Richard Frank

Richard Edward Frank (January 4, 1953 – August 27, 1995) was an American actor. He was perhaps best known as Father Vogler in the 1984 movie Amadeus. Frank had numerous guest appearances in television shows, with a regular role in the sitcom Anything but Love.

Biography Born in Boston, Frank was a graduate of Juilliard's acting school. In addition, Frank appeared in numerous theater productions, including Hang on to Me at the Guthrie Theater, directed by Peter Sellars, as well as many productions in Los Angeles, mostly at the Taper. He created the Struggling Actor's Coloring Book and dozens of paintings, which are now in private collections. He was noted by colleagues for his intelligence and endless wit.

Frank played infamous lawyer and informal powerbroker Roy Cohn in the first performance of Tony Kushner's play Angels in America. Cohn also died from AIDS-related complications.

By 1993, Frank had already gone public with his affliction with AIDS. In the wake of his public disclosure, Frank was asked to guest-star in the fourth season Life Goes On episode "Bedfellows". Frank played Chester, the hospital roommate of Jesse McKenna (Chad Lowe), while both were admitted for illnesses related to their AIDS statuses. Chester has a more advanced stage of AIDS, and is not expected to live much longer; Jesse has to convince Chester at one point not to take his life by jumping off the hospital roof. Chester does lose his battle with AIDS before the episode's end, but not before passing on wisdom to Jesse for his own dealings with his illness.

Following his landmark appearance on Life Goes On, Frank's health began a gradual decline, but throughout 1994, he kept up his steady guest turns on series ranging from The Larry Sanders Show to Matlock. His final role was playing a director in a 1995 episode of Mad About You.

Death On August 27, 1995, Frank died in Los Angeles of complications from AIDS.

Filmography + Richard Frank film and television credits Year Title Role Notes 1981 Ninguem Ninguem Film 1982 The Wall Stefan Mazor TV movie 1984 Amadeus Father Vogler Film 1985 Remington Steele Scott Jefferson Episode: "Steele of Approval" Stir Crazy Jess Morgan Episode: "Welcome to the Tribe" Cagney & Lacey Eli Leavitt Episode: "The Psychic" The Equalizer 1st Client Episode: "Mama's Boy" 1986 Falcon Crest Mr. Bloom 2 Episodes: "Double Jeopardy" & "Perilous Charm" 1987 Cracked Up Resident Doctor TV movie Max Headroom Biller Episode: "Whacketts" Night Court Gary Fenton 2 Episodes: "Her Honor", Parts 3 & 4 Perfect Strangers Frank Peterson Episode: "The Break-In" 1988 Valerie Mr. Standish Episode: "Close Encounters" 1990 Baby Brown FBI Agent #2 Film Room for Romance Episode: "A Midsummer Night's Reality" 1989–1992 Anything But Love Jules Bennett 56 episodes 1992 The Jackie Thomas Show Otto Episode: "Jack & the Bean Stalker" Sisters Marcus DeWitt Episode: "Accidents Will Happen" 1993 The Larry Sanders Show Thomas Episode: "Larry Loses Interest" Life Goes On Chester Episode: "Bedfellows" 1994 Matlock Wally McDaniel Episode: "The Crook" The Sinbad Show Episode: "David Goes Skiing" 1995 Mad About You Director Episode: "Just My Dog"