31 Facts About Richard Greene

Richard Marius Joseph Greene was a noted English film and television actor.

Richard Greene was raised Roman Catholic, attending Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, which he left at 18.

Richard Greene was the grandson of Richard Bentley Greene and a descendant of four generations of actors.

Richard Greene started his stage career as a spear carrier in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar in 1933.

Richard Greene did some modelling work and appeared in a stage production of Journey's End and had a small role in Sing As We Go, Richard Greene joined the Jevan Brandon Repertory Company in 1936 with whom he appeared in Antony and Cleopatra.

Richard Greene won accolades in the same year for his part in Terence Rattigan's French Without Tears, which brought him to the attention of MGM, Alexander Korda and Darryl F Zanuck, who all made offers for films.

Richard Greene was a huge success, especially with female film goers, who sent him mountains of fan mail which at its peak rivalled that of Fox star Tyrone Power.

Richard Greene co-starred with Sonia Henie in My Lucky Star and was reunited with Ford in Submarine Patrol.

Richard Greene was the romantic male lead in the Shirley Temple vehicle The Little Princess and was Sir Henry Baskerville in the 1939 Sherlock Holmes film The Hound of the Baskervilles.

The film marked the first pairing of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson, but it was Richard Greene who was top billed.

Richard Greene had a supporting part in Stanley and Livingstone with Spencer Tracy and the lead in Here I Am a Stranger.

Richard Greene co-starred with Alice Faye and Fred MacMurray in Little Old New York and supported Vera Zorina in I Was an Adventuress.

Richard Greene had failed to become a major star but he was still playing leads in "A" movies when World War II began.

Richard Greene tried to enlist in the Seaforth Highlanders in Vancouver, but they would not give him a commission.

Richard Greene obtained a release from Fox and travelled to England where he enlisted in the 27th Lancers, where he distinguished himself.

Richard Greene was promoted to captain in the 27th Lancers in May 1944.

Richard Greene was given leave in 1942 to appear in the British propaganda films Flying Fortress for Warners and Unpublished Story with Valerie Hobson.

Richard Greene appeared in a British comedy Don't Take It to Heart.

Richard Greene later toured in Shaw's Arms and the Man, entertaining the troops.

Richard Greene was discharged in December 1944 and appeared in the stage play Desert Rats.

Richard Greene returned to Hollywood, and appeared in Fox's big budget Forever Amber, but in support of Cornel Wilde.

Richard Greene went to Universal to play the villain in The Fighting O'Flynn with Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

Richard Greene returned to England to appear in That Dangerous Age and Now Barabbas.

Richard Greene went back to Universal in Hollywood to play the hero in a Yvonne de Carlo eastern, The Desert Hawk.

Richard Greene went to Italy to make The Rival of the Empress.

Richard Greene got a role on stage in a production of I Capture the Castle with Virginia McKenna.

Richard Greene had a long love affair in the 1950s with Nancy Oakes, wealthy daughter of mining tycoon Sir Harry Oakes.

Amongst other TV programmes, Richard Greene was in A Man For Loving, The Doctors, The Morecambe and Wise Show, Dixon of Dock Green, Scarf Jack, as corrupt businessman Neil Turvey in The Professionals episode "Everest Was Also Conquered", and the Tales of the Unexpected episode "Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat".

Richard Greene replaced Douglas Wilmer to play Sir Denis Nayland Smith in two of Harry Alan Towers's Fu Manchu films, The Blood of Fu Manchu and The Castle of Fu Manchu.

In 1972 Richard Greene was unwittingly embroiled in the Lewis v Averay court case, after a fraudster pretending to be Richard Greene had purchased a vehicle.

Richard Greene died in 1985 of cardiac arrest at his home at Kelling Hall, Norfolk, England, aged 66.