Richard Lawson

Acting

Richard Lawson

Born March 7, 1947 · Loma Linda, California, USA (age 79)

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.

Known For

PoltergeistPoltergeist · 1982
Poltergeist
7.21982
MovieHorror
The Freelings' suburban home becomes the center of paranormal activity that opens a portal to the 'other side'. With help, they must cross over to get their daughter back.
Guess WhoGuess Who · 2005
Guess Who
6.02005
MovieComedyRomance
When a young African-American woman brings her fiancé home to meet her parents, she's neglected to mention one tiny detail – he's white.
Dirty HarryDirty Harry · 1971
Dirty Harry
7.51971
MovieActionCrime
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 psychopath.
StickStick · 1985
Stick
5.51985
MovieActionDrama
After getting out of jail, car thief Ernest "Stick" Stickley witnesses the murder of his friend Rainy during a drug deal. To avoid getting killed by the same people, who work for mobster Chucky, Stick gets a job as a chauffeur for millionaire Barry Braham and lies low. As he gets used to his new routine, Stick woos Barry's financial consultant, Kyle McClaren, but must fight back when Chucky's men come after him.
Streets of FireStreets of Fire · 1984
Streets of Fire
6.91984
MovieAction
Raven Shaddock and his gang of merciless biker friends kidnap rock singer Ellen Aim. Ellen's former lover, soldier-for-hire Tom Cody, happens to be passing through town on a visit. In an attempt to save his star act, Ellen's manager hires Tom to rescue her. Along with a former soldier, they battle through dangerous cityscapes, determined to get Ellen back.
Wag the DogWag the Dog · 1997
Wag the Dog
6.91997
MovieComedyDrama
During the final weeks of a presidential race, the President is accused of sexual misconduct. To distract the public until the election, the President's adviser hires a Hollywood producer to help him stage a fake war.
Scream Blacula ScreamScream Blacula Scream · 1973
Scream Blacula Scream
5.91973
MovieHorrorFantasy
After an aging voodoo priestess dies, her arrogant son Willis Daniel's believes he is next in line to lead. He is outraged when Lisa, his mother's adopted apprentice is chosen as the leader. Willis seeks revenge by reviving the African prince Blacula — but soon finds that he cannot control him.
For Colored GirlsFor Colored Girls · 2010
For Colored Girls
6.72010
MovieDrama
A film about existence from the perspective of 20 nameless black females. Each of the women portray one of the characters represented in the collection of twenty poems, revealing different issues that impact women in general and women of color in particular.

Movies

PoltergeistPoltergeist · 1982
Poltergeist
7.21982
MovieHorror
The Freelings' suburban home becomes the center of paranormal activity that opens a portal to the 'other side'. With help, they must cross over to get their daughter back.
Guess WhoGuess Who · 2005
Guess Who
6.02005
MovieComedyRomance
When a young African-American woman brings her fiancé home to meet her parents, she's neglected to mention one tiny detail – he's white.
Dirty HarryDirty Harry · 1971
Dirty Harry
7.51971
MovieActionCrime
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 psychopath.
StickStick · 1985
Stick
5.51985
MovieActionDrama
After getting out of jail, car thief Ernest "Stick" Stickley witnesses the murder of his friend Rainy during a drug deal. To avoid getting killed by the same people, who work for mobster Chucky, Stick gets a job as a chauffeur for millionaire Barry Braham and lies low. As he gets used to his new routine, Stick woos Barry's financial consultant, Kyle McClaren, but must fight back when Chucky's men come after him.
Streets of FireStreets of Fire · 1984
Streets of Fire
6.91984
MovieAction
Raven Shaddock and his gang of merciless biker friends kidnap rock singer Ellen Aim. Ellen's former lover, soldier-for-hire Tom Cody, happens to be passing through town on a visit. In an attempt to save his star act, Ellen's manager hires Tom to rescue her. Along with a former soldier, they battle through dangerous cityscapes, determined to get Ellen back.
Wag the DogWag the Dog · 1997
Wag the Dog
6.91997
MovieComedyDrama
During the final weeks of a presidential race, the President is accused of sexual misconduct. To distract the public until the election, the President's adviser hires a Hollywood producer to help him stage a fake war.
Scream Blacula ScreamScream Blacula Scream · 1973
Scream Blacula Scream
5.91973
MovieHorrorFantasy
After an aging voodoo priestess dies, her arrogant son Willis Daniel's believes he is next in line to lead. He is outraged when Lisa, his mother's adopted apprentice is chosen as the leader. Willis seeks revenge by reviving the African prince Blacula — but soon finds that he cannot control him.
For Colored GirlsFor Colored Girls · 2010
For Colored Girls
6.72010
MovieDrama
A film about existence from the perspective of 20 nameless black females. Each of the women portray one of the characters represented in the collection of twenty poems, revealing different issues that impact women in general and women of color in particular.
The Last StandThe Last Stand · 2006
The Last Stand
4.12006
MovieDrama
The Last Stand, a drama that chronicles the life of four very different people attempting success as performers in Los Angeles until life becomes too much to handle.
Always a BridesmaidAlways a Bridesmaid · 2019
Always a Bridesmaid
6.82019
MovieRomanceComedy
Tired of always being the bridesmaid, Corina James wonders if marriage is for everyone else but her, even when she finally meets Mr. Right.
Tyler Perry's Divorce in the BlackTyler Perry's Divorce in the Black · 2024
Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black
7.22024
MovieDramaThriller
Ava, a young bank professional is devastated when her husband Dallas abandons a marriage she is determined to fight for until fate intervenes, revealing Dallas' wicked deeds that have trashed their marriage, and once upon a time sabotaged Ava's destiny to be loved by her true soulmate.
How Stella Got Her Groove BackHow Stella Got Her Groove Back · 1998
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
5.81998
MovieDramaComedy
Through good times and bad, Stella and Delilah have always had each other. Now, Stella's so busy building a life that she's forgotten how to really live. But Delilah is about to change all that. What starts as a quick trip to Jamaica, ends as an exhilarating voyage of self discovery as Stella learns to open her heart and find love – even if it's with a man 20 years her junior.
Coming HomeComing Home · 1978
Coming Home
7.01978
MovieDramaRomance
In 1968 California, a Marine officer's wife falls in love with a former high school classmate who suffered a paralyzing combat injury in the war.
Audrey RoseAudrey Rose · 1977
Audrey Rose
5.71977
MovieDramaHorror
A man is convinced that 11-year old girl, Ivy, is the reincarnation of his own daughter Audrey Rose, who died in a fiery car accident, along with his wife, two minutes before Ivy was born.
The Main EventThe Main Event · 1979
The Main Event
5.31979
MovieComedyRomance
A bankrupt entrepreneur attempts to recoup some of her losses by getting a washed-out boxer she picked up as a tax loss back into the ring — an idea her protégé isn't fond of.
Love for SaleLove for Sale · 2008
Love for Sale
6.02008
MovieComedyDrama
Trey is a young deliveryman who can't seem to catch a break. His whole life is a shambles - no money for college and no game to attract the ladies. After a failed attempt to get together with the girl of his dreams, Trey gets caught up by a seductive older woman who pays for his "personal delivery services." He's having the time of his life - at first, but this deceptively ideal situation soon sends his life spinning out of control!
North HollywoodNorth Hollywood · 2021
North Hollywood
5.32021
MovieComedyDrama
A kid must decide between choosing the future his father wants and following his dream of becoming a pro skater.
Under the InfluenceUnder the Influence · 1986
Under the Influence
5.91986
MovieDramaTV Movie
Noah Talbot is a long-time alcoholic whose drinking begins to have a devastating effect not only on his personal life but on his family as well.
LemonadeLemonade · 2016
Lemonade
8.42016
MovieMusicTV Movie
The second "visual album" (a collection of short films) by Beyoncé, this time around she takes a piercing look at racial issues and feminist concepts through a sexualized, satirical, and solemn tone.
Jackie's Back!Jackie's Back! · 1999
Jackie's Back!
6.91999
MovieComedyMusic
A British documentarian profiles washed-up diva Jackie Washington as she prepares for her comeback concert.
From Zero to I Love YouFrom Zero to I Love You · 2019
From Zero to I Love You
5.22019
MovieRomance
Pete is a gay man from Philadelphia whose fear of intimacy leads him to getting involved with married men. His father Ron, and his soon-to-be step mom, Pamela, are on him to find someone who's actually available and to settle down. Instead, he finds a man named Jack who is fifteen years into a perfect marriage with two beautiful children and an enviable wife. This will force both men to confront what they really want in their romantic lives.
Blue Hill AvenueBlue Hill Avenue · 2003
Blue Hill Avenue
6.82003
MovieDramaCrime
A child of a middle class home with solid moral values is lured into a world of crime and corruption.
Double Your PleasureDouble Your Pleasure · 1989
Double Your Pleasure
6.31989
MovieComedyTV Movie
A television movie about an FBI agent (Jackée) who breaks her leg while trying to capture drug runners, and her identical twin sister (also portrayed by Jackée), a waitress who is enlisted to take her place. Masquerading as a sophisticated financial analyst, the twin is thrust into a dangerous game of organized crime and official corruption with a shady business mogul.
The ForgottenThe Forgotten · 1989
The Forgotten
5.81989
MovieActionThriller
Based on a story by Vietnam veteran Paul Staples, the film concerns six American Green Berets, held for 17 years in a Vietnamese POW camp. They are finally released in secret, during a delicate trade-talk session between Vietnam and the United States. Captain Tom Watkins, the ex-prisoners' CO, begins to suspect that government-man Adam Roth, who is in charge of the debriefing, may be pursuing a hidden agenda that will result in the early deaths of Watkins and the five men under his command.

TV Shows

Grey's AnatomyGrey's Anatomy · 2005
Grey's Anatomy
8.22005
SeriesDrama
Follows the personal and professional lives of a group of doctors at Seattle's Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
JAGJAG · 1995
JAG
7.31995
SeriesDrama
Harmon "Harm" Rabb Jr. is a former pilot turned lawyer working for the military's JAG (Judge Advocate General) division, the elite legal wing of officers that prosecutes and defends those accused of military-related crimes. He works closely with Lt. Col. Sarah Mackenzie, and together they do what needs to be done to find the truth.
MacGyverMacGyver · 1985
MacGyver
7.71985
SeriesDrama
He's everyone's favorite action hero... but he's a hero with a difference. Angus MacGyver is a secret agent whose wits are his deadliest weapon. Armed with only a knapsack filled with everyday items he picks up along the way, he improvises his way out of every peril the bad guys throw at him. Making a bomb out of chewing gum? Fixing a speeding car's breaks... while he's riding in it? Using soda pop to cook up tear gas? That's all in a day's adventures for MacGyver. He's part Boy Scout, part genius. And all hero.
SherriSherri · 2022
Sherri
2.62022
Series
Sherri Shepherd, actress, comic, and Emmy Award-winning longtime co-host of "The View", appears before a live audience with a daily dose of pop culture, comedy, conversations, and daytime talk staples, including celebrity and human interest interviews.
Numb3rsNumb3rs · 2005
Numb3rs
7.02005
SeriesCrimeDrama
Inspired by actual cases and experiences, Numb3rs depicts the confluence of police work and mathematics in solving crime as an FBI agent recruits his mathematical genius brother to help solve a wide range of challenging crimes in Los Angeles from a very different perspective.
DynastyDynasty · 1981
Dynasty
6.51981
SeriesDrama
The saga of a wealthy Denver family in the oil business: Blake Carrington, the patriarch; Krystle, his former secretary and wife; his children: Adam, lost in childhood after a kidnapping; Fallon, pampered and spoiled; Steven, openly gay; and Amanda, hidden from him by his ex-wife, the conniving Alexis. Most of the show features the conflict between 2 large corporations, Blake's Denver Carrington and Alexis' ColbyCo.
Judging AmyJudging Amy · 1999
Judging Amy
7.51999
SeriesDrama
Judging Amy is an American television drama that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS-TV. This TV series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly. Its main character is a judge who serves in a family court, and in addition to the family-related cases that she adjudicates, many episodes of the show focus on her own experiences as a divorced mother, and on the experiences of her mother, a social worker who works in the field of child welfare. This series was based on the life experiences of Brenneman's mother.
Magnum, P.I.Magnum, P.I. · 1980
Magnum, P.I.
7.31980
SeriesCrimeDrama
A private investigator who works when he wants, lives in a beachfront estate in Hawaii, drives a posh Ferrari, runs up an unlimited tab at a swank bar, and charms attractive women in peril - that's the lifestyle of Thomas Magnum, aka Magnum, P.I.
Beauty in BlackBeauty in Black · 2024
Beauty in Black
7.92024
SeriesDrama
A stripper's fate takes a turn when she crosses paths with the wealthy, dysfunctional family behind a cosmetics dynasty and a devious trafficking scheme.
The Cosby ShowThe Cosby Show · 1984
The Cosby Show
7.01984
SeriesComedyFamily
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992. The show focuses on the Huxtable family, an upper middle-class African-American family living in Brooklyn, New York.
KojakKojak · 1973
Kojak
7.21973
SeriesCrime
A bald, lollipop sucking police detective with a fiery righteous attitude battles crime in New York City.
Strong MedicineStrong Medicine · 2000
Strong Medicine
7.42000
SeriesDrama
The lives of staff in the womens' health clinic of a fictitious hospital in Philadelphia.
Touched by an AngelTouched by an Angel · 1994
Touched by an Angel
7.21994
SeriesSci-Fi & FantasyDrama
Monica, an angel, is tasked with bringing guidance and messages from God to various people who are at a crossroads in their lives.
St. ElsewhereSt. Elsewhere · 1982
St. Elsewhere
5.71982
SeriesDrama
St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series starred Ed Flanders, Norman Lloyd and William Daniels as teaching doctors at a lightly-regarded Boston hospital who gave interns a promising future in making critical medical and life decisions.
Medical CenterMedical Center · 1969
Medical Center
6.41969
SeriesDrama
Medical Center is a medical drama series which aired on CBS from 1969 to 1976. It was produced by MGM Television.
The DivisionThe Division · 2001
The Division
7.12001
SeriesDrama
The Division is an American crime drama television series created by Deborah Joy LeVine and starring Bonnie Bedelia. The series focused on a team of women police officers in the San Francisco Police Department. The series premiered on Lifetime on January 7, 2001 and ended on June 28, 2004 after 88 episodes.
T. J. HookerT. J. Hooker · 1982
T. J. Hooker
6.51982
SeriesDramaCrime
Sergeant Thomas Jefferson Hooker is a tough-as-nails veteran police officer with the LCPD who turns his back on a gold badge and goes back to patrolling the streets and training recruits. Along with his young partners in blue, Hooker take on Lake City's toughest criminals.
Remington SteeleRemington Steele · 1982
Remington Steele
7.11982
SeriesDramaFamily
Laura Holt, a licensed private detective, opens a detective agency but finds that potential clients refuse to hire a woman, however qualified. To solve the problem, Laura invents a fictitious male superior whom she names Remington Steele. Through a series of events that unfold in the first episode, "License to Steele," a former thief and con man, whose real name is never revealed, assumes the identity of Remington Steele. Behind the scenes, Laura remains firmly in charge.
The Bernie Mac ShowThe Bernie Mac Show · 2001
The Bernie Mac Show
6.62001
SeriesComedy
The Bernie Mac Show is an American sitcom that aired on Fox for five seasons from November 14, 2001 to April 14, 2006. The series featured comic actor Bernie Mac and his wife Wanda raising his sister's three kids: Jordan, Bryana, and Vanessa.
MoeshaMoesha · 1996
Moesha
7.11996
SeriesComedyFamily
The everyday life of Moesha Mitchell, a vivacious young woman juggling romance, school, ever-changing family dynamics, and friendships.
Sister, SisterSister, Sister · 1994
Sister, Sister
7.11994
SeriesComedyFamily
Twins Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell were separated and adopted at birth. Fourteen years later, they encounter each other by chance at the mall. After the families meet, Tia's widowed father agrees to let Tamera and her single mother move in with them.
The DistrictThe District · 2000
The District
6.82000
SeriesDrama
The District is a television police drama which aired on CBS from October 7, 2000 to May 1, 2004. The show followed the work and personal life of the chief of Washington, D.C.'s Police Department.
All in the FamilyAll in the Family · 1971
All in the Family
7.81971
SeriesComedy
Archie Bunker, a working class bigot, constantly squabbles with his family over the important issues of the day.
WiseguyWiseguy · 1987
Wiseguy
6.61987
SeriesCrimeDrama
Vinnie Terranova does time in a New Jersey penitentiary to set up his undercover role as an agent for the OCB (Organized Crime Bureau) of the United States. His roots in a traditional Italian city neighborhood form the underlying dramatic base throughout the series, bringing him into conflict with his conservative mother and other family members while acting undercover as syndicate enforcer.