Biography
Richard Eastham (born Dickinson Swift Eastham) was an American actor of stage, film and television, and a concert singer with a deep baritone voice. Born on 22 June 1916 in Opelousas, Louisiana, he studied at Washington University in St. Louis and performed with the St. Louis Grand Opera before serving in the US Army during the Second World War.
After the war he trained at the American Theatre Wing in New York and understudied Ezio Pinza as Emile de Becque in the original Broadway production of South Pacific, later taking over the role and touring nationally. He appeared in films including There's No Business Like Show Business (1954), That Darn Cat! (1965), Tom Sawyer (1973), Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) as a mutant captain, and McQ (1974). On television he was a regular as newspaperman Harris Claibourne on the western series Tombstone Territory (1957–1960) and had recurring roles on Wonder Woman (as General Phil Blankenship) and Falcon Crest.
Eastham also guest-starred on series such as Perry Mason, Bonanza and Kojak. He was married to Betty Jean Van Allen from 1942 until her death in 2002, and died on 10 July 2005 in Pacific Palisades, California.
