Richard Harrisson

Richard Harrisson
Film director, Actor, Producer, Screenwriter
Principal country concerned : Column : Music, Theater, Cinema/tv, Dance

Date of birth (location)
26 May 1935
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Mini biography
Richard Harrison (II)

Musclebound actor Richard Harrison was one of a slew of handsome young American pectoral hunks of the late 50s whose career in Hollywood amounted to little more than brawny bits until being lured to Italy and churning out the sword-and-sandal pictures that became an early 60s craze. Harrison would end up making over 100 films due to this lucky trek abroad.

Born on May 26, 1936 in Salt Lake City, he relocated to sunny Southern California in his late teens where his blond, tanned, chiseled good looks (he was sometimes mistaken for handsome actor Guy Madison) landed him modeling work both on runways and in beefcake magazines. It didn't take long for him to be noticed by Hollywood casting agents. At first cast in small he-man roles, usually as a virile guy in uniform, he can be obscurely seen in Jeanne Eagels (1957), his film debut starring Kim Novak, Kronos (1957) with Jeff Morrow, Too Much, Too Soon (1958) starring Dorothy Malone, South Pacific (1958), in which he can be glimpsed as a co-pilot, and Battle Flame (1959) with Scott Brady and a young Robert Blake. While filming another minor role in Master of the World (1961) he met producer James H. Nicholson's daughter, Loretta, and married her within six months. The couple produced three sons.

Frustrated at not being able to secure meatier roles in Hollywood, Richard jumped at the chance when offered the lead role in Gladiatore invincibile, Il (1962) [The Invincible Gladiator] which was filming in Europe. He wound up settling in Italy for the next two decades. His first role, of course, immediately typed him as another Steve Reeves type and, to avoid being penned in too much as a mythological muscle man, he sought roles in routine spaghetti westerns and spy intrigue. Once Italy closed down film production after the Herculean craze had died down, he, like others, found himself unemployed. He did manage to scrape up work in Hong Kong, but a large portion of them were bottom-of-the-barrel Ninja movies.

Remarried in 1978, Harrison had already begun acting less and less while delving into producing and directing. He has retired fully now except perhaps for an occasional script writing assignment.

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IMDb mini-biography by
Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net
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Spouse
Maria Francesca Pomentale (1978 - present) 1 child
Loretta Nicholson (1961 - ?) (divorced) 3 children

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Trivia
Harrison was another in a long line of American hunks with super physiques who 'muscled' in on Steve Reeves' territory by traveling to Italy in the early 60s when he couldn't kickstart an American film career. Appearing in scores of sword-and-sandal spectaclaes and 'spaghetti' westerns, Harrison, unlike the others, was able to keep the momentum going later on in Hong Kong-produced kung fu movies.

Harrison was the one who suggested Clint Eastwood to Sergio Leone when the famed director was looking for a lead in "A Fistful of Dollars" in 1964.

In his salad days he joined the Athletic Model Guild and became a popular poser for such physique magazines as "Body Beautiful," "Tomorrow's Man," "Physique Pictorial" and "Man Alive."

Had three sons with first wife, Loretta. One son, Sebastian Harrison, appeared in several films but quit acting and got into the computer business; another lives in San Luis Obispo; a third son is deceased. He also has a daughter by his second marriage.

In the mid-eighties, he worked in Hong Kong with director Godfrey Ho and producer Joseph Lai, making several "ninja" b-actioners. However, without his knowledge, the film-makers edited Harrison's scenes into several more movies, which were released with him as the star. Harrison found himself the unwitting and unwilling star of more than a dozen of z-grade actioners, which strongly tarnished his reputation.

Father of Richard Harrison II,

Father of Robert Harrison

Father of Sebastian Harrison

Husband of Maria Francesca


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Personal quotes
"In my opinion, it is a death wish for an actor to be in too many B or should I say C movies. Maybe my greatest contribution to cinema was not doing Fistful of Dollars, and recommending Clint for the part."


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Where are they now
Retired from the movie business. Lives in California.


Actor - filmography

Jerks (2000)

Angel Eyes (1993) .... Vince

Lies of the Twins (1991) (TV) .... Jack Roth

Paid to Kill (1991) .... James Burton

Empire of the Dark (1990)

The Channeler (1990) .... Jack

Terminal Force (1989) .... Nick Tyree

Rescue Force (1989) (V) .... Chief CIA Agent
... aka Rescue Team (Philippines: English title)

Dark Mission (Operación cocaína) (1988)
... aka Dark Mission (Les fleurs du mal) (France)
... aka Dark Mission: Evil Flowers (USA)
... aka Flowers of Evil (USA: video title)

Scorpion Thunderbolt (1988)

Ninja Powerforce (1988) .... Ninja Master Gordon

Ninja Strike Force (1988) .... Gordon

Operation Las Vegas (1988) .... Jefferson

Evil Spawn (1987) .... Max Adrian
... aka Alien Within
... aka Alive by Night
... aka Deadly Sting
... aka Metamorphosis (Australia: video title)

Ninja: Silent Assassin (1987) .... Gordon
... aka Knight & Warrior (UK: video title)
... aka Ninja Operation: Knight & Warrior

Ninja Operation: Licensed to Terminate (1987)
... aka Ninja Operation: Licensed to Terminate (UK)

Cobra vs. Ninja (1987) .... Ninja master Gordon
... aka Cobra Against Ninja (Hong Kong: English title)

Ninja Avengers (1987)

Ninja Commandments (1987) .... Ninja Master Gordon

Hands of Death (1987)
... aka Hitman the Cobra (International: English title)

Ninja Kill (1987) .... Ninja master Gordon

Diamond Ninja Force (1986) .... Ninja Master Gordon

Ninja Dragon (1986) .... Gordon

Three Men on Fire (1986) .... Matt, CIA agent
... aka Tre uomini di fuoco (Italy)
... aka Chasse à l'homme (Cameroon)

Ninja the Protector (1986) .... Gordon Anderson, Ninja Master

Golden Ninja Warrior (1986)

Ninja Squad (1986) .... Ninja master Gordon

Ninja Hunt (1986)

Ninja Thunderbolt (1985)
... aka Ninja and the Thief
... aka To Catch a Ninja (USA: video title)

Ninja Champion (1985) .... Richard

È arrivato mio fratello (1985) .... Spinetti
... aka My Brother Has Come

Majestic Thunderbolt (1985)

Ninja Terminator (1985) .... Ninja master Harry

Inferno Thunderbolt (1985) .... Richard

Ninja Holocaust (1985)
... aka 108 Golden Killers

"Série noire" (1 episode, 1984)
- Neige à Capri (1984) TV Episode

Blood Debts (1984) .... Mark Collins

Hunter's Crossing (1983) .... Burns Jr.

Hajji Washington (1982) .... President Andrew Johnson

Amok (1982) .... Elton Horn

Corri come il vento, Kiko (1982)

Intrusion Cambodia (1981)

Mondana nuda, La (1980)

Gymkata Killer (1980) .... Richard Cannon
... aka Challenge of the Tiger (International: English title)
... aka Dragon Bruce Le
... aka San lung maang taam (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)
... aka Shen long meng tan (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)

Orgasmo nero (1980) .... Paul
... aka Black Orgasm
... aka Orgasmo negro (Dominican Republic)
... aka Voodoo Baby

Strategia per una missione di morte (1979) .... Richard Benson
... aka Black Gold Dossier (USA: bootleg title)
... aka Guerre du pétrole, La (France)
... aka Lorna, la lionne du désert (France: video title)
... aka Squadra d'azione... oro nero (Italy)

Pakleni otok (1979)

Napoli storia d'amore e di vendetta (1979)

Guappi non si toccano, I (1979) .... Questore Ferrari

Provincia violenta (1978) .... Augusto

Napoli: i 5 della squadra speciale (1978)

Fireback (1978) .... Jack Kaplan

Clouzot & C. contro Borsalino & C. (1977)

Belva col mitra, La (1977) .... Comm. Giulio Santini
... aka Beast with a Gun (USA: DVD title)
... aka Feroce (Italy: alternative title)
... aka Mad Dog
... aka Street Killers (USA)
... aka The Human Beast (USA)
... aka The Mad Dog Killer (USA)
... aka Wild Beasts with Machine Guns (USA: informal English title)

Natascha - Todesgrüße aus Moskau (1977)
... aka KGB - Agenten sterben einsam (West Germany: video title)
... aka Natascha - Die tödliche Masche (West Germany)
... aka Natascha: The Deadly Drop (Australia: video title)

Kaput lager - gli ultimi giorni delle SS (1977) .... Major Lexman
... aka Achtung! The Desert Tigers (Europe: English title)
... aka The Desert Heroes (Philippines: English title)

Pa kuo lien chun (1976) .... Von Waldersee, the German Commander
... aka Bloody Avengers

Ma Ko Po Lo (1975) .... Marco Polo
... aka Four Assassins
... aka Marco Polo
... aka The Four Assassins (USA)

Quei paracul... pi di Jolando e Margherito (1975) .... Jolando
Viaje de locos, Un (1974)

Donna per sette bastardi, Una (1974)
... aka The Sewer Rats

Romanzo di un giovane povero, Il (1974)

Pugni, pirati e karatè (1973)
... aka Pugni, pupe e karatè (Italy)

Fabulosos de Trinidad, Los (1972) .... Scott
... aka Alla larga amigos... oggi ho il grilletto facile (Italy)
... aka Fabulous Trinity (USA)
... aka With Friends, Nothing Is Easy (USA)

Spara Joe... e così sia! (1972) .... Joe Dakota
... aka Joe Dakota (USA)
... aka Shoot Joe, and Shoot Again (USA)

Due fratelli (1972) .... Jesse Smith
... aka A Place Called Trinity
... aka Due fratelli in un posto chiamato Trinità (Italy)
... aka Jesse and Lester (UK)
... aka Jesse and Lester, Two Brothers in a Place Called Trinity
... aka Trinity
... aka Two Brothers in Trinity (USA)

Lunga cavalcata della vendetta, La (1972) .... Jeff Carter
... aka Deadly Trackers (USA)
... aka Long Cavalcade of Vengeance

Amico del padrino, L' (1972) .... Richard Maddock
... aka Babanin arkadasi (Turkey: Turkish title)
... aka Revenge of the Godfather (USA: video title)
... aka The Godfather's Friend (USA)
... aka The Specialist (USA: dubbed version)

Acquasanta Joe (1971) .... Charlie Bennett
... aka Holy Water Joe

Reverendo Colt (1971) .... Sheriff Donovan
... aka Reverend's Colt (USA)

Lo chiamavano King (1971) .... John 'King' Marley
... aka Bullet King (Philippines: English title)
... aka His Name Was King

Abre tu fosa, amigo, llega Sábata... (1971) .... Steve McGowan
... aka Dig Your Grave Friend... Sabata's Coming (USA)
... aka Sei già cadavere Amigo... ti cerca Garringo (Italy)

Explosion, L' (1971) .... Max
... aka Sex Explosion (UK)
... aka The Hideout (USA)
... aka Uomo di Marsiglia, L' (Italy)

Sceriffo di Rockspring, Lo (1971)
... aka Sheriff of Rock Springs (USA)

Si può fare molto con sette donne (1971) .... Mike Spencer
... aka You Can Do a Lot with 7 Women (Europe: English title)

Leopardi di Churchill, I (1970) .... Lt. Richard Benson/Lt. Hans Müller
... aka Churchill's Leopards (USA)
... aka Commando Attack (UK)
... aka Leopardos de Churchill, Los (Spain)
... aka The Dirty Dam Busters (video title)

Diligencia de los condenados, La (1970)
... aka I'll Forgive You, Before I Kill You
... aka Prima ti perdono... poi t'ammazzo (Italy)
... aka Stagecoach of the Condemned (USA)

Pussycat, Pussycat, I Love You (1970) .... Hero

36 ore all'inferno (1969) .... Captain Stern
... aka 36 Hours in Hell (Philippines: English title)
... aka Last Combat (Philippines: English title)
... aka Thirtysix Hours to Hell

C'era una volta un gangster (1969) .... Larry Alfieri

Anche nel west c'era una volta Dio (1968) .... Father Pat Jordan
... aka Between God, the Devil and a Winchester
... aka Entre Dios y el diablo (Spain)
... aka God Was in the West, Too, at One Time (USA)

Uomo del colpo perfetto, L' (1968) .... Steve Norton
... aka Diamanti che scottano
... aka Hombre del golpe perfecto, El (Spain)
... aka Hot Diamonds in Cold Blood

Joko invoca Dio... e muori (1968) .... Rocco
... aka Fünf blutige Stricke (West Germany)
... aka Vengeance

Uno dopo l'altro (1968) .... Stan
... aka Adios caballero (Spain)
... aka Day After Tomorrow (USA)
... aka One After Another (USA)
... aka Uno después de otro (Spain)

28 minuti per 3 milioni di dollari (1967) .... Jacques

Rojo, El (1967) .... Donald Sorenson, alias El Rojo
... aka Rojo (USA)
... aka Texas el rojo (Spain)

Colpo maestro al servizio di Sua Maestà britannica (1967) .... Arthur Lang
... aka Gran golpe al servicio de su majestad británica (Spain)
... aka Master Stroke (USA)

Donna, il sesso e il superuomo, La (1967) .... Richard
... aka Fantabulous (Italy: alternative title)
... aka Fantabulous Inc. (USA)

Duello nel mondo (1966) .... Lester
... aka Duel dans le monde (France: poster title)
... aka Ring Around the World (USA)

A 077, sfida ai killers (1966) .... Bob Fleming
... aka A 077 défie les tueurs (France)
... aka Bob Fleming... Mission Casablanca
... aka Killers Are Challenged (USA)

Centomila dollari per Ringo (1965) .... Ringo
... aka $100,000 for Ringo (USA)
... aka One Hundred Thousand Dollars for Ringo (USA)
... aka Sangre sobre Texas (Spain)

Spie uccidono a Beirut, Le (1965) .... Robert Fleming
... aka 077: Challenge to Killers (USA)
... aka Espions meurent à Beyrouth, Les
... aka Secret Agent Fireball (USA)
... aka The Spy Killers (UK)

Montagna di luce, La (1965) .... Alan Foster
... aka Jungle Adventurer (UK) (USA: TV title)
... aka Temple of a Thousand Lights (USA)

Tre sergenti del Bengala, I (1964) .... Sgt. Frankie Ross
... aka Adventures of the Bengal Lancers (UK) (USA)
... aka Three Sergeants of Bengal (USA)
... aka Tres sargentos bengalíes (Spain)

Ultimo gladiatore, L' (1964) .... Glaucus
... aka Messalina vs. the Son of Hercules (International: English title: informal title) (USA)
... aka Empress Messalina Meets the Son of Hercules (informal English title)
... aka Gladiatore di Messalina (Italy: alternative title)
... aka Hercule contre les mercenaires (France)
... aka Messalina Against the Son of Hercules (USA: TV title)

Due gladiatori, I (1964) .... Lucius Crassus
... aka Fight or Die
... aka Two Gladiators (USA)

Rivolta dei pretoriani, La (1964) .... Valerius
... aka Revolt of the Praetorians (USA)

Giganti di Roma, I (1964) .... Claudius Marcellus
... aka Géants de Rome, Les (France)
... aka Giants of Rome

Duello nel Texas (1963) .... Richard (Ricardo)
... aka Gringo (Spain)
... aka Gunfight at Red Sands (USA)

Pirata del diavolo, Il (1963) .... Marco Trevisan
... aka Flag of Death (UK)
... aka The Saracens (USA)

Perseo l'invincibile (1963) .... Perseus
... aka Medusa Against the Son of Hercules (USA: TV title)
... aka Medusa vs. the Son of Hercules (USA: informal alternative title)
... aka Perseo e Medusa
... aka Perseus Against the Monsters (UK)
... aka Perseus the Invincible (literal English title)
... aka Valle de los hombres de piedra, El (Spain)
... aka Valley of the Stone Men (informal alternative title)

Sabor de la venganza, El (1963) .... Jeff Walker
... aka Gunfight at High Noon (USA)
... aka Sons of Vengeance (USA)
... aka Three Ruthless Ones (USA)
... aka Tre spietati, I (Italy)

Sette gladiatori, I (1962) .... Darius
... aka Gladiators 7 (USA)
... aka Siete espartanos, Los (Spain)

Gladiatore invincibile, Il (1962) .... Rezius
... aka Gladiador invencible, El (Spain)
... aka The Invincible Gladiator (USA)

Master of the World (1961) .... Alistair, the helmsman

Giustiziere dei mari, Il (1961) .... David Robinson
... aka Avenger of the Seven Seas (USA)
... aka Boucanier des îles, Le (France)

Battle Flame (1959) .... 2nd Lt. Wechsler

Too Much, Too Soon (1958) (uncredited) .... Swimming Companion

South Pacific (1958) .... Co-Pilot

Jeanne Eagels (1957) .... Cpl. Hodgson
Kronos (1957) .... Pilot
... aka Kronos, Destroyer of the Universe


Writer - filmography

Scalps, venganza india (1987)
... aka Scalps (International: English title)
... aka Sie kämpft wie ein Mann (West Germany)

Three Men on Fire (1986)
... aka Tre uomini di fuoco (Italy)

Blood Debts (1984)

Clouzot & C. contro Borsalino & C. (1977)

Donna per sette bastardi, Una (1974) (idea)
... aka The Sewer Rats


Director - filmography

Three Men on Fire (1986)
... aka Tre uomini di fuoco (Italy)

Gymkata Killer (1980) (uncredited)
... aka Challenge of the Tiger (International: English title)
... aka Dragon Bruce Le
... aka San lung maang taam (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)
... aka Shen long meng tan (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)

Due fratelli (1972)
... aka A Place Called Trinity
... aka Due fratelli in un posto chiamato Trinità (Italy)
... aka Jesse and Lester (UK)
... aka Jesse and Lester, Two Brothers in a Place Called Trinity
... aka Trinity
... aka Two Brothers in Trinity (USA)


Producer - filmography

Three Men on Fire (1986) (producer)
... aka Tre uomini di fuoco (Italy)

Films

1 files

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