Actor profile

Richard Lawson

7th March 1947 Loma Linda, California, USA Acting

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.

45 Movies 48 TV Shows 96 Credits

Filmography

Movies & TV Shows

Aftershock: The Nicole P. Bell Story poster

Aftershock: The Nicole P. Bell Story 28th November 2025 as Al Sharpton

Will I See You Again? poster

Will I See You Again? 8th August 2024

Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black poster

Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black 11th July 2024 as Clarence

CHAAW: Chapter 1 poster

CHAAW: Chapter 1 11th August 2023 as Chief of Police

Black Terror poster

Black Terror 23rd May 2023 as Talk Show Host

A Holiday Chance poster

A Holiday Chance 24th November 2021 as Garvin

Not Alone poster

Not Alone 22nd October 2021 as Dr. James Clay

North Hollywood poster

North Hollywood 26th March 2021 as Adolf's Dad

Always a Bridesmaid poster

Always a Bridesmaid 28th September 2019 as Carlton Blakeston Sr.

Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift poster

Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift 6th September 2019 as Self

From Zero to I Love You poster

From Zero to I Love You 25th March 2019 as Ron Logsdon

Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror poster

Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror 7th February 2019 as Self

Shotguns and Six Strings: Making a Rock N Roll Fable poster

Shotguns and Six Strings: Making a Rock N Roll Fable 16th May 2017 as Self

Lemonade poster

Lemonade 23rd April 2016 as Self (home footage)

A Royal Family Christmas poster

A Royal Family Christmas 5th December 2015 as Leighton Royal

A Royal Family Holiday poster

A Royal Family Holiday 21st November 2015

For Colored Girls poster

For Colored Girls 5th November 2010 as Frank

Love for Sale poster

Love for Sale 9th February 2008 as Uncle Mac

They Are Here: The Real World of the Poltergeists poster

They Are Here: The Real World of the Poltergeists 31st October 2007 as Himself

The Last Stand poster

The Last Stand 7th December 2006 as Winston

Guess Who poster

Guess Who 25th March 2005 as Marcus

Christmas at Water's Edge poster

Christmas at Water's Edge 4th December 2004 as Mr. Turner

Blue Hill Avenue poster

Blue Hill Avenue 19th September 2003 as Uncle Rob

Jackie's Back! poster

Jackie's Back! 14th June 1999 as Milkman Summers (Jackie's Ex-Husband #1)

Justice poster

Justice 14th January 1999 as Gus

How Stella Got Her Groove Back poster

How Stella Got Her Groove Back 14th August 1998 as Jack

Wag the Dog poster

Wag the Dog 25th December 1997 as Young Man / CIA

Double Your Pleasure poster

Double Your Pleasure 29th October 1989 as Dash

The Forgotten poster

The Forgotten 26th April 1989 as Sgt. Frank " Doc " McDermott

Johnnie Mae Gibson: FBI poster

Johnnie Mae Gibson: FBI 21st October 1986 as Adam Prentice

Under the Influence poster

Under the Influence 28th September 1986 as Dr. Duran

Stick poster

Stick 26th April 1985 as Cornell

Streets of Fire poster

Streets of Fire 1st June 1984 as Officer Ed Price

Poltergeist poster

Poltergeist 4th June 1982 as Ryan

The Jericho Mile poster

The Jericho Mile 31st October 1980 as R.C. Stiles

The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story poster

The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story 25th May 1980 as Gene Davis

The Main Event poster

The Main Event 22nd June 1979 as Hector Mantilla

Charleston poster

Charleston 15th January 1979 as James Harris

Coming Home poster

Coming Home 15th February 1978 as Pat

Black Fist poster

Black Fist 31st August 1977 as Leroy Fisk

Audrey Rose poster

Audrey Rose 6th April 1977 as Policeman #1

Crossfire poster

Crossfire 24th March 1975 as Officer Ken Dillard

Sugar Hill poster

Sugar Hill 1st February 1974 as Valentine

Scream Blacula Scream poster

Scream Blacula Scream 27th June 1973 as Willis Daniels

Dirty Harry poster

Dirty Harry 23rd December 1971 as Homosexual (uncredited)

Beauty in Black poster

Beauty in Black 24th October 2024 as Norman

Sherri poster

Sherri 12th September 2022 as Self - Guest

The Black Hamptons poster

The Black Hamptons 25th August 2022 as Moses Britton

mixed-ish poster

mixed-ish 24th September 2019 as Lynwood

Saints & Sinners poster

Saints & Sinners 6th March 2016 as Pastor Evan Johnson

Stitchers poster

Stitchers 2nd June 2015 as Admiral Decker

Grey's Anatomy poster

Grey's Anatomy 27th March 2005 as Bill Pierce

Numb3rs poster

Numb3rs 23rd January 2005 as Clay Porter, Sr. (uncredited)

All of Us poster

All of Us 16th September 2003

Dead Like Me poster

Dead Like Me 27th June 2003 as William Garrett

Half & Half poster

Half & Half 23rd September 2002 as Ben

The Bernie Mac Show poster

The Bernie Mac Show 14th November 2001 as Bishop

The Division poster

The Division 7th January 2001 as LaBon

The District poster

The District 7th October 2000 as Richard Gray

Strong Medicine poster

Strong Medicine 23rd July 2000 as Alton Clayborne

Soul Food poster

Soul Food 28th June 2000 as Rev. Bobby Baxter

Family Law poster

Family Law 20th September 1999 as Chuck

Judging Amy poster

Judging Amy 19th September 1999 as Thomas Horne

L.A. Doctors poster

L.A. Doctors 21st September 1998 as Gary Miller

Pandora's Clock poster

Pandora's Clock 10th November 1996 as Daniel Robb

Moesha poster

Moesha 23rd January 1996 as Marlon James

JAG poster

JAG 23rd September 1995 as Dan Craig

The Parent 'Hood poster

The Parent 'Hood 18th January 1995

Touched by an Angel poster

Touched by an Angel 21st September 1994 as Nicholas Freeman

Sister, Sister poster

Sister, Sister 1st April 1994 as Victor Sims

Saved by the Bell: The New Class poster

Saved by the Bell: The New Class 11th September 1993 as Judge Thurston Jones

Father Dowling Mysteries poster

Father Dowling Mysteries 20th January 1989

Wiseguy poster

Wiseguy 16th September 1987

The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd poster

The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd 21st May 1987 as Det. Nathaniel Hawthorne

MacGyver poster

MacGyver 29th September 1985 as Jesse Colton

The Comedy Factory poster

The Comedy Factory 21st June 1985 as Dr. Julius Pepper

The Cosby Show poster

The Cosby Show 20th September 1984 as Mr. Bostic

Hardcastle and McCormick poster

Hardcastle and McCormick 18th September 1983

V poster

V 1st May 1983 as Dr Ben Taylor

St. Elsewhere poster

St. Elsewhere 26th October 1982 as The Messiah

Remington Steele poster

Remington Steele 1st October 1982 as Monroe Henderson

T. J. Hooker poster

T. J. Hooker 13th March 1982 as Officer David McNeil

Chicago Story poster

Chicago Story 6th March 1982 as Detective O.Z. Tate

Dynasty poster

Dynasty 12th January 1981 as Nick Kimball

Magnum, P.I. poster

Magnum, P.I. 11th December 1980 as Gerald Calvin

The White Shadow poster

The White Shadow 27th November 1978 as David Mackey

What Really Happened to the Class of '65? poster

What Really Happened to the Class of '65? 8th December 1977

The Fantastic Journey poster

The Fantastic Journey 3rd February 1977 as Barker

Good Times poster

Good Times 8th February 1974

Kojak poster

Kojak 24th October 1973 as 1st Suspect

The Streets of San Francisco poster

The Streets of San Francisco 23rd September 1972

All in the Family poster

All in the Family 12th January 1971 as Angry Black Man

Medical Center poster

Medical Center 24th September 1969