---
name: "Richard Lawson"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/richard-lawson"
fi1m_id: "richard-lawson"
imdb_id: "nm0493311"
tmdb_id: 10090
wikidata_id: "Q3934828"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "7 March 1947"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 79
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-09-26T17:12:12.336884+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 Lawson

## Identity

Richard Lawson

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/richard-lawson
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** richard-lawson
- **IMDb ID:** nm0493311
- **TMDB ID:** 10090
- **Wikidata ID:** Q3934828
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Lawson_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3934828, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0493311/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/10090

Actor. Born 7 March 1947 in Loma Linda, California, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 7 March 1947, Loma Linda, California, USA
- **Active:** 1973–1997
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 5: 4 acting, 1 other
- **Average Fi1m score:** 79, as actor, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 77 (3), 1980s 84 (1), 1990s 77 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 79 to 72 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 3, Comedy 1, Crime 1, Horror 1, Mystery 1, Romance 1
- **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $219m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Lawson_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3934828, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0493311/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/10090

## Biography

Richard Lawson is an American actor. Born in Loma Linda, California, on 7 March 1947, he served as a medic in the United States Army during the Vietnam War before pursuing an acting career.

His film credits include an uncredited role in *Dirty Harry* (1971), Ryan in *Poltergeist* (1982), and Officer Ed Price in *Streets of Fire* (1984). On television he has appeared in *V* (1983) as Dr Ben Taylor, *Dynasty*, *The Cosby Show*, *MacGyver*, *Grey's Anatomy* and other series. Lawson has also worked as an acting teacher and coach.

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

## On Fi1m (5)

### Performed in (4) — the average rests on these

- *Wag the Dog* (1997), Fi1m 77, as Young Man / CIA — [page](https://film.one/film/wag-the-dog.md)
- *Poltergeist* (1982), Fi1m 84, as Ryan — [page](https://film.one/film/poltergeist.md)
- *Coming Home* (1978), Fi1m 76, as Pat — [page](https://film.one/film/coming-home.md)
- *Kojak* (1973), Fi1m 80, as 1st Suspect — [page](https://film.one/tv/kojak.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *Dirty Harry* (1971), Fi1m 74, as Homosexual (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/dirty-harry.md)

## Complete filmography (90)

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

- *Aftershock: The Nicole P. Bell Story* (2025), as Al Sharpton
- *Beauty in Black* (2024), series, as Norman
- *Will I See You Again?* (2024), Actor
- *Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black* (2024), as Clarence
- *CHAAW: Chapter 1* (2023), as Chief of Police
- *Black Terror* (2023), as Talk Show Host · Director, Executive Producer
- *Carl Weber's The Black Hamptons* (2022), series, as Moses Britton
- *A Holiday Chance* (2021), as Garvin
- *Not Alone* (2021), as Dr. James Clay
- *North Hollywood* (2021), as Adolf's Dad
- *Always a Bridesmaid* (2019), as Carlton Blakeston Sr.
- *mixed-ish* (2019), series, as Lynwood
- *From Zero to I Love You* (2019), as Ron Logsdon
- *Saints & Sinners* (2016), series, as Pastor Evan Johnson
- *A Royal Family Christmas* (2015), as Leighton Royal
- *A Royal Family Holiday* (2015), Actor
- *Stitchers* (2015), series, as Admiral Decker
- *For Colored Girls* (2010), as Frank
- *Love for Sale* (2008), as Uncle Mac
- *The Last Stand* (2006), as Winston
- *Grey's Anatomy* (2005), series, as Bill Pierce — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md)
- *Guess Who* (2005), as Marcus
- *Numb3rs* (2005), series, as Clay Porter, Sr. (uncredited)
- *Christmas at Water's Edge* (2004), as Mr. Turner
- *Blue Hill Avenue* (2003), as Uncle Rob
- *All of Us* (2003), series, Actor
- *Dead Like Me* (2003), series, as William Garrett
- *Maniac Magee* (2003), as Mr. Beale
- *Half & Half* (2002), series, as Ben
- *For the People* (2002), series, as Clay Portman
- *The Bernie Mac Show* (2001), series, as Bishop
- *The Division* (2001), series, as LaBon
- *The District* (2000), series, as Richard Gray
- *Strong Medicine* (2000), series, as Alton Clayborne
- *Soul Food* (2000), series, as Rev. Bobby Baxter
- *Family Law* (1999), series, as Chuck
- *Judging Amy* (1999), series, as Thomas Horne
- *Jackie's Back!* (1999), as Milkman Summers (Jackie's Ex-Husband #1)
- *Justice* (1999), as Gus
- *L.A. Doctors* (1998), series, as Gary Miller
- *How Stella Got Her Groove Back* (1998), as Jack
- *Wag the Dog* (1997), as Young Man / CIA — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/wag-the-dog.md)
- *Good News* (1997), series, Actor
- *Pandora's Clock* (1996), series, as Daniel Robb
- *Moesha* (1996), series, as Marlon James
- *JAG* (1995), series, as Dan Craig
- *The Parent 'Hood* (1995), series, Actor
- *Touched by an Angel* (1994), series, as Nicholas Freeman
- *Sister, Sister* (1994), series, as Victor Sims
- *Saved by the Bell: The New Class* (1993), series, as Judge Thurston Jones
- *Double Your Pleasure* (1989), as Dash
- *The Forgotten* (1989), as Sgt. Frank " Doc " McDermott
- *Father Dowling Mysteries* (1989), series, Actor
- *Wiseguy* (1987), series, Actor
- *The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd* (1987), series, as Det. Nathaniel Hawthorne
- *Johnnie Mae Gibson: FBI* (1986), as Adam Prentice
- *Under the Influence* (1986), as Dr. Duran
- *MacGyver* (1985), series, as Jesse Colton
- *The Comedy Factory* (1985), series, as Dr. Julius Pepper
- *Stick* (1985), as Cornell
- *The Cosby Show* (1984), series, as Mr. Bostic
- *Streets of Fire* (1984), as Officer Ed Price
- *Hardcastle and McCormick* (1983), series, Actor
- *V* (1983), series, as Dr Ben Taylor
- *St. Elsewhere* (1982), series, as The Messiah — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/st-elsewhere.md)
- *Remington Steele* (1982), series, as Monroe Henderson
- *Poltergeist* (1982), as Ryan — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/poltergeist.md)
- *T. J. Hooker* (1982), series, as Officer David McNeil
- *Chicago Story* (1982), series, as Detective O.Z. Tate
- *Dynasty* (1981), series, as Nick Kimball
- *Magnum, P.I.* (1980), series, as Gerald Calvin
- *The Jericho Mile* (1980), as R.C. Stiles
- *The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story* (1980), as Gene Davis
- *The Main Event* (1979), as Hector Mantilla
- *Charleston* (1979), as James Harris
- *The White Shadow* (1978), series, as David Mackey
- *Coming Home* (1978), as Pat — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/coming-home.md)
- *What Really Happened to the Class of '65?* (1977), series, Actor
- *Black Fist* (1977), as Leroy Fisk
- *Audrey Rose* (1977), as Policeman #1
- *The Fantastic Journey* (1977), series, as Barker
- *Crossfire* (1975), as Officer Ken Dillard
- *Good Times* (1974), series, Actor
- *Sugar Hill* (1974), as Valentine
- *Kojak* (1973), series, as 1st Suspect — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/kojak.md)
- *Scream Blacula Scream* (1973), as Willis Daniels
- *The Streets of San Francisco* (1972), series, Actor
- *Dirty Harry* (1971), as Homosexual (uncredited) — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/dirty-harry.md)
- *All in the Family* (1971), series, as Angry Black Man — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/all-in-the-family.md)
- *Medical Center* (1969), series, Actor

---
© 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-lawson