1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Lloyd Richards Biography ((?)-)

Full name, Lloyd George Richards; born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; immigrated to the United States, 1923; son of Albert George (a carpenter) and Rose Isabella (Coote) Richards; married Barbara Davenport (a dancer and writer), October 11, 1957; children: Scott, Thomas.

Nationality

Canadian

Gender

Male

Occupation

director, actor

Famous Works

• Credits; Stage Director
• A Raisin in the Sun, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, thenAdelphi Theatre, London, 1959, revived at Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven,CT, 1983.
• The Long Dream, Ambassador Theatre, New York City, 1960.
• The Moon Besieged, Lyceum Theatre, New York City, 1962.
• I Had a Ball, Martin Beck Theatre, New York City, 1964.
• Lower Than the Angels, American Place Theatre, New York City, 1965.
• Ghosts, Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati, OH, 1965.
• The Yearling, Alvin Theatre, New York City, 1965.
• Bedford Forest, Eugene O'Neill Memorial Theatre, Waterford, CT, 1966.
• Who's Got His Own, St. Clement's Church Theatre, New York City, 1966.
• The Ox Cart (also see below), Greenwich Mews Theatre, New York City, 1966-67.
• Valentine's Day, Eugene O'Neill Memorial Theatre, 1966-68.
• Rainless Sky, Eugene O'Neill Memorial Theatre, 1966-68.
• Summertree, Eugene O'Neill Memorial Theatre, 1966-68.
• Just before Morning, Eugene O'Neill Memorial Theatre, 1966-68.
• A Man around the House, Eugene O'Neill Memorial Theatre, 1966- 68.
• That's the Game, Jack, Tanglewood Writers Conference Theatre, Tanglewood, MA, 1967.
• The Rose Tattoo, Hunter College, 1973.
• Eight Ball, University of North Carolina, 1973.
• Freeman, American Place Theatre, 1973.
• "The Past Is the Past" and "Goin' thru Changes" (double-bill entitled Two Plays by Richard Wesley), Billie Holliday Theatre, New York City, 1974.
• The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window, Hunter College, 1976.
• And creator, The Lion and the Jewel (musical), music and lyrics byBilly Taylor, Richard Allen Center, New York City, 1977.
• Night Must Fall, Hunter College, 1978.
• Paul Robeson, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, then Booth Theatre, New YorkCity, 1978.
• And producer, A Lesson from Aloes, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1980, then Playhouse Theatre, New York City, 1980-81.
• Timon of Athens, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1980.
• Hedda Gabler, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1981.
• Uncle Vanya, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1981.
• Johnny Bull, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1982.
• A Doll's House, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1982.
• Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Eugene O'Neill Memorial Theatre, 1982, then Yale Repertory Theatre, 1984, later Cort Theatre, New York City, 1984-85.
• A Touch of the Poet, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1983.
• Major Barbara, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1983.
• Fences, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1985, then Goodman Theatre, Chicago, IL, 1986, and Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle, WA, 1986, later James A.Dolittle Theatre, Hollywood, CA, 1988.
• Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1986, then Huntington Theatre Company, Boston, MA, 1987, Seattle Repertory Theatre, 1987, Kreeger Theatre, Washington, DC, 1987, later Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, CA,1988, and Ethel Barrymore Theatre, 1988.
• The Piano Lesson (also see below), Yale Repertory Theatre, 1987, then Huntington Theatre Company, 1988, Goodman Theatre, 1989, Old Globe Theatre, 1989, Center Theatre Group, Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, John F. KennedyCenter for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, 1989, later James A. Dolittle Theatre, 1990, Walter Kerr Theatre, New York City, 1990, and Theatre on theSquare, 1991.
• Cobb, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1989, then Alliance Theatre Company,Atlanta, GA, 1990, later Old Globe Theatre, 1990.
• Two Trains Running, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1990, then HuntingtonTheatre Company, 1990, Old Globe Theatre, 1991, Seattle Repertory Theatre, 1991, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts/Eisenhower Theatre, 1991,Mark Taper Forum, later James A. Dolittle Theatre, 1992, and Walter Kerr Theatre, 1992.
• A Moon for the Misbegotten, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1991.
• Directed The Hide and Seek Odyssey of Madeline Gimple, for ProjectCreate, Connecticut School System, 1969; The Great I Am, 1972; and Richard III and The Crucible, Boston University.
• Credits; Major Tours
• The Piano Lesson, U.S. cities, 1991.
• Also directed the tours of Desperate Hours, 1962; The Amen Corner, U.S. State Department tour of Israel and Europe, 1965; and The OxCart, 1967.
• Credits; Stage Appearances
• (New York debut) Pee Wee, Plant in the Sun, Equity Library Theatre, Wideman Studios, New York City, 1948.
• (Broadway debut) Oz, Freight, Fulton Theatre, New York City, 1950.
• Appeared as Carr, Winterset, Equity Library Theatre; appeared on Broadway as Perry Hall, The Egghead, 1957; appeared in Hedda Gabler; also appeared off-Broadway in Stevedore, Little Foxes, and Oedipus Rex. Toured as Iago, Othello (staged reading), New York Citychurches.
• Credits; Television Director; Episodic
• Eight Ball, NET-TV, 1973.
• "Freeman," Visions, KCET-TV, 1976.
• "Gold Watch," Visions, KCET-TV, 1976.
• "No Easy Walk to Freedom," Bill Moyer's Journal, PBS, 1979.
• "Medal of Honor Rag," American Playhouse, PBS, 1982.
• Also directed "The Last Chapter," Wide World of Entertainment, ABC; "Harriet Tubman" and "Galileo," You Are There, CBS.
• Credits; Other Television Work
• Director, Paul Robeson, PBS, 1970.
• Director, Roots: The Next Generation, Part 6 (mini-series), ABC, 1979.
• Director of General Electric Theatre; Miss Black America, 1969-70; and Robeson, 1979.
• Credits; Television Appearances; Episodic
• Appeared in episodes of Studio One, CBS; The Guiding Light,CBS; Silver Theatre, NBC; Philco Television Playhouse, NBC; Lux Video Theatre, CBS; The Web, CBS; Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC; Somerset Maugham Playhouse, ABC; We the People; Famous Jury Trials; Search for Tomorrow; and Pulitzer Television Playhouse. Also appeared in New York State of Education Department Programs on Negro Ensemble Company, 1979, and New Playwrights, 1980.
• Credits; Radio Director
• "The Antique Bearers," Earplay, National Public Radio, 1978.
• Also directed Jason Robards reading excerpts from the writings of EugeneO'Neill, Columbia Records; and A Raison in the Sun, Caedmon Records.
• Credits; Radio Appearances
• Narrator of Little Church on the Air, WWJ. Also appeared in radioproductions of Helen Trent, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Theatre Guild of the Air, Up for Parole, Jungle Jim, My True Story, Inheritance, Murder by Experts, Mysterious Traveller, Front Page Drama, and Mr. Jolly's Hotel for Pets.

Further Reference

Periodicals

• American Theatre, July/August, 1991, p. 11.
• Ebony, January, 1985, p. 86.
• New York Times, November 22, 1987, p. 38; June 30, 1991.