Thomas Ralph Potts (November 20, 1914 – August 10, 1944) was an American film actor best known by his

stage name A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...

Richard Fiske. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1938 and 1942, almost exclusively for

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...

Biography

Potts was born in

Shelton, Washington Shelton is a city in and the county seat of Mason County, Washington, United States. Shelton is the westernmost city on Puget Sound. The population was 10,371 at the 2020 census. Shelton has a council–manager form of government and was the ...

, to Frank Potts and Bernice Fiske. After graduating from Longview High School, he worked in local radio. He attended the

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...

for a year. The tall, handsome young actor made a screen test for

and was signed to a contract in 1938. Originally rechristened "Robert Fiske" for the screen, he had to adopt the name Richard Fiske because another actor named Robert Fiske was already working in the movie industry. Columbia introduced Richard Fiske as a juvenile lead in its Edith Fellows features, and as the second lead in its popular serial '' The Spider's Web'' (1938). From then on he was one of the studio's busiest actors, appearing regularly in the studio's "B" pictures, westerns, serials, and short subjects, including frequent castings in

Charles Starrett Charles Robert Starrett (March 28, 1903 – March 22, 1986) was an American actor, best known for his starring role in the ''Durango Kid'' westerns. Starrett still holds the record for starring in the longest series of theatrical features: ...

and

Bill Elliott William Clyde Elliott Sr. (born October 8, 1955), also known as "Awesome Bill from Dawsonville", "Million Dollar Bill", or "Wild Bill" is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He last competed in the Superstar Racing Experienc ...

westerns; the '' Blondie'', '' The Lone Wolf'', and ''

Boston Blackie Boston Blackie is a fictional character created by author Jack Boyle (1881–1928). Blackie was originally depicted as a jewel thief and safecracker in Boyle's stories, and became a private detective in adaptations for films, radio and televisi ...

'' series; and equally frequent work with short-subject comedians

Charley Chase Charles Joseph Parrott (October 20, 1893 – June 20, 1940), known professionally as Charley Chase, was an American comedian, actor, screenwriter and film director. He worked for many pioneering comedy studios but is chiefly associated with pro ...

Andy Clyde Andrew Allan Clyde (March 25, 1892 – May 18, 1967), was a Scottish-born American film and television actor whose career spanned some 45 years. In 1921 he broke into silent films as a Mack Sennett comic, debuting in ''On a Summer Day''. H ...

, and

Buster Keaton Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent films during the 1920s, in which he performed physical comedy and inventive stunts. He frequently ...

. He is best known by today's viewers for his portrayals of neurotic foils to

The Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short-subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical, farce, and slapstick comedy. Six total ...

. Perhaps his most familiar role is that of the irate husband-turned-drill

sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...

in 1940's '' Boobs in Arms''. Three years later, this performance was edited into the Stooge short '' Dizzy Pilots''. His last film role was

Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...

' fiancé in the

Billy Wilder Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an American filmmaker and screenwriter. His career in Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and ver ...

comedy '' The Major and the Minor''. Potts married Marjorie MacGregor in December 1939; the couple was divorced in April 1944. Potts' brief acting career was cut short when he joined the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

in May 1942. Commissioned as a lieutenant, he was

killed in action Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...

in August 1944 at La Croix-Avranchin, France, while serving with the 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was posthumously awarded the

Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the president to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, ...

Bronze Star Medal The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious a ...

, and several other military honors. He is buried at

Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial The Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial is located in Saint-James, Lower Normandy, Normandy, France, near the northeastern edge of Brittany (administrative region), Brittany. It contains the remains of 4,410 of World War II American soldiers, ...

Basse-Normandie Lower Normandy (, ; ) is a former administrative region of France. On 1 January 2016, Lower and Upper Normandy merged becoming one region called Normandy. Geography The region included three departments, Calvados, Manche and Orne, that cover ...

, France.''Three Stooges FAQ''
/ref>

Selected filmography

* ''

Juvenile Court Juvenile court, also known as young offender's court or children's court, is a tribunal having special authority to pass judgements for crimes committed by children who have not attained the age of majority. In most modern legal systems, chi ...

'' (1938) - Spectator at Accident (uncredited) * ''

Girls' School Single-sex education, also known as single-gender education, same-sex education, same-gender education, and gender-isolated education, is the practice of conducting education with male and female students attending separate classes, perhaps in se ...

'' (1938) - Sugar - Myra's First Dance Partner (uncredited) * '' The Spider's Web'' (1938, Serial) - Jackson * '' In Early Arizona'' (1938) - Gambler (uncredited) * '' Blondie'' (1938) - Nelson - Dithers' Employee (uncredited) * '' The Little Adventuress'' (1938) - Dick Horton * '' Homicide Bureau'' (1939) - Hank * ''

Flying G-Men ''Flying G-Men'' is a 15-episode 1939 adventure film Film serial, directed by James W. Horne and Ray Taylor. The serial was the sixth of the 57 serials released by Columbia. Four "Flying G-Men" battle with enemy saboteurs intent on destroying ...

'' (1939, Serial) - Bart Davis * '' Blondie Meets the Boss'' (1939) - Nelson * '' Romance of the Redwoods'' (1939) - Logger (uncredited) * ''North of the Yukon'' (1939) - Mart Duncan * '' Outside These Walls'' (1939) - Prisoner (uncredited) * '' Missing Daughters'' (1939) - 2nd Attendant (uncredited) * '' Pest from the West'' (1939, Short) - Ferdinand the Bullfighter * '' Good Girls Go to Paris'' (1939) - Student (uncredited) * '' The Man from Sundown'' (1939) - Tom Kellogg * '' Overland with Kit Carson'' (1939, Serial) - Lieutenant David Brent * '' Behind Prison Gates'' (1939) - Agent Lyman * '' Konga, the Wild Stallion'' (1939) - Steve Calhoun * '' Parents on Trial'' (1939) - Lawrence Hastings * '' Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise'' (1939, Short) - Mr. Johnson - Farmer (uncredited) * '' The Taming of the West'' (1939) - Blacksmith (uncredited) * ''

Scandal Sheet Tabloid journalism is a popular style of largely sensationalist journalism, which takes its name from the tabloid newspaper format: a small-sized newspaper also known as a half broadsheet. The size became associated with sensationalism, an ...

'' (1939) - Student * '' Blondie Brings Up Baby'' (1939) - Dithers' Employee (uncredited) * '' Three Sappy People'' (1939, Short) - Party Guest (uncredited) * '' The Stranger from Texas'' (1939) - Ned Browning * '' My Son Is Guilty'' (1939) - Mac (uncredited) * ''

You Nazty Spy! ''You Nazty Spy!'' is a 1940 comedy film directed by Jules White and starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges ( Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Curly Howard). It is the 44th short film released by Columbia Pictures starring the c ...

'' (1940, Short) - Mr. Ixnay (uncredited) * '' The Lone Wolf Strikes'' (1940) - Officer in Chase Car (uncredited) * '' Convicted Woman'' (1940) - Hank (uncredited) * '' Five Little Peppers at Home'' (1940) - Aunt Martha's Chauffeur (uncredited) * '' Pioneers of the Frontier'' (1940) - Henchman Bart * '' The Man from Tumbleweeds'' (1940) - Ranger Slash (Henchman Slash in credits) * '' Men Without Souls'' (1940) - Crowley * '' Island of Doomed Men'' (1940) - Hale (uncredited) * '' Texas Stagecoach'' (1940) - Workman (uncredited) * '' The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady'' (1940) - Detective Jackson (uncredited) * '' Before I Hang'' (1940) - Mandish (uncredited) * '' Glamour for Sale'' (1940) - Club Bartender (uncredited) * '' Prairie Schooners'' (1940) - Adams * '' So You Won't Talk'' (1940) - Cop (uncredited) * '' Blondie Plays Cupid'' (1940) - Nelson (uncredited) * ''

Girls Under 21 ''Girls Under 21'' is a 1940 American drama film directed by Max Nosseck, starring Bruce Cabot and Rochelle Hudson. Plot Frances White from the slums, escapes the tenements by marrying rich gangster Smiley Ryan. Cast * Bruce Cabot as Smiley Ry ...

'' (1940) - Cop (uncredited) * ''

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

'' (1940) - Teamster (uncredited) * '' The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date'' (1940) - Croupier With Check (uncredited) * '' The Phantom Submarine'' (1940) - Cab Driver (uncredited) * '' This Thing Called Love'' (1940) - Ship officer (uncredited) * '' Boobs in Arms'' (1940, Short) - Sergeant Hugh Dare * '' The Devil Commands'' (1941) - Dr. Richard Sayles * '' Across the Sierras'' (1941) - Larry Armstrong * '' Meet Boston Blackie'' (1941) - Police Officer (uncredited) * '' Outlaws of the Panhandle'' (1941) - Henchman Britt * '' North from the Lone Star'' (1941) - Clint Wilson * ''

They Dare Not Love ''They Dare Not Love'' is a 1941 American romantic war drama film directed by James Whale and starring George Brent, Martha Scott and Paul Lukas. Whale left the picture before the end of production; it was the last film released to credit hi ...

'' (1941) - Third Photographer (uncredited) * '' All the World's a Stooge'' (1941, Short) - Dr. I. Yankum (uncredited) * '' Time Out for Rhythm'' (1941) - Customer (uncredited) * ''

Blondie in Society Blondie is a term sometimes used to refer to a person with blonde hair. Blondie or Blondi may also refer to: People * Blondie (nickname), a list of people * Debbie Harry, the lead singer of the band Blondie who is sometimes erroneously referred ...

'' (1941) - Nelson, Dithers' Employee (uncredited) * '' The Medico of Painted Springs'' (1941) - Kentucky Lane * '' The Son of Davy Crockett'' (1941) - Jesse Gordon * '' The Richest Man in Town'' (1941) - Son (uncredited) * '' I Was a Prisoner on Devil's Island'' (1941) - Georges (uncredited) * ''

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

'' (1941) - Red, Fight Timekeeper (uncredited) * '' The Officer and the Lady'' (1941) - Ace Quinn * '' In the Sweet Pie and Pie'' (1941, Short) - Diggins (uncredited) * ''

Go West, Young Lady ''Go West, Young Lady'' is a 1941 American comedy western film directed by Frank R. Strayer and starring Penny Singleton, Glenn Ford and Ann Miller. It was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures.Fetrow p.178 Plot The town of Headstone ...

'' (1941) - Gang Member (uncredited) * '' The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance'' (1941) - Brakeman (uncredited) * ''

Valley of the Sun A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains and typically containing a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams over a ve ...

'' (1942) - Lieutenant Burke (uncredited) * ''

Perils of the Royal Mounted ''Perils of the Royal Mounted'' is a 1942 American Northern (genre), Northern film. It was the 18th Serial (film), serial released by Columbia Pictures. It starred Robert Kellard (aka Robert Stevens) as the hero, Sgt. Mack MacLane of the Royal Mo ...

'' (1942, Serial) - Constable Brady * '' The Major and the Minor'' (1942) - Will Duffy (final film role) * '' Dizzy Pilots'' (1943, Short) - Sergeant (in footage from ''Boobs in Arms'')

References

External links

* *
Richard Fiske
at threestooges.net {{DEFAULTSORT:Fiske, Richard 1915 births 1944 deaths People from Shelton, Washington University of Washington alumni 20th-century American male actors United States Army officers United States Army personnel killed in World War II