Richard Whorf Biography

American actor, director and author (1906–1966)

Richard Whorf (June 4, 1906 – December 14, 1966) was an American actor, writer and film director.

Life and acting career

Whorf was born in Winthrop, M*achusetts to Harry and Sarah (née Lee) Whorf. His older brother was linguist Benjamin Lee Whorf. Whorf began his acting career on the Boston stage as a teenager, then moved to Broadway at age 21, debuting there in The Banshee (1927). He played a famous painter who had resorted to drinking in the 1960 episode "The Illustrator" of The Rifleman, starring Chuck Connors and Johnny Crawford.

Directing career

He began his film directing career with the 1942 short subject March On, America and the 1944 feature film Blonde Fever.

He directed a number of television programs in the 1950s and 1960s, including early episodes of Gunsmoke, the entire second season of My Three Sons and 67 episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies. He directed the short-lived series Border Patrol and the 1964–1965 ABC sitcom Mickey, starring Mickey Rooney. In the summer of 1960, he guest-starred in one episode and directed other segments of the short-lived western series Tate, and he directed episodes of the 1961–1962 CBS sitcom Father of the Bride, starring Leon Ames. .

Whorf directed the unsuccessful 1961 stage comedy Julia, Jake and Uncle Joe.

Personal life

In 1929, Whorf married Margaret H. Smith. He was a brother of John Whorf ((1903–1959), an artist.

Partial filmography

As actor

  • Midnight (1934) - Arthur Weldon
  • Blues in the Night (1941) - Jigger Pine
  • Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) - Sam Harris
  • Juke Girl (1942) - Danny Frazier
  • Keeper of the Flame (1943) - Clive Kerndon
  • *ignment in Brittany (1943) - Jean Kerenor
  • The Cross of Lorraine (1943) - François
  • The Impostor (1944, aka Strange Confession) - Lt. Varenne
  • Christmas Holiday (1944) - Simon Fenimore
  • Blonde Fever (1944) - Chef (uncredited)
  • Chain Lightning (1950) - Carl Troxell
  • The Groom Wore Spurs (1951) - Film Director Richard Whorf (uncredited)

As director

  • Blonde Fever (1944)
  • The Hidden Eye (1945)
  • The Sailor Takes a Wife (1945)
  • Till the Clouds Roll By (1946)
  • It Happened in Brooklyn (1947)
  • Love from a Stranger (1947)
  • Luxury Liner (1948)
  • Champagne for Caesar (1950)
  • The Groom Wore Spurs (1951)
  • Gunsmoke (1958)

As producer

  • The Burning Hills (1956)
  • Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend (1957)
  • Bombers B-52 (1957)

References

    External links

    Wikimedia Commons has media related to Richard Whorf.
    • Biography portal
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    • Richard Whorf at the Internet Broadway Database
    • Richard Whorf at IMDb
    • Richard Whorf at Find a Grave
    Richard Whorf