---
name: "Richard Compton"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/richard-compton"
fi1m_id: "richard-compton"
imdb_id: "nm0174068"
tmdb_id: 15959
wikidata_id: "Q7324849"
roles: ["Director"]
born: "2 March 1938"
died: "11 August 2007"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 82
average_as: "director"
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-09-17T16:59:02.362300+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Richard Compton

## Identity

Richard Compton

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/richard-compton
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** richard-compton
- **IMDb ID:** nm0174068
- **TMDB ID:** 15959
- **Wikidata ID:** Q7324849
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Compton, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7324849, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0174068/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15959

Director. Born 2 March 1938 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Died 11 August 2007.

## Details

- **Work:** Director
- **Born:** 2 March 1938, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- **Died:** 11 August 2007
- **Active:** 1981–1994
- **Also known as:** Richard Bethel Compher
- **Frequently works with:** [Gabrielle Beaumont](https://film.one/person/gabrielle-beaumont.md), [Mike Vejar](https://film.one/person/michael-vejar.md), [Adam Nimoy](https://film.one/person/adam-nimoy.md), [Alexander Singer](https://film.one/person/alexander-singer.md), [Anthony Yerkovich](https://film.one/person/anthony-yerkovich.md), [Bill Duke](https://film.one/person/bill-duke.md), [Chip Chalmers](https://film.one/person/chip-chalmers.md), [Cliff Bole](https://film.one/person/cliff-bole.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 82, as director, over 5 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 84 (3), 1990s 79 (2)
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 4, Crime 3, Sci-Fi & Fantasy 3, Action & Adventure 2, Mystery 2
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Compton, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7324849, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0174068/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15959

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*The X-Files*](https://film.one/tv/the-x-files.md) (84)
- **Paramount+:** [*Star Trek: The Next Generation*](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-the-next-generation.md) (84)
- **Tubi:** [*Miami Vice*](https://film.one/tv/miami-vice.md) (81)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Richard Compton (also credited as Richard Bethel Compher) was an American television director, writer and producer. He began his career in the early 1960s making films for the United States Information Agency before moving into feature films and then television directing from the 1970s onwards.

He directed episodes of numerous series including *The X-Files* (two episodes, 2000–2001), *Charmed*, *Sliders*, *Babylon 5*, *Star Trek: The Next Generation*, *Miami Vice* and *JAG*. His feature credits as director and co-writer include *Macon County Line* (1974) and *Return to Macon County* (1975). Earlier he had small acting roles, including in two episodes of *Star Trek: The Original Series*.

Compton was married to actress Veronica Cartwright from 1982 until his death.

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org, tvmaze.com.*

## On Fi1m (5)

- *Babylon 5* (1994), Fi1m 74, Director, Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/babylon-5.md)
- *The X-Files* (1993), Fi1m 84, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-x-files.md)
- *Star Trek: The Next Generation* (1987), Fi1m 84, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-the-next-generation.md)
- *Miami Vice* (1984), Fi1m 81, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/miami-vice.md)
- *Hill Street Blues* (1981), Fi1m 86, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/hill-street-blues.md)

## Complete filmography (65)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Home for the Holidays* (2005), Director
- *Peacemakers* (2003), series, Director
- *The Lone Gunmen* (2001), series, Director
- *The Division* (2001), series, Director
- *The District* (2000), series, Director
- *The Fugitive* (2000), series, Director
- *Get Real* (1999), series, Director
- *Charmed* (1998), series, Director
- *Soldier of Fortune, Inc.* (1997), series, Director
- *Pensacola: Wings of Gold* (1997), series, Director
- *Profiler* (1996), series, Director
- *The Burning Zone* (1996), series, Director
- *The Sentinel* (1996), series, Director
- *JAG* (1995), series, Director
- *Sliders* (1995), series, Director
- *Hercules: The Legendary Journeys* (1995), series, Director
- *Hawkeye (The First Frontier)* (1994), series, Director
- *M.A.N.T.I.S.* (1994), series, Director
- *Babylon 5* (1994), series, Director, Producer — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/babylon-5.md)
- *Babylon 5: The Gathering* (1993), Director
- *Diagnosis: Murder* (1993), series, Director
- *The X-Files* (1993), series, Director — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-x-files.md)
- *The Keys* (1992), Director
- *Home Improvement* (1991), series, Director
- *Over My Dead Body* (1990), series, Director
- *Super Force* (1990), series, Director
- *Super Force* (1990), Director
- *Kojak: It's Always Something* (1990), Director
- *Kojak: Fatal Flaw* (1989), Director
- *Baywatch: Panic at Malibu Pier* (1989), Director
- *Baywatch* (1989), series, Director
- *Desperado: Avalanche at Devil's Ridge* (1988), Director
- *Desperado: Avalanche at Devil's Ridge* (1988), Director
- *Star Trek: The Next Generation* (1987), series, Director — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-the-next-generation.md)
- *Houston Knights* (1987), series, Director
- *Kay O'Brien* (1986), series, Director
- *L.A. Law* (1986), series, Director
- *The Equalizer* (1985), series, Director
- *Otherworld* (1985), series, Director
- *MacGruder and Loud* (1985), series, Director
- *Street Hawk* (1985), series, Director
- *Miami Vice* (1984), series, Director — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/miami-vice.md)
- *Call to Glory* (1984), series, Director
- *Scarecrow and Mrs. King* (1983), series, Director
- *Hardcastle and McCormick* (1983), series, Director
- *Hotel* (1982), series, Director
- *T. J. Hooker* (1982), series, Director
- *Hill Street Blues* (1981), series, Director — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/hill-street-blues.md)
- *Wild Times* (1980), series, Director
- *Ravagers* (1979), Director
- *Deadman's Curve* (1978), Director
- *The Ransom* (1977), Director
- *Return to Macon County* (1975), Director, Writer
- *The California Kid* (1974), Writer
- *Macon County Line* (1974), Director, Screenplay
- *Welcome Home, Soldier Boys* (1971), Director
- *Bury Me an Angel* (1971), as Pool Player
- *Isle of the Snake People* (1971), as Props
- *Like Mother Like Daughter* (1970), Writer
- *Angels Die Hard* (1970), Director, Writer
- *Run, Angel, Run!* (1969), Story
- *Wanda - The Sadistic Hypnotist* (1969), as Sylvester
- *The Gun Runner* (1969), Director, Screenplay
- *Felony Squad* (1966), series, Actor
- *Star Trek* (1966), series, as Washburn · Technical Officer — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-1966.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/richard-compton