Richard Stanford Cox (April 19, 1930 – July 8, 1994), known professionally as Dick Sargent, was an American actor. He is best known for being the second actor to portray Darrin Stephens on ABC's fantasy sitcom Bewitched. He took the name Dick Sargent from a Saturday Evening Post illustrator/artist of the same name.

Early life Sargent was born Richard Stanford Cox in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, on April 19, 1930, to Ruth McNaughton and Colonel Elmer Cox. His mother was the daughter of John McNaughton, who founded Los Angeles's famed Union Stockyards. She appeared under the stage name of "Ruth Powell", and had supporting bit roles in such films as The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and Hearts and Trumps with Alla Nazimova. Sargent's father Elmer served in World War I and later became a business manager to Hollywood figures, including Douglas Fairbanks and Erich von Stroheim.

Sargent attended the San Rafael Military Academy in San Rafael, California, before majoring in drama at Stanford University. He appeared in two dozen plays with the Stanford Players Theater.

Career Sargent appeared in feature films following his debut in Prisoner of War (1954). He appeared in The Great Locomotive Chase (1956) starring Fess Parker. In the 1957 movie Bernardine, Sargent portrayed Sanford "Fofo" Wilson.

Sargent appeared in the 1959 feature film Operation Petticoat starring Cary Grant, and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken starring Don Knotts in 1966. He was a regular in three short-lived television comedies, One Happy Family in 1961, Broadside in 1964, and The Tammy Grimes Show, a four-episode ABC flop in 1966. For three seasons, from 1969 to 1972, he played Darrin Stephens – a role he had previously turned down — in Bewitched, replacing ailing actor Dick York.

In 1975, Sargent appeared on the game show Tattletales with Fannie Flagg.

His later movies included the crime drama Hardcore (1979) as Jake Van Dorn (George C. Scott)'s strait-laced brother-in-law, Wes DeJong, and as Dr. Jameson in the sci-fi horror film Parts: The Clonus Horror (1979). He also played Sheriff Grady Byrd in two 1979–1980 season episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard.

Sargent continued to work in film. He played Harry in Live a Little, Love a Little (1968) opposite Elvis Presley and Michele Carey, and made guest appearances on television series, including Navy Log; The West Point Story; Medic; Code 3; Ripcord; Gunsmoke; Wagon Train; The Alaskans; The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet; The Rat Patrol; I Dream of Jeannie; Hazel; Dr. Kildare; Daniel Boone; Kraft Mystery Theater; Three's Company; The Waltons; Charlie's Angels; Knots Landing; Family Ties; The Love Boat; Fantasy Island; Adam-12; The Streets of San Francisco; Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law; Ellery Queen; The Tony Randall Show; The Devlin Connection; Baretta; Switch; The Six Million Dollar Man; Marcus Welby, M.D.; Trapper John, M.D.; Matt Houston; Alice; Taxi; Benson; Vega$; Diff'rent Strokes; Here's Lucy; Love, American Style; The Yellow Rose; The Commish; Finder of Lost Loves; Murder, She Wrote; L.A. Law; and Harry and the Hendersons. In 1990, he also portrayed himself in an episode of Columbo. In the mid-1980s he landed the steady role of Richard Preston, the widowed father, in the TBS sitcom Down to Earth. He also appeared in the fantasy comedy Teen Witch (1989).

Throughout the 1980s, he joined actress Sally Struthers as an advocate for Christian Children's Fund, which brought relief to children in developing nations. Sargent also did charitable work for the Special Olympics, World Hunger, AIDS Project Los Angeles and the American Foundation for AIDS Research.

Personal life On National Coming Out Day in 1991, Sargent publicly came out as gay and declared his support for gay rights. The high rate of suicide among young gay people was the main reason; he jokingly referred to himself as a "retroactive role model". Sargent recognized that his ill health from prostate cancer may have led people to assume that he suffered from AIDS.

Sargent had a companion, with whom he lived for over 20 years, before the unidentified man died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1979. He later lived with his domestic partner Albert Williams until his death.

In June 1992, Sargent was a Grand Marshal of the Los Angeles Gay Pride parade along with Elizabeth Montgomery.

Death Sargent was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1989. Doctors were initially optimistic that it could be treated. However, the disease continued to spread and, by early 1994, he had become seriously ill. Sargent died from the disease on July 8, 1994, aged 64. His body was cremated.

Former Bewitched co-star Elizabeth Montgomery commented, "He was a great friend, and I will miss his love, his sense of humor and his remarkable courage." Montgomery herself died of colon cancer less than a year later.

Filmography

Film +YearTitleRole Notes1954Prisoner of WarLt. Leonard LeeUncredited1955The Beast with a Million EyesDeputy Larry Brewster1956The Great Locomotive ChaseAndrews RaiderUncreditedLove Me TenderConfederate Soldier1957BernardineSanford Wilson1958Mardi GrasDick Saglon1959Operation PetticoatEnsign Stovallas Richard Sargent1960The Great ImpostorHotchkiss1962That Touch of MinkHarry Clark1963For Love or MoneyHarvey WoffordCaptain Newman, M.D.Lt. Belden "Barney" Alderson1965FluffyTommyBillieMatt Bullitt1966The Ghost and Mr. ChickenGeorge Beckett1968The Private Navy of Sgt. O'FarrellCaptain Elwood ProhaskaThe Young RunawaysFreddieLive a Little, Love a LittleHarry1979HardcoreWes DeJongParts: The Clonus HorrorDr. Jameson1983I'm Going to Be FamousThe Director1986The Eleventh CommandmentCharles Knight1989Teen WitchFrank MillerMurder by NumbersPatrick CrainRock-A-Die BabyAdam1990Twenty Dollar StarMr. Brandon1991Frame UpWill Curran1993Acting on ImpulseMr. Randolph

Television +YearTitleRole Notes1954I Married JoanParty AttendeeEpisode: "Bev's Mistaken Marriage"1956MedicClydeEpisode: "The Glorious Red Gallagher"1957West PointCadet Daniels/Cadet Mike Mullen2 episodesThe ChristophersMichael PhillipsEpisode: "Gentle Warrior"Navy LogSeamanEpisode: "Ito of Attu"Code 3George PringleEpisode: "The Guilty Ones"1958Playhouse 90MichaelEpisode: "The Male Animal"1959Black SaddleLt. HerndonEpisode: "The Freebooters"The Loretta Young ShowBilly SimpsonEpisode: "Ten Men and a Girl"1960Wichita TownScottyEpisode: "Afternoon in Town"The AlaskansJoeyEpisode: "The Seal Skin-Game"The MillionaireDixon CooperEpisode: "Millionaire Dixon Cooper"1961One Happy FamilyDick Cooper15 episodesDeath Valley DaysCliff StreeterEpisode: "Gamble with Death"Dr. KildareDr. Paul WillisEpisode: "Holiday Weekend"1962Follow the SunLt. CollinsEpisode: "Sergeant Kolchak Fades Away"GunsmokeBudEpisode: "Catawomper"Kraft Mystery TheatreDick SpragueEpisode: "Change of Heart"The Alfred Hitchcock HourDave FultonEpisode: "Don't Look Behind You"The Adventures of Ozzie and HarrietGeorgeEpisode: "An Old Friend of June's"Alcoa PremiereHainesEpisode: "The Potentate"1963–1964Wagon TrainTom Reade/Andrew Elliott2 episodes1963HazelPeteEpisode: "Mr. Griffin Throws a Wedding"RipcordFrank WebbEpisode: "Picture of Terror"1964–1965BroadsideLt. Maxwell Trotter32 episodes1966–1967Daniel BooneReuben Stone/Andrew Cooper2 episodes1966Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler TheatreDick O'HaraEpisode: "Brilliant Benjamin Boggs"The Tammy Grimes ShowTerence Ward6 episodes1967Accidental FamilyTedEpisode: "The Secret Life of Jerry Webster"1968The Rat PatrolLt. KemperEpisode: "The Boomerang Raid"1969I Dream of JeannieNorman CashmanEpisode: "Jeannie for the Defense"Adam-12Sidney RoemerEpisode: "Log 92: Tell Him He Pushed Back a Little Too Hard"The OutcastsReese HawleyEpisode: "Give Me Tomorrow"1969–1972BewitchedDarrin Stephens84 episodes1970–1973Love, American StyleBen Cortnoy/Freddy/Peter Bradley/Bill4 episodes1972–1974Owen Marshall, Counselor at LawNeil Vickery/Edgar Hogan2 episodes1972Young Dr. KildareSam BarlowEpisode: "The Stranger"1973The Streets of San FranciscoBoyd CaldwellEpisode: "Shattered Image"Here's LucyOfficer SpencerEpisode: "Lucy Plays Cops and Robbers"1974Melvin Purvis: G-ManThatcher CovingtonTelevision movieFools, Females and FunRoger Morris1976McMillan & WifeDr. Jim ValeEpisode: "The Deadly Curse"Ellery QueenTom CalabreseEpisode: "The Adventure of the Wary Witness"Marcus Welby, M.D.Pete Randall2 episodesRich Man, Poor ManEddie HeathMiniseries; 2 episodesThe Six Million Dollar ManBob CrandallEpisode: "A Bionic Christmas Carol"1976–1977Rich Man, Poor Man Book IIEddie HeathMiniseries; 3 episodes1976–1979Charlie's AngelsHugh Morris/Marty Cole/Avery3 episodes1977–1982Fantasy IslandCharles Hollander/Algernon Pepperhill/Justin Rothwell1977The Tony Randall ShowChelsey HowardEpisode: "Case: The Lawndale Report"Three's CompanyLloyd CrossEpisode: "Chrissy's Date"BarettaGil MartinEpisode: "Lyman P. Dokker, Fed"The Love BoatFather MikeEpisode: "Lonely at the Top/Silent Night/Divorce Me, Please"1978SwitchBill GambelEpisode: "Formula for Murder"1979The Power WithinCaptain Ed HolmanTelevision movieNot Until TodayFather Francis Daley1980VegasFarley/Phil King2 episodesThe Dukes of HazzardSheriff Grady ByrdThe Gossip ColumnistAlan KeyesTelevision movieThe WaltonsChief Petty Officer2 episodes1981Aloha ParadiseJimEpisode: "Make Me a Match/Treasure Hunt/The Kid Who Would Be a Daddy"Trapper John, M.D.Dr. Philip MontagueEpisode: "Hate is Enough"1982TaxiJohn BickersEpisode: "Jim's Inheritance"Family TiesCharlieEpisode: "No Nukes is Good Nukes"The Devlin ConnectionRobert HuttonEpisode: "Jennifer"This is the LifeReverend BurwickEpisode: "The Visitation"1983Matt HoustonBinky BradworthEpisode: "The Yacht Club Murders"The Yellow RoseJudge Sam Claymore2 episodesABC Afterschool SpecialLew ShorrEpisode: "The Celebrity and the Arcade Kid"1984AliceDr. CrystalEpisode: "Jolene is Stuck on Mel"BensonWorth Lakewood2 episodesFinder of Lost LovesDennis HodgesEpisode: "White Lies"Diff'rent StrokesMr. Stone2 episodes1984–1987Down to EarthRichard Preston93 episodes1985Knots LandingHimselfEpisode: "Weighing of Evils"1987Murder, She WroteGeorge SelbyEpisode: "Simon Says, Color Me Dead"1988L.A. LawEdmund BatesEpisode: "Leapin' Lizards"Square One TelevisionWellworth Watching2 episodes1990ColumboHimselfEpisode: "Uneasy Lies the Crown"1991P.S. I Luv USamEpisode: "I'd Kill to Direct"1992The CommishMartin BelzerEpisode: "Sex, Lies and Kreosene"Harry and the HendersonsEarl PowersEpisode: "Selling Out"

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