Richard B. Shull

Richard Bruce Shull (February 24, 1929 – October 14, 1999) was an American character actor.

Biography Early life

Shull was born in Evanston, Illinois, the son of Zana Marie (née Brown), a court stenographer, and Ulysses Homer Shull, a manufacturing executive. He attended York High School (Elmhurst, Illinois) and the University of Iowa. He served in the U.S. Army before starting his Broadway career as a stage manager.

Acting career He got his first big break as an actor when he was cast in Minnie's Boys in 1970. Additional theatre credits include Goodtime Charley (in which he sang a duet "Merci, Bon Dieu"; and for which he received Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations), Fools, The Front Page, A Flea in Her Ear, and Victor/Victoria.

Shull's screen credits include thirty movies, The Anderson Tapes (1971), Klute (1971), Slither (1973), The Fortune (1975), Splash (1984), Garbo Talks (1984), Unfaithfully Yours (1984), Housesitter (1992) and Private Parts (1997).

His television appearances included Love, American Style in episode "Love and the Locksmith", Ironside "Once More for Joey" aired 1974, Good Times "The Visitor", The Rockford Files "The Great Blue Lake", Alice "Flo's Chili Reception", where he played Mel's rival restaurant owner Barney of Barney's Burger Barn; Diana co star, Lou Grant episode "Samaratan", Hart to Hart, and Holmes & Yoyo starred as a police detective, as well as numerous television movies. He also appeared as the judge in a music video for the song "Keeping the Faith" (1984), by Billy Joel. He appeared as the delivery man in Tales from the Darkside Do Not Open This Box (1988) series 4, episode 15. In 1963 Richard became a member of the historical theater club, The Lambs, served on its council and remained a member until his death.

Writing career As a writer, Shull wrote the 1960 play Fenton's Folly, which was adapted as Fentons völlig verrückte Erfindung (1967), an independent German movie filmed in Austria. Shull also wrote the story for the 1966 thriller movie Aroused, and co-authored, with William L. Rose, the dramatic film Pamela, Pamela You are... (1968).

Death On October 14, 1999, Shull died of a heart attack at his home in New York City; he was 70 years old. He had been appearing in the play Epic Proportions on Broadway. He was buried at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla Westchester County, New York.

Hobbies and interests In a 2012 interview, Shull's Holmes & Yoyo co-star John Schuck remembered him as "a very funny actor and a unique man", adding that Shull "lived in the ’40s. He bought ’40s clothing, he only used pen and ink, he had his own railroad car which he would attach to trains and travel around the country. He had a 1949 Chevrolet car. I mean, he truly lived in the past. Quite remarkable." In 1995, Shull co-founded the North American Araucanian Royalist Society (NAARS) with Daniel Paul Morrison. The NAARS studies the Kingdom of Araucania and Patagonia which was founded in 1860 by the Mapuche people of South America. The NAARS devoted a large portion of issue number 10 of their official journal, The Steel Crown, to the life of Shull.

Shull was an invested member of The Baker Street Irregulars, the literary society dedicated to Sherlock Holmes. He received his investiture "An Actor, and a Rare One", in 1986.

Shull was a member of the New York City arts club The Players and the Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York.

Filmography Films Year Title Role Notes 1965 Watch the Birdie Cullen Lauterbach 1968 Cargo of Love Dr. Everett Uncredited 1969 Decameron '69 Roxanne's lover Uncredited 1971 B.S. I Love You Mr. Harris As an executive 1971 The Anderson Tapes Werner Long scene with Dyan Cannon and Sean Connery 1971 Klute Sugarman Short scene as a policeman 1971 Made for Each Other Unnamed character Credit: "and Richard B. Shull" 1971 Such Good Friends Clarence Fitch Long scene 1972 Hail to the Chief Secretary of Health Leading role 1973 Slither Harry Moss Co-starring as an embezzler 1973 Sssssss Dr. Ken Daniels 1974 Cockfighter Omar Baradansky Leading role as a business partner 1975 The Fortune Chief Detective Sergeant Jack Power 1975 Hearts of the West Stout Crook Co-starring with Jeff Bridges 1975 The Black Bird Vernon Prizer 1976 The Big Bus Emery Bush As a dying tourist 1977 The Pack Hardiman Co-starring role 1979 Dreamer George Taylor The boss 1980 Wholly Moses! Jethro Moses' father-in-law 1981 Heartbeeps Factory Boss 1983 Lovesick Dr. Fessner Minor role 1983 Spring Break Eddie Comic supporting role 1984 Unfaithfully Yours Jess Keller 1984 Splash Dr. Ross 1984 Garbo Talks Shepard Platkin As the boss 1984 "Keeping the Faith" Judge Billy Joel music video 1986 Seize the Day Rojox Robin Williams' boss 1990 Tune in Tomorrow Leonard Pando 1992 Housesitter Ralph / Bernie Duncle Comic supporting role as Goldie Hawn's father 1994 Trapped in Paradise Father Ritter Short scene 1995 Cafe Society Samuel Segal Key role 1997 Private Parts Symphony Sid Short scene as the boss 2000 Two Family House Mr. Barrancaccio As a banker in three scenes, (posthumously released), (final film role)