20 Facts About Richard Crenna

Richard Donald Crenna was an American film, television and radio actor.

Richard Crenna continued with the comedy in its 1952 move into television.

Richard Crenna starred as Luke McCoy in the television series The Real McCoys.

Richard Crenna was born November 30,1926, in Los Angeles, the only child of Edith Josephine, who was a hotel manager in Los Angeles, and Domenick Anthony Richard Crenna, a pharmacist.

Richard Crenna attended Virgil Junior High School, followed by Belmont Senior High School in Los Angeles, from which he graduated in 1944.

Richard Crenna served in the US Army during World War II, entering the Army in February 1945 and serving until August 1946.

Richard Crenna originated the role of geeky Walter Denton on the Radio Comedy Our Miss Brooks alongside Eve Arden and Gale Gordon in 1948, and followed that role when the series moved to television in 1952.

Richard Crenna appeared as a delivery boy in My Favorite Husband, was Oogie Pringle on A Date With Judy and as a teenager on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show.

Richard Crenna played Walter Denton on radio's Our Miss Brooks, remaining with the cast when it moved into television in 1952.

Richard Crenna remained with the show until it was canceled in 1957.

Richard Crenna appeared in 1956 on the television series Father Knows Best in the episode "The Promising Young Man" as a young man named Woody.

Richard Crenna ultimately became one of the series's four directors during its six-year run.

Richard Crenna portrayed California state senator James Slattery in the series Slattery's People.

In 1966, Richard Crenna played beside Steve McQueen as an ill-fated captain of an American gunboat in 1920s China in The Sand Pebbles.

Richard Crenna made a notable performance in Jean-Pierre Melville's final film Un Flic in 1972.

In 1976, Richard Crenna returned to weekly network television in the sitcom All's Fair, a political satire co-starring Bernadette Peters.

Richard Crenna then played John Rambo's ex-commanding officer Colonel Sam Trautman, in the first three Rambo films, a role for which he was hired after Kirk Douglas left the production a day into filming.

Richard Crenna portrayed New York City Police Department lieutenant of detectives Frank Janek in a series of seven popular made-for-television films, beginning in 1988 and ending in 1994.

Richard Crenna was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6714 Hollywood Boulevard.

Richard Crenna died of pancreatic cancer at age 76 on January 17,2003, in Los Angeles.