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