Richard Crenna

Richard Donald Crenna (November 30, 1926 – January 17, 2003) was an American actor and television director.

Crenna starred in such motion pictures as Made in Paris (1966), The Sand Pebbles (1966), Marooned (1969), Breakheart Pass (1975), The Evil (1978), The Flamingo Kid (1984), Summer Rental (1985) and Sabrina (1995). His first success came on radio in 1948 as high school student Walter Denton co-starring with Eve Arden and Gale Gordon in the series Our Miss Brooks. Crenna continued with the comedy in its 1952 move into television. He also starred as Luke McCoy in the television series The Real McCoys (1957–1963). In 1985, he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his portrayal of the title role in The Rape of Richard Beck (1985). He gained further notoriety for his role as Colonel Sam Trautman in the first three Rambo films (1982–1988).

Early life Crenna was born November 30, 1926, in Los Angeles, the only child of Edith Josephine (née Pollette), who was a hotel manager in Los Angeles, and Domenick Anthony Crenna, a pharmacist. His parents were both of Italian descent. Crenna attended Virgil Junior High School, followed by Belmont Senior High School in Los Angeles, from which he graduated in 1944. He served in the United States Army during World War II, entering the Army in February 1945 and serving until August 1946.

After his Army service, Crenna attended the University of Southern California (USC), where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature, and he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity.

Acting career

Radio years Crenna got his acting start on radio. In 1937, he had gained his first role, that of "the kid who did everything wrong" on Boy Scout Jamboree, a show on which he continued to appear occasionally in numerous roles until 1948. In the following year, he started playing Walter "Bronco" Thompson on The Great Gildersleeve, a role he played until 1954. He also 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. in the lead role of the episode titled "The Ten Days of John Leslie". In 1955, he was the guest star on The Millionaire in the episode "The Ralph McKnight Story".

Crenna appeared in 1956 on the television series Father Knows Best in the episode "The Promising Young Man" as a young man named Woody. In 1957, he played a bank robber on Cheyenne (season 2, episode 19).

1960s–1970s Credited as Dick Crenna, he directed eight episodes of The Andy Griffith Show during its 1963–1964 season, including "Opie the Birdman," "The Sermon for Today," and the Gomer Pyle-instigated "Citizen's Arrest." Crenna also directed "Henhouse," a 1977 episode of Lou Grant. Crenna was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best TV Star – Male for this same role in 1965. In 1966, Crenna played beside Steve McQueen as an ill-fated captain of an American gunboat in 1920s China in The Sand Pebbles. The Man Called Noon, and Breakheart Pass. He made a notable performance in Jean-Pierre Melville's final film Un Flic in 1972. In 1976, Crenna returned to weekly network television in the sitcom All's Fair, a political satire co-starring Bernadette Peters. Despite high expectations and good critical reviews, it lasted just a single season. The 1978 miniseries Centennial, based on James A. Michener's historical novel of the same name saw Crenna in the role of deranged religious fanatic Colonel Frank Skimmerhorn, who ordered the 1864 massacre of Colorado American Indians.

Crenna 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. Trautman became the veteran actor's most famous role; his performance received wide critical praise. He also spoofed the character in Hot Shots! Part Deux in 1993.

Crenna starred as NYPD lieutenant of detectives Frank Janek in a series of seven popular made-for-television films, beginning in 1988 and ending in 1994. The character of Janek had originally appeared in a series of novels by William Bayer.

In 2001, Crenna played US President Ronald Reagan in the Showtime film The Day Reagan Was Shot, a fictionalised account of the attempted assassination of Reagan in 1981.

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

Illness and death Crenna died of heart failure at age 76 on January 17, 2003, in Los Angeles. At the time of his death, he also had pancreatic cancer.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1950 Let's Dance Bit Part Uncredited 1951 Starlift Movie Theater Usher 1952 Red Skies of Montana Noxon The Pride of St. Louis Paul Dean It Grows on Trees Ralph Bowen 1956 Over-Exposed Russell Bassett Our Miss Brooks Walter Denton 1965 John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! John Goldfarb 1966 Made in Paris Herb Stone The Sand Pebbles Captain Collins 1967 Wait Until Dark Mike Talman 1968 Star! Richard Aldrich 1969 Midas Run Mike Warden Marooned Jim Pruett 1971 Doctors' Wives Dr. Peter Brennan The Deserter Major Wade Brown Red Sky at Morning Frank Arnold Catlow Marshal Ben Cowan 1972 Un flic Simon 1973 The Man Called Noon Noon Jonathan Livingston Seagull Father (voice) 1975 Breakheart Pass Governor Richard Fairchild 1978 Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell Mike Barry The Evil C.J. Arnold 1979 Stone Cold Dead Sergeant Boyd Wild Horse Hank Pace Bradford 1980 Death Ship Trevor Marshall Joshua's World Dr. Joshua Torrance 1981 Body Heat Edmund Walker 1982 First Blood Colonel Samuel R. "Sam" Trautman 1983 Table for Five Mitchell 1984 The Flamingo Kid Phil Brody Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture 1985 Rambo: First Blood Part II Colonel Samuel R. "Sam" Trautman Summer Rental Al Pellet 1988 Rambo III Colonel Samuel R. "Sam" Trautman 1989 Leviathan Dr. Glen "Doc" Thompson 1993 Hot Shots! Part Deux Colonel Denton Walters 1995 A Pyromaniac's Love Story Tom Lumpke Uncredited Jade Governor Lew Edwards Sabrina Patrick Tyson 1998 Wrongfully Accused Lieutenant Fergus Falls Legendary Lighthouses Narrator 2008 Rambo Colonel Samuel R. "Sam" Trautman Archival footage; uncredited 2019 Rambo: Last Blood

Television Year Title Role Notes 1952 I Love Lucy Arthur Morton episode: "The Young Fans" 1952–1955 Our Miss Brooks Walter Denton 94 episodes 1955 The Millionaire Ralph McKnight episode: "The Ralph McKnight Story" 1956 Frontier John Leslie episode: "The 10 Days of John Leslie" Medic Donny episode: "Don't Count the Stars" Father Knows Best Elwood Seastrom episode: "The Promising Young Man" 1956–1958 Matinee Theatre Sergeant James 3 episodes 1957 The Silent Service Lieutenant Commander L. L. "Jeff" Davis episode: "The U.S.S. Pampanito Story" 1957 Cheyenne "Curley" Galway episode: "Hard Bargain" 1957–1963 The Real McCoys Luke McCoy 225 episodesnominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (1959) 1960 The Deputy Andy Willis episode: "A Time to Sow" 1963 Kraft Suspense Theatre Edward Smalley episode: "The Long, Lost Life of Edward Smalley" 1964–1965 Slattery's People James Slattery 36 episodesnominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama (1965)nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievements in Entertainment (1965)nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (1966) 1971 Thief Neal Wilkinson television film 1971–1972 Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In Guest Performer 3 episodes 1972 Footsteps Paddy O'Connor television film 1973 Double Indemnity Walter Neff 1974 Nightmare Howard Faloon Shootout in a One-Dog Town Zack Wells Double Solitaire Honky Tonk "Candy" Johnson 1975 A Girl Named Sooner R.J. "Mac" McHenry 1976–1977 All's Fair Richard C. Barrington 24 episodes 1977 The War Between the Tates Professor Brian Tate television film 1978 Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell Mike Barry First, You Cry David Towers A Fire in the Sky Jason Voight 1978–1979 Centennial Colonel Frank Skimmerhorn television miniseries 1979 Mayflower: The Pilgrims' Adventure William Brewster television film Better Late Than Never The Director 1980 Fugitive Family Brian Roberts / Matthews 1981 The Ordeal of Bill Carney Mason Rose Daniel Boone voice Look at Us Host 1982 The Day the Bubble Burst Jesse Livermore television film 1982–1983 It Takes Two Dr. Sam Quinn 22 episodes 1984 Squaring the Circle The Narrator television film London and Davis in New York John Greyson Passions Richard Kennerly 1985 The Rape of Richard Beck Richard Beck television filmPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movienominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film Doubletake Frank Janek television miniseries 1986 A Case of Deadly Force Lawrence O'Donnell Sr. television film On Wings of Eagles H. Ross Perot television miniseries The High Price of Passion Bill Douglas television film 1987 Police Story: The Freeway Killings Deputy Chief Bob Devers Kids Like These Bob Goodman Plaza Suite Roy Hubley 1988 Internal Affairs Frank Janek 1989 The Case of the Hillside Stranglers Sergeant Bob Grogan Stuck with Each Other Bert Medwick 1990 Murder in Black and White Frank Janek Montana Hoyce Guthrie Last Flight Out Dan Hood Murder Times Seven Frank Janek 1991 And the Sea Will Tell Vincent Bugliosi 1991–1992 Pros and Cons Mitch O'Hannon 12 episodes 1992 Intruders Dr. Neil Chase television miniseries Terror on Track 9 Detective Frank Janek television film 1993 A Place to Be Loved George Russ 1994 The Forget-Me-Not Murders Frank Janek Jonathan Stone: Threat of Innocence Jonathan Stone Janek: The Silent Betrayal Lieutenant Frank Janek 1995 In the Name of Love: A Texas Tragedy Lucas Constable Sr. 1995–1998 JAG Lieutenant Harmon Rabb Sr. 4 episodes 1996 Race Against Time: The Search for Sarah John Porter television film Nova Narrator Episode: B-29: Frozen in Time Texas Graces Virgil Grace television film 1997 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Professor Aronnax Deep Family Secrets Clay Chadway Heart Full of Rain Arliss Dockett Cold Case Host 1999 To Serve and Protect Howard Carr The Man Who Makes Things Happen: David L. Wolper Narrator Chicago Hope Dr. Martin Rockwell episode: "Teacher's Pet" 2000 Murder, She Wrote: A Story to Die For Warren Pierce television film By Dawn's Early Light Ben Maxwell 2000–2003 Judging Amy Jared Duff 13 episodes 2001 The Day Reagan Was Shot Ronald Reagan television film 2003 Out of the Ashes Jake Smith

Video games Year Title Role Notes 2014 Rambo: The Video Game Colonel Samuel "Sam" Trautman character likeness / uncredited

Awards and nominations Year Association Category Nominated work Result 1959 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series The Real McCoys 1965 Golden Globe Awards Best Actor – Television Series Drama Slattery's People Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Individual Achievements in Entertainment 1966 Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series 1984 Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture The Flamingo Kid 1985 Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film The Rape of Richard Beck Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

Military awards

American Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal