Richard Travis (born William Benton Justice; April 17, 1913 – July 11, 1989) was an American actor in films and television.

Early years

The son of William and Ella (née Spain) Justice, William Benton Justice was born in

Carlsbad, New Mexico Carlsbad ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Eddy County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 32,238. Carlsbad is centered at the intersection of U.S. Routes 62/ 180 and 285, and is the principal city ...

and grew up in

Paragould, Arkansas Paragould is a city in and the county seat of Greene County, Arkansas, Greene County, and the 19th-largest city in Arkansas, in the United States. The city is located in northeastern Arkansas on the eastern edge of Crowley's Ridge, a geologic anom ...

.1920 United States Census http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=6061&h=84054592&usePUB=true His father owned and operated a marble yard in Paragould. Travis was a radio announcer and a sportscaster before he became an actor.

Film

Travis began his Hollywood career in 1930s action films. The high point of his career was a supporting role in the 1942 film comedy ''

The Man Who Came to Dinner ''The Man Who Came to Dinner'' is a comedy play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. It debuted on October 16, 1939, at the Music Box Theatre in New York City, where it ran until 1941, closing after 739 performances. It then enjoyed a number of ...

'' (1942), playing opposite

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympatheti ...

. He had some other fairly important roles in the early 1940s, but his career soon declined. He spent

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

with the

Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

show ''

Winged Victory The ''Winged Victory of Samothrace'', or the ''Niké of Samothrace'', is a Votive offering, votive monument originally discovered on the island of Samothrace in the northeastern Aegean Sea. It is a masterpiece of Greek sculpture from the Helleni ...

''. In 1947, he starred in the B movie ''Backlash'', which has become something of a cult classic among ''film noir'' fans, as well as '' Jewels of Brandenburg'', a crime drama.

Television

Travis was busy in television roles in the early 1950s. He had the lead role of assistant Sheriff Rodger Barnett in the syndicated crime drama '' Code 3'', which aired for 39 episodes in 1957.Terrace, Vincent (2011). ''Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 198.

Real estate

Travis retired from acting to pursue a career in California real estate under his birth name. He founded the William Justice Company and became an officer on the Beverly Hills Realty Board.

Military service

Travis served in the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

Partial filmography

References

External links

* American male film actors 1913 births 1989 deaths 20th-century American male actors {{US-screen-actor-1910s-stub