Richard Lawson
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Richard Lee Lawson (born March 7, 1947) is an American actor who has starred in movies and on television. He is perhaps best known for his roles in genre films; he portrayed Ryan in the 1982 film Poltergeist, and Dr. Ben Taylor in the 1983 NBC miniseries V.
Known for
Credits
Poltergeist (1982)
as Ryan
Dirty Harry (1971)
as Homosexual (uncredited)
Guess Who (2005)
as Marcus
Streets of Fire (1984)
as Officer Ed Price
Wag the Dog (1997)
as Young Man / CIA
Stick (1985)
as Cornell
Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black (2024)
as Clarence
How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)
as Jack
Coming Home (1978)
as Pat
For Colored Girls (2010)
as Frank
Scream Blacula Scream (1973)
as Willis Daniels
North Hollywood (2021)
as Adolf's Dad
Always a Bridesmaid (2019)
as Carlton Blakeston Sr.
Audrey Rose (1977)
as Policeman #1
The Jericho Mile (1980)
as R.C. Stiles
Lemonade (2016)
as Self (home footage)
The Main Event (1979)
as Hector Mantilla
The Last Stand (2006)
as Winston
Blue Hill Avenue (2003)
as Uncle Rob
Jackie's Back! (1999)
as Milkman Summers (Jackie's Ex-Husband #1)
From Zero to I Love You (2019)
as Ron Logsdon
Under the Influence (1986)
as Dr. Duran
Sugar Hill (1974)
as Valentine
Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift (2019)
as Self
The Forgotten (1989)
as Sgt. Frank " Doc " McDermott
Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019)
as Self
Black Fist (1977)
as Leroy Fisk
Johnnie Mae Gibson: FBI (1986)
as Adam Prentice
Christmas at Water's Edge (2004)
as Mr. Turner
A Royal Family Christmas (2015)
as Leighton Royal
Love for Sale (2008)
as Uncle Mac
Maniac Magee (2003)
as Mr. Beale
Aftershock: The Nicole P. Bell Story (2025)
as Al Sharpton
Will I See You Again? (2024)
Actor
Double Your Pleasure (1989)
as Dash
Justice (1999)
as Gus
A Royal Family Holiday (2015)
Actor
Not Alone (2021)
as Dr. James Clay
The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story (1980)
as Gene Davis
Charleston (1979)
as James Harris
Crossfire (1975)
as Officer Ken Dillard
A Holiday Chance (2021)
as Garvin
Shotguns and Six Strings: Making a Rock N Roll Fable (2017)
as Self
Black Terror (—)
as Talk Show Host
They Are Here: The Real World of the Poltergeists (2007)
as Himself
CHAAW: Chapter 1 (2023)
as Chief of Police