, 1947) is an American actor who has starred in movies and on television. He is perhaps best known for his roles in genre films; he portrayed Ryan in the 1982 film Poltergeist, and Dr. Ben Taylor in the 1983 NBC miniseries V.

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Dirty Harry posterFirst watchDirty Harry19717.5as Homosexual (uncredited)When a madman dubbed 'Scorpio' terrorizes San Francisco, hard-nosed cop, Harry Callahan – famous for his take-no-prisoners approach to law enforcement – is tasked with hunting down the…View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Poltergeist poster7.2Poltergeist1982Wag the Dog poster6.9Wag the Dog1997Streets of Fire poster6.9Streets of Fire1984Guess Who poster6.0Guess Who2005Coming Home poster7.0Coming Home1978Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black poster7.2Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black2024For Colored Girls poster6.8For Colored Girls2010Audrey Rose poster5.7Audrey Rose1977

Filmography

41 films as actor
  1. 2025Aftershock: The Nicole P. Bell StoryAl Sharpton
  2. 2024Will I See You Again?
  3. 2024Tyler Perry's Divorce in the BlackClarence
  4. 2023CHAAW: Chapter 1Chief of Police
  5. 2023Black TerrorTalk Show Host
  6. 2021A Holiday ChanceGarvin
  7. 2021Not AloneDr. James Clay
  8. 2021North HollywoodAdolf's Dad
  9. 2019Always a BridesmaidCarlton Blakeston Sr.
  10. 2019From Zero to I Love YouRon Logsdon
  11. 2015A Royal Family ChristmasLeighton Royal
  12. 2015A Royal Family Holiday
  13. 2010For Colored GirlsFrank
  14. 2008Love for SaleUncle Mac
  15. 2006The Last StandWinston
  16. 2005Guess WhoMarcus
  17. 2004Christmas at Water's EdgeMr. Turner
  18. 2003Blue Hill AvenueUncle Rob
  19. 2003Maniac MageeMr. Beale
  20. 1999Jackie's Back!Milkman Summers (Jackie's Ex-Husband #1)
  21. 1999JusticeGus
  22. 1998How Stella Got Her Groove BackJack
  23. 1997Wag the DogYoung Man / CIA
  24. 1989Double Your PleasureDash
  25. 1989The ForgottenSgt. Frank " Doc " McDermott
  26. 1986Johnnie Mae Gibson: FBIAdam Prentice
  27. 1986Under the InfluenceDr. Duran
  28. 1985StickCornell
  29. 1984Streets of FireOfficer Ed Price
  30. 1982PoltergeistRyan
  31. 1980The Jericho MileR.C. Stiles
  32. 1980The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love StoryGene Davis
  33. 1979The Main EventHector Mantilla
  34. 1979CharlestonJames Harris
  35. 1978Coming HomePat
  36. 1977Black FistLeroy Fisk
  37. 1977Audrey RosePoliceman #1
  38. 1975CrossfireOfficer Ken Dillard
  39. 1974Sugar HillValentine
  40. 1973Scream Blacula ScreamWillis Daniels
  41. 1971Dirty HarryHomosexual (uncredited)