Richard Lynch (February 12, 1940 – June 19, 2012) was an American actor best known for portraying

villain A villain (also known as a " black hat" or "bad guy"; the feminine form is villainess) is a stock character, whether based on a historical narrative or one of literary fiction. ''Random House Unabridged Dictionary'' defines such a character ...

s in films and television. His film credits included ''

The Sword and the Sorcerer ''The Sword and the Sorcerer'' is a 1982 American sword and sorcery fantasy film co-written and directed by Albert Pyun, and starring Lee Horsley, Kathleen Beller, Simon MacCorkindale, George Maharis, Richard Lynch, and Richard Moll. The plot ...

'', '' Invasion USA'', ''

The Seven-Ups ''The Seven-Ups'' is a 1973 American neo-noir mystery action film produced and directed by Philip D'Antoni. It stars Roy Scheider as a crusading policeman who is the leader of the Seven-Ups, a squad of plainclothes officers who use dirty, unorth ...

'', ''

Scarecrow A scarecrow is a decoy or mannequin, often in the shape of a human. Humanoid scarecrows are usually dressed in old clothes and placed in open fields to discourage birds from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops.Lesley ...

'', ''

Little Nikita ''Little Nikita'' is a 1988 American thriller film directed by Richard Benjamin and starring River Phoenix and Sidney Poitier. The film marks the first collaboration between Phoenix and Poitier (the second being '' Sneakers'' in 1992). Plot Je ...

'', '' Bad Dreams'', ''

God Told Me To ''God Told Me To'' (released in some theatrical markets as ''Demon'') is a 1976 science fiction horror film written, directed, and produced by Larry Cohen. Like many of Cohen's films, it is shot on location in New York City and incorporates aspe ...

'', and '' Halloween''. He appeared in science fiction productions, including '' Battlestar Galactica'' (as Wolfe) and its sequel series '' Galactica 1980'' (as Commander Xaviar). He also appeared in such shows as '' Starsky and Hutch'', ''

Baretta ''Baretta'' is an American detective television series which ran on ABC from 1975 to 1978. The show was a revised and milder version of a 1973–1974 ABC series, '' Toma'', starring Tony Musante as chameleon-like, real-life New Jersey pol ...

'', '' T. J. Hooker'', ''

Blue Thunder ''Blue Thunder'' is a 1983 American action thriller film from Columbia Pictures, produced by Gordon Carroll, Phil Feldman, and Andrew Fogelson and directed by John Badham. The Blue Thunder helicopter itself did exist as two copies of modifie ...

'', ''

Airwolf ''Airwolf'' is an American action military drama television series that centers on a high-technology military helicopter, code-named ''Airwolf'', and its crew. The show follows them as they undertake various exotic missions, many involving e ...

'', ''

The A-Team ''The A-Team'' is an American action-adventure television series that ran on NBC from January 1983 to March 1987 about former members of a fictitious United States Army Special Forces unit. The four members of the team were tried by court ma ...

'', '' Charmed'', ''

Vega$ ''Vegas'' (stylized as ''Vega$'') is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 20, 1978, to June 3, 1981, with the pilot episode airing April 25, 1978. ''Vegas'' was produced by Aaron Spelling and created by Mic ...

'', and '' Star Trek: The Next Generation''.

Early life and career

Richard Hugh Lynch was born on February 12, 1940 (sometimes incorrectly cited as 1936) in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York City to Catholic parents of Irish descent. Richard Lynch served in the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

for four years. His younger brother is actor Barry Lynch. Lynch's distinct scarred appearance made him a popular nemesis, and he can be seen in more than 160 film and television performances. The scars came from a 1967 incident in New York's

Central Park Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the fifth-largest park in the city, covering . It is the most visited urban park in the United States, with an estimated ...

in which, under the influence of drugs, he set himself on fire, burning more than 70% of his body. He spent a year in recovery, gave up drug use and ultimately began training at The Actors Studio and at the

HB Studio The HB Studio (Herbert Berghof Studio) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization offering professional training in the performing arts through classes, workshops, free lectures, theater productions, theater rentals, a theater artist residency progra ...

. In 1970, he co-starred with Robert De Niro,

Sally Kirkland Sally Kirkland (born October 31, 1941) is an American film, television and stage actress and producer. A former member of Andy Warhol's The Factory and an active member in 1960s New York avant-garde theater, she has appeared in more than 250 fi ...

and Diane Ladd in the short-lived off-Broadway play ''One Night Stands of a Noisy Passenger,'' written by

Shelley Winters Shelley Winters (born Shirley Schrift; August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006) was an American actress whose career spanned seven decades. She appeared in numerous films. She won Academy Awards for ''The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959) and ''A Patch o ...

. He often played a villain in features, including ''

'', which marked his film debut, ''

'', '' Bad Dreams'', ''

'', and ''

''. In 1982, Lynch won a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the evil King Cromwell in ''

''. Although Richard Lynch is best known for playing villains, he was cast as the president of the United States in the 2007 film '' Mil Mascaras vs. the Aztec Mummy''. Lynch starred alongside Judson Scott in the 1982 short-lived science fiction TV series '' The Phoenix''. In addition to acting, Lynch was a musician, and he played the saxophone, guitar, piano, and flute. He held Irish citizenship through his Irish-born parents and was a frequent visitor to Ireland. He starred together with brother Barry in the films ''Nightforce'' and ''Total Force''. Lynch's wife Lily starred with him in the film ''Breaking the Silence'' (1998) and son Christopher Lynch appeared with him in the science fiction film '' Trancers II''. In 1977, Richard Lynch shared the stage with actor Al Pacino, a close friend, in the Broadway play ''The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel.'' Lynch played a Vietnam veteran who used a wheelchair, and was nominated for a Tony in 1977. Through the years, Lynch worked with friend and colleague Don Calfa in the films ''Necronomicon'' (1993), ''Toughguy'' (1995), '' Corpses Are Forever'' (2003), and ''Lewisburg'' (2009).

Later life and death

Lynch married twice — once to Béatrix Lynch (their son Christopher died in 2005 from

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...

), and later to Lily Lynch. Lynch's body was found in his home in

Yucca Valley, California Yucca Valley is an incorporated town in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 20,700 as of the 2010 census. Yucca Valley lies west of Twentynine Palms, north of Palm Springs, south of Barstow via State Rout ...

on June 19, 2012. It is not known if Lynch died on June 18 or June 19. After not having heard from Lynch for several days, friend and actress Carol Vogel went to his home to find the door open and his body in his kitchen. The cause of death was given as a heart attack. He was survived by his brother Barry and two sisters, Carole Taylor and Cathy Jones. Some news reports following his death incorrectly identified his birth year as 1936, but the obituary in the ''Los Angeles Times'' published by his family correctly listed the year as 1940.

Filmography

Films

* 1973 ''

'' as Riley * 1973 ''

'' as Moon * 1974 '' Starsky & Hutch'' as Art * 1975 '' The Happy Hooker'' as The Cop * 1976 '' The Premonition'' as Jude * 1976 ''

'' as Bernard Phillips * 1977 ''The Baron'' as Joey * 1977 '' Stunts'' as Pete Lustig * 1978 ''

Deathsport ''Deathsport'' is a 1978 science fiction B-film produced by Roger Corman and directed by Allan Arkush and Nicholas Niciphor. The film stars David Carradine and Playboy Playmate Claudia Jennings. It would be one of Jennings' last films before he ...

'' as Ankar Moor * 1979 '' Steel'' as Dancer * 1979 ''Delta Fox'' as David 'Delta' Fox * 1979 ''

Vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mischief or deat ...

'' as Prince Anton Voytek * 1980 ''

The Ninth Configuration ''The Ninth Configuration'' (also known as ''Twinkle, Twinkle, "Killer" Kane'') is a 1980 American psychological drama film written, produced, and directed by William Peter Blatty, in his directorial debut. The second installment in Blatty's "Fa ...

'' as Richard, 2nd Cyclist * 1980 '' The Formula'' as General Helmut Kladen / Frank Tedesco * 1981 '' Sizzle'' as Johnny O'Brien * 1982 ''

'' as Titus Cromwell * 1984 '' Treasure: In Search of the Golden Horse'' as Narrator (voice) * 1985 '' Cut and Run'' as Colonel Brian Horne * 1985 '' Invasion U.S.A.'' as Mikhail Rostov * 1985 ''Savage Dawn'' as Reverend Romano * 1987 '' The Barbarians'' as Kadar * 1987 ''Nightforce'' as Bishop * 1988 ''

'' as Scuba * 1988 '' Bad Dreams'' as Franklin Harris * 1989 ''One Man Force'' as Adams * 1989 ''High Stakes'' as 'Slim' * 1990 '' The Forbidden Dance'' as Benjamin Maxwell * 1990 '' Aftershock'' as Commander Eastern * 1990 ''Return to Justice'' as Sheriff Jethro Lincoln * 1990 ''Invasion Force'' as Michael Cooper * 1990 ''Lockdown'' as James Garrett * 1991 '' Alligator II: The Mutation'' as 'Hawk' Hawkins * 1991 '' Trancers II'' as Dr. E.D. Wardo * 1991 ''The Last Hero'' as Montoro * 1991 '' Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge'' as Major Kraus * 1992 ''Maximum Force'' as Max Tanabe * 1982 ''Inside Edge'' as Mario Gio * 1992 ''Double Threat'' as Detective Robert Fenich * 1993 ''Merlin'' as Pendragon * 1993 '' H.P. Lovecraft's: Necronomicon'' as Jethro De Lapoer (part 1) * 1994 '' Scanner Cop'' as Karl Glock * 1994 '' Cyborg 3: The Recycler'' as Anton Lewellyn * 1994 ''Midnight Confessions'' as Detective Harris * 1994 ''Dangerous Waters'' as Admiral * 1994 ''Death Match'' as Jimmie Fratello * 1994 ''Loving Deadly'' as Dr. Mel * 1995 ''Terrified'' as Office Worker #2 * 1995 ''Dragon Fury'' * 1995 ''Terminal Virus'' as Calloway * 1995 ''Warrior of Justice'' as Doug 'The Master' * 1995 ''Takedown'' * 1995 ''Destination Vegas'' as Richard * 1996 ''

Werewolf In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (; ; uk, Вовкулака, Vovkulaka), is an individual that can shapeshift into a wolf (or, especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature), either purposely ...

'' as Noel * 1996 ''Lone Tiger'' as Bruce Rossner * 1996 ''Total Force'' as Dr. Edmund Wellington * 1996 ''Diamond Run'' as Sloan * 1996 ''Vendetta'' as Dr. David Wilson * 1996 ''The Garbage Man'' * 1997 ''Under Oath'' as Daniel Saltarelli * 1997 ''Ground Rules'' * 1997 '' Divine Lovers'' as Gregory * 1998 ''Shattered Illusions'' as Sal * 1998 ''Armstrong'' as Colonel Vladimir Zukov * 1998 ''Love and War II'' * 1999 '' Lima: Breaking the Silence'' as James Gallagher, Ambassador of Ireland * 1999 '' Eastside'' as Mihalas Gabriel * 1999 ''Enemy Action'' as Dimitri * 2001 ''Death Game'' as Chief Canton * 2001 ''Ankle Bracelet'' as Jerry * 2002 ''Outta Time'' as Franco * 2002 ''

Crime and Punishment ''Crime and Punishment'' ( pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform rus, Преступление и наказание, Prestupléniye i nakazániye, prʲɪstʊˈplʲenʲɪje ɪ nəkɐˈzanʲɪje) is a novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. ...

'' as Peter Luzhin, Dunia's Suitor * 2002 '' Curse of the Forty-Niner'' as Old Man Prichard * 2003 ''Fabulous Shiksa in Distress'' as The Messenger (uncredited) * 2003 ''Ancient Warriors'' as Curtis Mayhew * 2003 ''The Mummy's Kiss'' as Dr. Wallis Harwa * 2003 ''Final Combat'' * 2003 '' Corpses Are Forever'' as General Morton * 2005 ''The Great Wall of Magellon'' as Old Akillian * 2006 ''Wedding Slashers'' as Daddy * 2007 '' Mil Mascaras vs. the Aztec Mummy'' as The President of the United States * 2007 '' Halloween'' as Principal Chambers * 2009 '' Dark Fields'' as Karl Lumis / Mr. Jones * 2009 ''Chrome Angels'' as Uncle Ted * 2009 ''The Rain'' as Karl Lumis * 2010 ''Resurrection'' as The President * 2011 ''Gun of the Black Sun'' as Damian Lupescu * 2012 '' The Lords of Salem'' as Reverend Jonathan Hawthorne (scenes deleted) (Due to poor health, Lynch was replaced by Andrew Prine during early stages of filming.)

Television

* 1977 '' Streets of San Francisco'' Season 5 - Episode 23 "Time Out" as Harry Kraft * 1978 '' Battlestar Galactica'' episode Gun on Ice Planet Zero (as Wolfe) * 1978 ''

'' episode Kill Dan Tanna as Mr. North * 1981 ''

'' episode Dead Ringer as Benjamin Lang * 1979 '' Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'' as Morgan Velosi * 1979 '' Charlie's Angels'' episode Angels on the Street as Freddie Jefferson * 1978 '' Starsky & Hutch'' episode Quadromania s03 e22 as Lionel Fitzgerald III * 1979 '' Starsky & Hutch'' episode Starsky vs Hutch s04 e21 as Joey * 1980 '' Galactica 1980'' as Commander Xaviar * 1980 '' Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story'' as Sam Shockley * 1982 '' The Phoenix'' as Justin Preminger * 1984 ''

'' as P.V.C. * 1984 '' Matt Houston'', episode “Apostle of Death” as Jesse Mercer * 1985 ''

'' episode “The Horn of Plenty” as John Bradford Horn / Gerald Van Dorian / Neal Streep * 1987 '' The Law & Harry McGraw'' Season 1 - Episode 3 "Mr. Chapman, I Presume?" as Trent * 1987 ''

'' as Servan Domballe * 1989 '' Hunter'' episode “The Legion” as Frank Lassiter * 1991 '' Super Force'' Season 1 - Episodes 16 & 17 "The Sins of the Fathers" as Dr. Lothar Presley * 1993 '' Star Trek: The Next Generation episode

Gambit A gambit (from Italian , the act of tripping someone with the leg to make them fall) is a chess opening in which a player sacrifices with the aim of achieving a subsequent advantage. The word '' gambit'' is also sometimes used to describe sim ...

'' as Arctus Baran * 1992-1994 '' Murder, She Wrote'' episode To the last will I grapple with thee & Amsterdam Kill as Philip de Kooning / Michael O'Connor * 1995 '' Highlander: The Series'' as John Kirin / Cage * 1998 ''

Mike Hammer, Private Eye ''Mike Hammer, Private Eye'' is an American syndicated television program based on the adventures of the fictitious private detective Mike Hammer, created by novelist Mickey Spillane. Like the previous series, it was produced by Jay Bernstein ...

'' as Graham Mintner * 1999 '' Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming'' as Count Iblis * 2003 '' Charmed'' as Cronyn

Bibliography

* Patrick Loubatière. ''Richard Lynch Forever'' (2013).

References

External links

Richard Lynch Biography (1936-)
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lynch, Richard 1940 births 2012 deaths American male film actors American male television actors American people of Irish descent Irish male film actors Irish male television actors Irish people of American descent Male actors from New York City United States Marines People from Brooklyn