Richard Lynch (February 12, 1940 – June 19, 2012) was an American actor best known for portraying villains in films and television.
His film credits included Scarecrow, The Seven-Ups (both 1973), God Told Me To (1976), The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982), Invasion U.S.A. (1985), Little Nikita, Bad Dreams (both 1988), Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge (1991), and Halloween (2007). He appeared as Wolfe in the 1978 science fiction TV series Battlestar Galactica, and appeared again in its sequel series Galactica 1980, as Commander Xaviar. Lynch's other TV roles included Starsky and Hutch, Baretta, T. J. Hooker, Blue Thunder, Airwolf, The A-Team, The Fall Guy, Charmed, Vega$, Murder, She Wrote, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Early life and career Richard Hugh Lynch was born on February 12, 1940 (sometimes incorrectly cited as 1936) in Brooklyn, New York City to Catholic parents of Irish descent. Richard Lynch served in the United States Marine Corps for four years.
Lynch's distinct scarred appearance made him a popular nemesis, and he can be seen in more than 160 film and television performances. The scars came from a 1967 incident in New York's Central Park in which, under the influence of drugs, he set himself on fire, burning more than 70% of his body. He spent a year in recovery, gave up drug use and ultimately began training at The Actors Studio and at the HB Studio. In 1970, he co-starred with Robert De Niro, Sally Kirkland and Diane Ladd in the short-lived off-Broadway play One Night Stands of a Noisy Passenger, written by Shelley Winters. He often played a villain in features, including Scarecrow, which marked his film debut, The Seven-Ups, Bad Dreams, The Sword and the Sorcerer, and Little Nikita.
In 1982, Lynch won a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the evil King Cromwell in The Sword and the Sorcerer. Although Richard Lynch is best known for playing villains, he was cast as the president of the United States in the 2007 film Mil Mascaras vs. the Aztec Mummy. Lynch starred alongside Judson Scott in the 1982 short-lived science fiction TV series The Phoenix.
In addition to acting, Lynch was a musician, and he played the saxophone, guitar, piano, and flute. He held Irish citizenship through his Irish-born parents and was a frequent visitor to Ireland. He starred together with brother Barry in the films Nightforce and Total Force. Lynch's wife Lily starred with him in the film Breaking the Silence (1998) and son Christopher Lynch appeared with him in the science fiction film Trancers II. In 1977, Richard Lynch shared the stage with actor Al Pacino, a close friend, in the Broadway play The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel. Lynch played a Vietnam veteran who used a wheelchair.
Through the years, Lynch worked with friend and colleague Don Calfa in the films Necronomicon (1993), Toughguy (1995), Corpses Are Forever (2003), and Lewisburg (2009).
Later life and death Lynch married twice — once to Béatrix Lynch (their son Christopher died in 2005 from pneumonia), and later to Lily Lynch.
Lynch's body was found in his home in Yucca Valley, California on June 19, 2012. It is not known if Lynch died on June 18 or June 19. After not having heard from Lynch for several days, friend and actress Carol Vogel went to his home to find the door open and his body in his kitchen. The cause of death was given as a heart attack. He was survived by his brother Barry and two sisters, Carole Taylor and Cathy Jones. Some news reports following his death incorrectly identified his birth year as 1936, but the obituary in the Los Angeles Times published by his family correctly listed the year as 1940.
Filmography
Films +YearTitleRoleNotes1973 Scarecrow RayThe Seven-Ups Moon1974Open SeasonArt1975The Happy HookerThe Cop1976The PremonitionJudeGod Told Me To Bernard Phillips1977The Baron JoeyStunts Pete Lustig1978Deathsport Ankar Moor1979Steel DancerDelta Fox David 'Delta' FoxVampirePrince Anton Voytek1980The Ninth Configuration RichardThe FormulaGeneral Helmut Kladen/Frank Tedesco1981SizzleJohnny O'Brien1982The Sword and the SorcererTitus Cromwell1984Treasure: In Search of the Golden HorseNarrator1985Cut and Run Colonel Brian HorneInvasion U.S.A.Mikhail RostovSavage DawnReverend Romano1987The Barbarians KadarNightforce Bishop1988Little Nikita ScubaBad DreamsFranklin Harris1989High StakesSlim1990The Forbidden DanceBenjamin MaxwellAftershock Commander EasternReturn to JusticeSheriff Jethro LincolnInvasion ForceMichael CooperLockdown James Garrett1991Alligator II: The Mutation 'Hawk' HawkinsTrancers II Dr. E.D. WardoThe Last HeroMontoroPuppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge Major Kraus1992Maximum ForceMax TanabeInside EdgeMario GioDouble ThreatDetective Robert Fenich1993 Merlin PendragonH.P. Lovecraft's: Necronomicon Jethro De LapoerPart One1994Scanner CopKarl GlockCyborg 3: The Recycler Anton LewellynMidnight ConfessionsDetective HarrisDangerous WatersAdmiralDeath Match Jimmie FratelloLoving Deadly Dr. Mel1995Terrified Office Worker #2Dragon FuryVestorTerminal Virus CallowayWarrior of Justice Doug 'The Master'TakedownDestination Vegas Richard1996Werewolf NoelLone Tiger Bruce RossnerTotal ForceDr. Edmund WellingtonDiamond RunSloanVendetta Dr. David WilsonThe Garbage Man1997Under Oath Daniel SaltarelliGround RulesDivine LoversGregory1998Shattered IllusionsSalArmstrong Colonel Vladimir ZukovLove and War II1999Lima: Breaking the SilenceJames GallagherEastsideMihalas GabrielEnemy Action Dimitri2001Death Game Chief CantonAnkle Bracelet Jerry2002Outta Time FrancoCrime and Punishment Peter LuzhinCurse of the Forty-NinerOld Man Prichard2003 Fabulous Shiksa in Distress The MessengerUncreditedAncient WarriorsCurtis MayhewThe Mummy's Kiss Dr. Wallis HarwaFinal CombatCorpses Are Forever General Morton2005The Great Wall of MagellanOld Akillian2006Wedding Slashers Daddy2007Mil Mascaras vs. the Aztec Mummy The President of the United StatesHalloween Principal Chambers2009Dark FieldsKarl Lumis/Mr. JonesChrome AngelsUncle TedThe RainKarl Lumis2010ResurrectionThe President2011Gun of the Black Sun Damian Lupescu2012The Lords of Salem Reverend Jonathan Hawthorne
Television +YearTitleRoleNotes1975–1979Starsky & HutchVarious3 episodes1976Bronk ScorpioEpisode: "Target: Unknown"BarettaNickEpisode: "They Don't Make 'em Like They Used To"Serpico Alex DemicoEpisode: "Prime Evil"1977Police Woman TedescoEpisode: "Solitaire"The Streets of San Francisco Harry KraftEpisode: "Time Out"1978The Bionic WomanDentonEpisode: "Out of Body"Battlestar Galactica WolfeEpisode: "Gun on Ice Planet Zero"1979–1981Vega$ Mr. North/Benjamin Lang2 episodes1979Barnaby JonesTerry ShawEpisode: "Nightmare in Hawaii"Buck Rogers in the 25th CenturyMorgan VelosiEpisode: "Vegas in Space"A Man Called SloaneJeremy MasonEpisode: "Masquerade of Terror"Charlie's Angels Freddie JeffersonEpisode: "Angels on the Street"1980Galactica 1980 Commander XaviarEpisode: "Galactica Discovers Earth"Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking StorySam ShockleyTV movie1981–1982The Phoenix Justin PremingerMiniseries1982McClain's LawErnie NeilEpisode: "The Sign of the Beast"Bring 'Em Back Alive Warden PikeEpisode: "Escape from Kampoon"1983 T. J. HookerVirgil DobbsEpisode: "Carnal Express"ManimalZoltan GregoryEpisode: "Illusion"1983–1984The Fall Guy Robert Vessman/Randolph Gresham2 episodes1984Blue ThunderP.V.C.Episode: "Second Thunder"AutomanSheriff Clay HortonEpisode: "Renegade Run"The A-TeamJohn TurianEpisode: "Hot Styles"Matt HoustonJesse MercerEpisode: "Apostle of Death"Cover UpMoreneauEpisode: "Murder in Malibu"Partners in Crime GeorgeEpisode: "Double Jeopardy"MasqueradeGeneral Vladmimir SirinEpisode: "Flashpoint"1985RiptideAlbert Trumonde/Martin StonewallEpisode: "Curse of the Mary Aberdeen"MacGruder and LoudJoey DimeEpisode: "Odds Favour Death"Scarecrow and Mrs. KingCraig EigerEpisode: "You Only Die Twice"Airwolf John Bradford Horn / Gerald Van Dorian / Neal StreepEpisode: "The Horn of Plenty"1986The Last PrecinctThe VampireEpisode: "Never Cross a Vampire"1987Once a HeroVictor LazarusEpisode: "The Return of Lazarus"The Law & Harry McGraw Mr. TrentEpisode: "Mr. Chapman, I Presume?"Werewolf Servan Domballe1989CBS Summer PlayhouseBoothEpisode: "The Heat"HunterFrank LassiterEpisode: "The Legion"1990KojakSands:Episode: "Flowers for Matty"True BlueEpisode: "Hickory, Dickory, Dock"1991Super Force Dr. Lothar PresleyEpisode: "The Sins of the Fathers"Dark JusticeEpisode: "I Hate Mondays"Jake and the FatmanRichard RoseEpisode: "Where or When"1991–1992Super ForceDr. Lothar PresleyEpisode: "Sins of the Father"1992–1994Murder, She Wrote Philip de Kooning/Michael O'Connor2 episodes1993 The Hat SquadNick AsheEpisode: "The Liquidator"Star Trek: The Next GenerationArctus BaranEpisode: "Gambit"Cobra Dr. Mortimer T. AnonEpisode: "Playing with Fire"1994Thunder in ParadiseVolcoffEpisode: "Blast Off"1995Highlander: The SeriesKage/John Kirin-The MessiahEpisode: "Blind Faith"BaywatchDiederickEpisode: "Deep Trouble"1995-1996Phantom 2040Graft (voice)1998Mike Hammer, Private Eye Graham MintnerEpisode: "Dead Men Talk"1999Air America GlenEpisode: "Old Gold"Acapulco H.E.A.T.Elliot RothEpisode: "Code Name: The Stolen Leg"Battlestar Galactica: The Second ComingCount Iblis2002Six Feet Under Commitment Ceremony PresiderEpisode: "I'll Take You"2003 Charmed CronynEpisode: "The Day the Magic Died"
Bibliography
Patrick Loubatière. Richard Lynch Forever (2013).
References
External links Richard Lynch Biography (1936-)