Richard Beymer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Richard Beymer
Beymer in 1961
Born	George Richard Beymer Jr. (1938-02-20) February 20, 1938 (age 87) Avoca, Iowa, U.S.
Occupation	Actor painter sculptor novelist
Years active	1949–present
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)

George Richard Beymer Jr. (born February 20, 1938) is an American actor, filmmaker, and artist. He is famous for playing Tony in the 1961 movie musical West Side Story. He also played Peter van Daan in The Diary of Anne Frank (1959) and Ben Horne in the TV show Twin Peaks.

Early Life and Acting Career

Richard Beymer started acting as a child. He was on a TV show called Sandy Dreams for three years. He would rehearse after school and film the show on Saturdays. His first movie was Stazione Termini in 1953.

As a teenager, Beymer appeared in many popular TV shows. These included Cavalcade of America and Zane Grey Theatre. He also had a role in the Disney movie Johnny Tremain (1957).

Becoming a Movie Star

Famous Roles

In 1959, the director George Stevens chose Beymer to play Peter Van Daan in The Diary of Anne Frank. This important role helped him become a well-known young actor. Soon after, he signed a contract with the movie studio 20th Century Fox.

His biggest role came in 1960 when he was cast as Tony in the movie version of West Side Story. The movie was a huge success all over the world. Because Beymer was not a trained singer, his singing voice in the movie was provided by Jimmy Bryant. For his performance, Beymer was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as New Star of the Year.

Later, Beymer said that he felt he could have done a better job in West Side Story. He wished he had more acting experience at the time.

Other Major Films

After West Side Story, Beymer starred in several other big movies. He played the character Nick Adams in Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man (1962). He also had a key part in the World War II movie The Longest Day (1962), which was a box office hit.

Beymer felt that he was often cast as a "nice kid next door" type. He wanted to play more complex characters. To improve his acting skills, he began taking classes at the famous Actors Studio in New York City.

A Break from Hollywood

Working for Civil Rights

In 1964, Beymer took a break from acting to join the Freedom Summer project in Mississippi. This was part of the Civil Rights Movement. He and other volunteers worked to help African-Americans register to vote.

During this time, he made a documentary film called A Regular Bouquet: Mississippi Summer (1964). The film showed the important work the volunteers were doing.

Filmmaking and Other Work

Beymer became very interested in making his own films. He wrote, directed, and starred in a movie called The Innerview (1973). He said, "I never left the movies. I just made different kinds of movies."

During the 1960s and 1970s, he also appeared as a guest star on TV shows like The Virginian and The Man from U.N.C.L.E..

Return to the Screen

The Twin Peaks Era

In 1990, Beymer took on one of his most famous roles, playing the wealthy businessman Ben Horne in the TV series Twin Peaks. The show became a cultural phenomenon, and many people loved his performance. He returned to play Ben Horne again when the show came back in 2017.

Throughout the 1990s, Beymer acted in many TV shows and movies. He appeared in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as the character Li Nalas. He also had roles in Murder, She Wrote, My Girl 2, and The X-Files.

Recent Work and Legacy

Beymer continues to be involved in the arts. He directs documentaries, paints, and sculpts. In 2007, he published a novel called Impostor: Or Whatever Happened to Richard Beymer?.

In 2019, he visited the set of Steven Spielberg's new version of West Side Story. He met the new cast and shared his experiences from making the original film.

Personal Life

Richard Beymer has always been interested in more than just acting. He is a talented photographer, painter, and sculptor. His photos from the set of Twin Peaks were included in a special box set of the series.

As of 2010, he was living in Fairfield, Iowa. He practices Transcendental Meditation to help him relax and focus.

Selected Filmography

This is a list of some of Richard Beymer's most well-known movies and TV shows.

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Richard Beymer para niños