Biography
Richard Jaeckel was an American actor known for supporting roles in films and television, often portraying tough characters in Westerns and war dramas. Born Richard Hanley Jaeckel on 10 October 1926 in Long Beach, New York, he began his career after being discovered while working as a mailboy at 20th Century-Fox. His film debut came in Guadalcanal Diary (1943).
Jaeckel appeared in nearly 200 roles between 1943 and 1994. Notable film credits include 3:10 to Yuma (1957), The Dirty Dozen (1967) as Sergeant Bowren, Sometimes a Great Notion (1971) for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973) as Sheriff Kip McKinney, and Starman (1984) as George Fox. He also had recurring television roles, including on Baywatch.
Jaeckel died of cancer on 14 June 1997 in Woodland Hills, California.
