Grant Richards (born Irwin Jaffe, December 21, 1911 – July 4, 1963) was an American actor, who appeared mainly in movies in the late 1930s through to the late 1950s.
Early years When he was known as Irwin Jaffe, Richards was a student at the University of Miami for three years. He performed in dramatic productions at the university and in the city's Civic Theater.
Career In 1937, he became the first actor in the Federal Theatre Project to gain a film contract, signing with the Major Pictures company.
His films include On Such a Night (1937) and Guns, Girls, and Gangsters (1959). Richards made three guest appearances on Perry Mason: as Jerry Haywood in the 1958 episodes "The Case of the Haunted Husband," and as Captain Kennedy in "The Case of the Sardonic Sargeant"; followed by the role of murder victim George Sherwin in the 1961 episode, "The Case of the Missing Melody". He also appeared in several episodes of ABC's The Untouchables.
In 1958, he played the gunfighter and saloon owner Luke Short in an episode of the western series, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp. In 1962 he played Keeler, a crooked gambler, in The Rifleman episode “Tinhorn”.
Personal life and death During the 1940s, Richards was briefly married to actresses Joan Valerie–with whom he had one daughter–and Jean Stevens, both marriages ending in divorce."Joan Valerie Gets Second Divorce". The Rhinelander Daily News. February 6, 1943. p. 2. Retrieved June 4, 2023."Actress Wins Divorce As Result of Surprise Party". The Scranton Times. October 22, 1945. p. 9. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
On July 4, 1963, Richards died of leukemia in Hollywood.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1936 Hopalong Cassidy Returns Bob Claiborne 1937 Night of Mystery Philo Vance On Such a Night Nicky Last Love on Toast Clark 'Sandy' Sanford 1938 My Old Kentucky Home Larry Blair Under the Big Top Pablo Le Grande 1939 Risky Business Jack Norman Inside Information Charles Bixby 1940 Isle of Destiny Lt. George Allerton 1942 Just Off Broadway John F. McGonagle - Asst. District Attorney 1959 Guns Girls and Gangsters Joe Darren Inside the Mafia Johnny Lucero The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake Police Lt. Jeff Rowan 1960 Oklahoma Territory Bigelow Twelve Hours to Kill Detective Lt. Jim Carnevan The Music Box Kid Chesty Miller 1961 You Have to Run Fast 'Big Jim' Craven Secret of Deep Harbor Rick Correll
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