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Richard Bradford (November 10, 1934 – March 22, 2016) was an American actor, known for his lead role as former CIA agent turned private eye McGill in the British TV adventure series Man in a Suitcase, made by ITC in 1967.
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Early life[edit]
Bradford was born in Tyler, Texas, the son of Rose and Richard Edwin Bradford. His stepfather was a wholesale grocer.[1] Raised by his grandparents in Conroe, Bradford received his schooling in San Antonio, before attending Texas A&M on a football scholarship.
When an injury short-circuited Bradford's budding athletic career, and a subsequent switch to baseball at Texas State University was stymied due to insufficient semester hours, Bradford finally decided to seriously pursue a long-contemplated career in acting. To this end he made his way to New York.
Career[edit]
Supporting himself by waiting tables, Bradford studied acting,[2] first with Frank Corsaro,[3] and finally, in 1962, was admitted to the The Actors Studio, where he worked for two years,[2] leading to roles in Studio productions such as Mother Courage (1963), June Havoc's Marathon '33 (1963), and Blues for Mister Charlie (1964). Also, he understudied Rod Steiger in the touring production of A.E. Hotchner's Hemingway-based A Short, Happy Life (1961),[3] an ostensibly Broadway-bound show which folded out of town.[4]
Eventually, Bradford's work caught the eye of another Actors Studio member, director Arthur Penn, who cast Bradford in The Chase (1966),[2] where he held his own alongside Janice Rule, Martha Hyer and a host of Studio veterans, including Marlon and Jocelyn Brando, E.G. Marshall, and Clifton James, as well as newcomer Jane Fonda and future member Robert Duvall. This work, in turn, attracted the attention of media impresario Lew Grade, who would bring Bradford to Great Britain in 1967 for Man in a Suitcase.[5]
In addition to his numerous TV appearances, Bradford has been featured in many films, such as The Missouri Breaks (1976), An Enemy of the People (1978), Badge of the Assassin (1985), The Trip To Bountiful (1985), The Untouchables (1987) and The Milagro Beanfield War (1988), but arguably his best known film role is the corrupt police captain in the 1997 film Hoodlum featuring Laurence Fishburne, Andy García, and Tim Roth. Bradford also appeared in the 1989 film Heart of Dixie, and had notable turns in Costa-Gavras' Missing (1982), the Kurt Russell thriller The Mean Season (1985) and was also in The Crossing Guard (1995) with Jack Nicholson.
He also guest starred on NBC's Viper. In 1987 he starred in the miniseries Amerika.
In the 1960s, he appeared in one episode of the Television series Gunsmoke and guest starred in an episode of the tv western series The High Chaparral. In the 1970s, he played Lutie Bascomb in one episode of The Waltons. He guest starred in an episode of Murder, She Wrote in the 1980s.
In the mid 1980s he was also a semi-regular cast member of the television police series Cagney & Lacey. In 2004 Richard Bradford gave a series of interviews and commentaries for a DVD release of Man in a Suitcase, expressing mild surprise at the ongoing popularity of the series today.
Bradford married ballet dancer Eileen Elliott.[when?]
He was subsequently in a long-time relationship with actress Millie Perkins, with whom he had two stepchildren. He also had one son.[6]
In 1986 The Smiths used a photograph of Bradford on the cover of their single "Panic". He died on March 22, 2016.[6]
Bradford was born in Tyler, Texas, the son of Rose and Richard Edwin Bradford. His stepfather was a wholesale grocer.[1] Raised by his grandparents in Conroe, Bradford received his schooling in San Antonio, before attending Texas A&M on a football scholarship.
When an injury short-circuited Bradford's budding athletic career, and a subsequent switch to baseball at Texas State University was stymied due to insufficient semester hours, Bradford finally decided to seriously pursue a long-contemplated career in acting. To this end he made his way to New York.
Career[edit]
Supporting himself by waiting tables, Bradford studied acting,[2] first with Frank Corsaro,[3] and finally, in 1962, was admitted to the The Actors Studio, where he worked for two years,[2] leading to roles in Studio productions such as Mother Courage (1963), June Havoc's Marathon '33 (1963), and Blues for Mister Charlie (1964). Also, he understudied Rod Steiger in the touring production of A.E. Hotchner's Hemingway-based A Short, Happy Life (1961),[3] an ostensibly Broadway-bound show which folded out of town.[4]
Eventually, Bradford's work caught the eye of another Actors Studio member, director Arthur Penn, who cast Bradford in The Chase (1966),[2] where he held his own alongside Janice Rule, Martha Hyer and a host of Studio veterans, including Marlon and Jocelyn Brando, E.G. Marshall, and Clifton James, as well as newcomer Jane Fonda and future member Robert Duvall. This work, in turn, attracted the attention of media impresario Lew Grade, who would bring Bradford to Great Britain in 1967 for Man in a Suitcase.[5]
In addition to his numerous TV appearances, Bradford has been featured in many films, such as The Missouri Breaks (1976), An Enemy of the People (1978), Badge of the Assassin (1985), The Trip To Bountiful (1985), The Untouchables (1987) and The Milagro Beanfield War (1988), but arguably his best known film role is the corrupt police captain in the 1997 film Hoodlum featuring Laurence Fishburne, Andy García, and Tim Roth. Bradford also appeared in the 1989 film Heart of Dixie, and had notable turns in Costa-Gavras' Missing (1982), the Kurt Russell thriller The Mean Season (1985) and was also in The Crossing Guard (1995) with Jack Nicholson.
He also guest starred on NBC's Viper. In 1987 he starred in the miniseries Amerika.
In the 1960s, he appeared in one episode of the Television series Gunsmoke and guest starred in an episode of the tv western series The High Chaparral. In the 1970s, he played Lutie Bascomb in one episode of The Waltons. He guest starred in an episode of Murder, She Wrote in the 1980s.
In the mid 1980s he was also a semi-regular cast member of the television police series Cagney & Lacey. In 2004 Richard Bradford gave a series of interviews and commentaries for a DVD release of Man in a Suitcase, expressing mild surprise at the ongoing popularity of the series today.
Bradford married ballet dancer Eileen Elliott.[when?]
He was subsequently in a long-time relationship with actress Millie Perkins, with whom he had two stepchildren. He also had one son.[6]
In 1986 The Smiths used a photograph of Bradford on the cover of their single "Panic". He died on March 22, 2016.[6]
Just watched this the other night - brilliant episode with Donald Sutherland...the heroine pledged her undying love for McGill but literally scarpers away from him at the end...great close up at the end, of her face as she runs away. A real mystery as to why Donald Sutherland made it big but Richard Bradford didn't.
He mate it big in later life, Vel. He was enormous. Cult viewing in the late 60s was MIAS. I rarely missed an episode.
Super theme Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk3WHOXzZE4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk3WHOXzZE4
i love all these old 60 70 series imo much better than the rubbish of today ...... and he had that hilmam imp as well ...happy happy days R.I.P
Sad news. Classic tv show. One of my favourites. Didn`t think he was that age. Sincere condolences.
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i love all these old 60 70 series imo much better than the rubbish of today
All the old episodes of "The Fugitive" are on youtube, nick. Absolutely compulsive viewing back then, and very watchable now.
All the old episodes of "The Fugitive" are on youtube, nick. Absolutely compulsive viewing back then, and very watchable now.
The Fugitive was brilliant. Still is.
Others from the 60s 70s: Callan, Budgie, The Prisoner, Department S, The Baron, The Saint, Mission Impossible, Combat, The Rat Patrol, The Invaders, etc, etc. Better than the crap reality muck on tv now.
Others from the 60s 70s: Callan, Budgie, The Prisoner, Department S, The Baron, The Saint, Mission Impossible, Combat, The Rat Patrol, The Invaders, etc, etc. Better than the crap reality muck on tv now.
cheers kenny i live in a time warp when it comes to tv
and its on at the moment one of my all time favs the avengers with steed and emma
..... don`t like to name drop, but what the heck, I`ll let Diana know that you were singing her praises.
Is the Captain in as good order as can be expected, tmm?
Yes kenny, good and bad days but remains in great spirit. Thanks for asking mate. Will let CC know.
That's good. I believe he's 91 now, same ags as my brother-in-law?
Had a great role in de Untouchables. R.I.P. old friend..
"her name was McGill she called herself lil but everyone know her as nancy"
was that McCartney way of telling people that Bradford was a bit of a boys boy?
was that McCartney way of telling people that Bradford was a bit of a boys boy?
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