Richard Greene (1918 -1985) - A Timeline
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1918
Born Richard Marius Joseph Greene on the 25th August in Plymouth, Devon.
Richard’s mother was Kathleen Marie Josephine Davidson, an actress and writer (as Kathleen Gerrard), daughter of an actor and theatrical producer Wallace Davidson from Crook in County Durham (of Scottish descent). Richard’s father was Richard Abraham Greene, an actor at the Repertory Theatre in Plymouth, and a former brewer, from Hampshire (of Irish descent). He died in 1921. Richard was brought up by his mother and his aunt, Nina Gerrard. Richard’s uncles (Frank Greene and Norman Bentley Greene) and his aunts (Evie Greene and Nina Gerrard) were also actors.
1928 - 1936
Attended Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School in Kensington, London; lived in Chiswick
Was captain of the school fencing team; his favourite subjects were English literature and history; received an award for elocution from Poet Laureate John Masefield
1934
Film
“Sing As We Go” (bit part - the scene was deleted from the final version)
1937
Stage debut at The New Theatre in London – spear-carrier in Shakespeare’s “Antony and Cleopatra”, directed by Theodore Komisarjevsky
Worked as a film extra; appeared in advertisements for shirts, hats, riding boots and hair cream (Brylcreem)
Lived in Bloomsbury, London (in a shared flat in Marchmont Street) for 3 months
Toured Britain with Gevan Brandon Thomas Repertory Company (from Glasgow)
Appeared in Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”, “Journey’s End” by R. C. Sherriff, “Ah, Wilderness” by Eugene O’Neill, “French without Tears” by Terence Rattigan, and other plays
Had screen tests for MGM and Walter Wanger, but no offers
In December - was discovered by a talent scout from 20th Century-Fox (during a performance of “French without Tears” in Birmingham)
1938
17 January - signed a seven-year contract with 20th Century-Fox in Hollywood
The studio added 4 years to his age in all publicity materials
Lived in a rented house in Brentwood
Bought his first car, a 1935 Chevrolet
Dated actress Arleen Whelan
Films:
“Four Men and a Prayer” (Geoffrey ‘Geoff’/’Bosun’ Leigh, a.k.a. Hercuma Gordon)
“My Lucky Star” (Larry Taylor)
“Submarine Patrol” (Perry Townsend III)
“Kentucky” (Jack Dillon)
Radio:
Lux Radio Theatre: “Confession”, CBS, 21 November
Select this link to see a newspaper cutting of the period. This particular cutting is thought to have come from the US newspaper "Grit News".
1939
His mother joined him in Hollywood
In summer - suffered a serious leg injury in an accident (he was working on his car when another parked car rolled down a sloping drive; his left knee was crushed between the two cars)
Films:
“The Little Princess” (Geoffrey Hamilton)
“Hound of the Baskervilles” (Sir Henry Baskerville)
“Stanley and Livingstone” (Gareth Tyce)
“Here I Am a Stranger” (David Paulding)
1940
Dated British actress Virginia Field
Films:
“Little Old New York” (Robert Fulton)
“I Was an Adventuress” (Paul Vernay)
Radio:
Good News of 1940, NBC, 25 January
27 August - returned to England to serve in the army during World War II
Joined the Royal Armoured Corps (2nd Battalion, stationed in Pinehurst Barracks, in Farnborough, Hampshire) and served as a Private for 3 months
Was sent to Officer Corps Training Unit at Sandhurst for 5 months
1941
In April – was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant
Served with the 27th Lancers, stationed in Yorkshire
Select this link to see an extract from the Chronicle of the 27th Lancers.
24 December - married actress Patricia (Paz Maria) Medina in St. James’s Church, Spanish Place, London
1942
Was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant
In September – was given a three-month sick leave, and afterwards was classified as unfit for active service (probably because of the leg injury sustained in 1939)
Films:
“Unpublished Story” (Bob Randall)
“Flying Fortress” (James Spence Jr)
1943
Due to ill health was offered discharge from the army which he declined
Served as Acting Captain with the Army Kinematograph Service
Film:
“Yellow Canary” (Jim Garrick)
1944
In May (or in December?) – was discharged from the army on medical grounds
Bought a Tudor farmhouse in Buckinghamshire (Egham’s Farm in Knotty Green, near Beaconsfield)
Theatre (ENSA):
"Arms and the Man" by George Bernard Shaw - for British forces in France, Belgium and Holland (together with Patricia Medina)
Film:
“Don’t Take It to Heart” (Peter Hayward)
1945
Theatre:
"Desert Rats" by Colin Morris – toured England and Scotland, eventually coming to London’s West End (the Adelphi Theatre)
1946
Film:
“Gaiety George”/“Show Time” (George Howard)
Returned to Hollywood (with Patricia Medina) to complete his contract with 20th Century-Fox
Bought a house in Coldwater Canyon (Beverly Hills) and rented a beach cottage in Malibu
1947
Film:
“Forever Amber” (Lord Harry Almsbury)
1948
Was released from his contract with 20th Century-Fox at his own request
Separated from Patricia Medina
1949
Films:
“The Fighting O’Flynn” (Lord Philip Sedgemonth)
“The Fan”/“Lady Windermere’s Fan” (Lord Arthur Windermere), filmed in England
“Now Barabbas Was A Robber” (Tufnell), filmed in England and in Italy
“If This Be Sin”/“That Dangerous Age” (Michael Barclaigh), filmed in England and on Capri
1950
12th June - Patricia Medina petitioned for a divorce
Bought a house on Mulholland Drive in Hollywood, and a 12-foot dinghy (named Arachnid)
Was romantically involved with Nancy Oakes, heiress from the Bahamas
Films:
“Shadow of the Eagle” (Count Alexei Orloff); Select this link to view the Press Book for this film
“The Desert Hawk” (Omar)
“My Daughter Joy”/”Operation X” (Larry)
1951
17 March – daughter Patricia Louise was born in Mexico City, to Nancy Oakes
25 June – divorce from Patricia Medina was granted in Los Angeles
Films and TV:
“Lorna Doone” (John Ridd)
The Prudential Family Playhouse: “Berkeley Square” (Peter Standish), CBS TV, 13 February
Nash Airflyte Theatre: “A Kiss for Mr Lincoln” (Bank President), 22 February
Robert Montgomery Presents: “Stairway to Heaven” (Peter), NBC TV, 9 April
Your Show of Shows, NBC TV, 21 April
Lux Video Theatre: “Sire de Maletroit’s Door”, CBS TV, 7 May
The Ford Theatre Hour: “Peter Ibbetson”, CBS TV, 18 May
Studio One: “Coriolanus” (Coriolanus), CBS TV, 11 June
Somerset Maugham TV Theatre: “The Fall of Edward Bernard” (Edward Bernard), NBC TV, 29 October
Lux Video Theatre: “Stolen Years”, CBS TV, 19 November
Lights Out: “Beyond the Door”, 26 November
Theatre:
“The Voice of the Turtle” – the Theatre Guild in Nassau
1952
Films and TV:
“The Black Castle” (Sir Ronald Burton, alias Richard Beckett)
Robert Montgomery Presents: “The Moonstone”, NBC TV (11 February)
Theatre:
“Dial M For Murder”, Wilbur Theatre, Boston
1953
Films and TV:
“Captain Scarlett” (Capt. Scarlett)
“The Bandits of Corsica”/“The Return of the Corsican Brothers” (Mario/Lucien-Carlos)
“Rogue’s March” (Capt. Thomas Garron)
“A Terribly Strange Bed”, CBS TV
Theatre:
“Dial M For Murder”, Harris Theatre, Chicago (for five months)
1954
Bought rights to a comedy-western “The Dude from Montana” (no film producer was interested)
Theatre (UK):
“The Secret Tent” (also producer); the play was not successful – it failed to reach the West End
"I Capture the Castle" - Aldwych Theatre, London
TV:
Music-Hall (introduction), BBC TV, 7 August
1955
Film and TV:
“Contraband Spain”/”Contrabando” (Lee Scott)
General Electric Theatre: “The Return of Gentleman Jim”, CBS TV
1955 – 1959
TV series “The Adventures of Robin Hood” (Robin Hood/Luke Tanner); also production associate
Appeared in 141 out of 143 episodes; missed 2 episodes (“The Final Tax” and “The Goldmaker’s Return”) because of a sinus operation in December 1956
During the filming of the series he spent most weekends sailing; he owned a boat named Freyja, and in 1958 had an ocean-racing yacht “Santander” built in Cowes
1956
TV:
The George Gobel Show (himself/Robin Hood), 24 March, US
1959
TV:
The United States Steel Hour: “The Wayward Widow” (Mr Stockdale), CBS TV, 6 May
“Time to Remember”: “1938: Wind up Week” (narrator), UK
1960
28 July - Married Beatriz Robledo-Summers from Bogota, Columbia (in Dublin)
Films and TV:
“Beyond the Curtain” (Jim Kyle)
“Sword of Sherwood Forest” (Robin Hood), also producer
General Electric Theatre: “Hot Footage” (Jonathan Love), CBS TV, 29 May
1962
Bought a 370-acre farm (Borleagh Manor, near Gorey in County Wexford, Ireland), where he lived in semi-retirement, as a farmer and a thoroughbred horse breeder; within five years he reached the 6th place on the list of top breeders of thoroughbreds in England and Ireland
Was a member of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, and won several races, including Cowes to Lisbon
1965
Was business partner (with a friend Michael Graham) in an Italian luxury hotel Il Pellicano (in Porto Ercole, Tuscany)
1967
Film:
“Dangerous Island”/”Lost Island”/“Island of the Lost” (Dr. Josh MacRae)
1968
Film:
1969
Film:
“The Castle of Fu Manchu”/”The Torture Chamber of Fu Manchu”/”Assignment Istanbul” (Denis Nayland Smith)
TV:
“The Doctors” (Doctor Maurice Rapson), BBC1, 17 December
1970
TV:
“A Man for Loving” (James Beal), Yorkshire TV, 12 January
“The Morecambe and Wise Show: Show of the Week”, BBC1, 22 November (guest)
1971
Theatre:
“No Fear or Favour” by Henry Cecil, Leeds
“Make No Mistake” at the Wimbledon Theatre (it opened on 31st May, and ran for only one week), and at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford
"The Tilted Scales" by Henry Cecil at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford – 27th July till 14th August (as Clifton Ledbury and George Ledbury)
1972
Sold Borleagh Manor; lived in London, in the house he had bought in the 1950s (47 Chester Row, Belgravia)
Film:
“Tales from the Crypt” (Ralph Jason in segment “Wish You Were Here”)
Theatre: "Getting On" by Alan Bennett at the Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon (opened 25th September)
1974
Appeared at Chichester Festival
Was setting up a film and TV production company called Film Lot with a writer Ion Voyantzis
TV:
“Dixon of Dock Green” (Lewis Fulton in the episode “Snout”), 9 March
1975
TV:
“Whodunnit!” (Major Denton in the episode “Evidence of Death”)
1978
TV:
“The Professionals” (Neil Turvey in the episode “Everest Was Also Conquered”), LWT, 17 February
“Looks Familiar”, Thames TV, 9 November (on-screen participant)
“This Is Your Life” with Patricia Neal (guest), ITV, 13 December
1979
TV:
“Tales of the Unexpected” by Roald Dahl (The Colonel in the episode “Mrs Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat”), Anglia TV, 31 March
Theatre:
“Who Killed Agatha Christie” by Tudor Gates at the Key Theatre, Peterborough (opened in August)
1980
Separated from Beatriz Summers
TV:
“Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson” (Lord Brompton in the episode “The Case of the Purloined Letter”)
1981
TV:
“Scarf Jack” (Mr Edward in episode “The Duel”), Southern TV, 27 July
1982
TV:
“Play It Again”, Tyne Tees TV, 17 February (interviewee)
“Squadron” (Sir Robert Christie in episode “Memorial Flight”), BBC1, 26 October
Moved from Belgravia to Kensington
In October - suffered serious head injuries (from which he never fully recovered) in a fall at his home in London
1983 - 1985
Lived in a cottage on a private estate in Norfolk (the house was later re-named Robin Hood Cottage)
Select this link to see a photograph of Robin Hood Cottage
1985
Died on the 1st June in Norfolk, of cardiac arrest
His ashes were scattered at sea
A memorial service was held on 2 July at St. Paul’s Church, Covent Garden, London. Among those present were: Douglas Fairbanks jnr, Dinah Sheridan, Mr and Mrs Robert Leigh-Wood (son-in-law and daughter Patricia), Nancy Oakes (Baroness von Hoyningen-Huene), and Mr Matthew Keating (governor, Cardinal Vaughan School)
Select this link to view a clipping of The Times Obituary
Select this link to view a cutting from the Chicago Tribune
Select this link to view a photograph of the memorial plaque at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden
Richard Greene’s daughter Patricia continued the theatrical tradition – she studied drama at Vassar College, New York. She has two children: John Alexander Roosevelt, born in 1977, and Shirley Alice Leigh-Wood, born in 1985, an actress and dancer, working under the stage name Shirley Oakes.
We are
grateful to Patricia Leigh-Wood for her assistance.
Main sources:
Charles Kidd – “Debrett Goes to Hollywood”, Weidenfeld and Nicholson, London, 1986
http://uk.imdb.com/name/nm0338901/
www.classicimages.com Dan Van Neste – “Richard Greene, Swashbuckler with a Double-Edged Sword”
Jeffrey Richards – “Swordsmen of the Screen: From Douglas Fairbanks to Michael York”; Routledge, London, 1977
Patricia Medina Cotten - "Laid Back in Hollywood: Remembering", Belle Publishing, Los Angeles, 1998
James Robert Parish and William T. Leonard – “Hollywood Players: The Thirties”, Rainbow Books, Carlstadt, New Jersey, 1976
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2004
The Times, 1985
Various press articles from the UK and the US (with thanks to the British Film Institute library in London)
Thanks to Elaine Brulinski for her research that turned up the Chicago Tribune cutting
Memorial Plaque photograph is courtesy of Howard Rogofsky
Thanks to Mr. Arthur Lunn and Mr. Mark Owen for information about the WW2 period
Biographers: Anna Fraser and Lucy Carpenter
