---
name: "Sy Richardson"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/sy-richardson"
fi1m_id: "sy-richardson"
imdb_id: "nm0724784"
tmdb_id: 58623
wikidata_id: "Q7659422"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "4 June 1941"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 73
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-10-04T23:28:41.506869+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."
---

# Sy Richardson

## Identity

Sy Richardson

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/sy-richardson
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** sy-richardson
- **IMDb ID:** nm0724784
- **TMDB ID:** 58623
- **Wikidata ID:** Q7659422
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sy_Richardson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7659422, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0724784/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/58623

Actor. Born 4 June 1941 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 4 June 1941, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- **Active:** 1984–1993
- **Also known as:** Symon Lionel Richardson
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 4: 3 acting, 1 other
- **Average Fi1m score:** 73, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 81 (2), 1990s 71 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 73 to 73 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Action 2, Science Fiction 2, Adventure 1, Comedy 1, Drama 1, Thriller 1
- **Screen time:** 5 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $35m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sy_Richardson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7659422, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0724784/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/58623

## Streaming the US now

- **Tubi:** [*Posse*](https://film.one/film/posse.md) (58)

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

## Biography

Sy Richardson is an American actor. Born Symon Lionel Richardson on 4 June 1941 in Cincinnati, Ohio, he grew up in Chicago, attended Farragut Career Academy, served two years in the United States Navy, and earned an associate of arts from Kennedy–King College and a Bachelor of Science in journalism from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Richardson made his film debut in *Cinderella* (1977). He is known for his regular appearances in the films of Alex Cox, including *Repo Man* (1984) as Lite, *Sid and Nancy* (1986), *Straight to Hell* (1987), *Walker* (1987) and *Searchers 2.0* (2007). Other film roles include appearances in *They Live* (1988) and *Colors* (1988). He wrote the screenplay for the 1993 film *Posse* and had a recurring role as the coroner in the television series *Pushing Daisies*.

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

## On Fi1m (4)

### Performed in (3) — the average rests on these

- *Posse* (1993), Fi1m 58, as Shepherd — [page](https://film.one/film/posse.md)
- *They Live* (1988), Fi1m 79, as Black Revolutionary — [page](https://film.one/film/they-live.md)
- *Repo Man* (1984), Fi1m 83, as Lite — [page](https://film.one/film/repo-man.md)

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

- *The Grifters* (1990), Fi1m 84, as Cab Driver (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-grifters.md)

## Complete filmography (72)

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

- *It Wants Blood 2* (2023), as Professor Smert
- *Family Reunion* (2019), series, as Brother Franklin
- *5th of July* (2019), as Pops
- *Message From a Mistress* (2017), as Mr. Hall
- *Documentary Now!* (2015), series, as David
- *Faith of Our Fathers* (2015), as Dan
- *Benched* (2014), series, as Moon Rock
- *Larry Crowne* (2011), as Avery
- *Rizzoli & Isles* (2010), series, as Sour Grapes
- *A Numbers Game* (2010), as Bernie
- *Our Family Wedding* (2010), as Sonny
- *Hip-Hop Headstrong* (2010), as The Bishop
- *South of Heaven* (2008), as Pawn Daddy
- *Pushing Daisies* (2007), series, as Coroner — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/pushing-daisies.md)
- *All About Us* (2007), as Willie Earl
- *Searchers 2.0* (2007), as Fritz Frobisher
- *The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning* (2007), as Shiner #2
- *Lord Help Us* (2007), as Church Member
- *Surviving Christmas* (2004), as Doo-Dah Understudy
- *NCIS* (2003), series, as Lester — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/ncis.md)
- *L.A. County 187* (2003), as Leotis Brown
- *Monk* (2002), series, as Sanitation Worker, Janitor
- *The Shield* (2002), series, as Brother William — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-shield.md)
- *Human Nature* (2001), as Police Detective
- *Extreme Honor* (2001), as Schultz
- *The Division* (2001), series, as Bus Driver
- *After Diff'rent Strokes: When the Laughter Stopped* (2000), as Mr. Coleman
- *The Playaz Court* (2000), as Louie
- *Mr. P's Dancing Sushi Bar* (1999), as Harry
- *Heat Vision and Jack* (1999), as Doctor
- *Charmed* (1998), series, as Father Wilkins
- *Erasable You* (1998), as Miliatant
- *Shattered Illusions* (1998), as Gene
- *Profiler* (1996), series, as Gus
- *Evil Obsession* (1996), as Jim
- *The Winner* (1996), as Bartender
- *Floundering* (1994), as Commander K
- *ER* (1994), series, as Coleman — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md)
- *The Glass Shield* (1994), as Mr. Taylor
- *Posse* (1993), as Shepherd · Writer — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/posse.md)
- *Eye of the Stranger* (1993), as Jeb
- *Ring of Fire II: Blood and Steel* (1993), as Ernest
- *Hangin' with Mr. Cooper* (1992), series, as Mr. Gooding
- *Martin* (1992), series, as Boss Man
- *To Sleep with Anger* (1990), as Marsh
- *Men at Work* (1990), as Walt Richardson
- *The Grifters* (1990), as Cab Driver (uncredited) — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-grifters.md)
- *Street Asylum* (1990), as Sgt. 'Joker' Tatum
- *Wings* (1990), series, as Luther
- *Catchfire* (1990), as Capt. Walker
- *Tripwire* (1989), as Turbo
- *Mystery Train* (1989), as Newsvendor
- *Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects* (1989), as Lavonne
- *Three Fugitives* (1989), as Tucker
- *They Live* (1988), as Black Revolutionary — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/they-live.md)
- *Tapeheads* (1988), as Bartender
- *Dead Man Walking* (1988), as Snake
- *Colors* (1988), as Bailey
- *Bad Dreams* (1988), as Detective Wasserman
- *Cold Steel* (1987), as Rashid
- *Walker* (1987), as Captain Hornsby
- *Straight to Hell* (1987), as Norwood
- *Medium Rare* (1987), as Marv
- *Sid and Nancy* (1986), as Methadone Caseworker
- *My Brother's Wedding* (1985), as Mr. Dubois
- *Repo Man* (1984), as Lite — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/repo-man.md)
- *Cheers* (1982), series, as Gordon — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/cheers.md)
- *Falcon Crest* (1981), series, as Detective Olen
- *Nocturna* (1979), as RH Factor
- *Fairy Tales* (1978), as Sirus
- *Petey Wheatstraw* (1977), as Petey's Father
- *Cinderella* (1977), as Fairy Godmother

---
© 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/sy-richardson