Richard Deacon (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Richard Deacon
Deacon as Mel Cooley on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Born	Richard Lewis Deacon (1922-05-14)May 14, 1922 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	August 8, 1984(1984-08-08) (aged 62) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Bennington College
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1953–1984
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)

Richard Lewis Deacon (born May 14, 1922 – died August 8, 1984) was an American actor. He was famous for playing supporting roles in popular TV shows. You might know him as Mel Cooley on The Dick Van Dyke Show or Fred Rutherford on Leave It to Beaver. He also appeared in movies like Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963).

Acting Career

Richard Deacon often played characters who were a bit bossy, fancy, or very proper. He appeared on The Jack Benny Program and as a hotel manager on Happy. He had a small part in Alfred Hitchcock's movie The Birds (1963). He played a bigger role as a doctor in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956).

In the 1957 film The Spirit of St. Louis, Deacon played the head of the Columbia Aircraft Corporation, Charles A. Levine.

Famous TV Roles

His most well-known roles were Mel Cooley on CBS's The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961–1966) and Fred Rutherford on Leave It to Beaver (1957–1963). He also played Mr. Baxter in the first Beaver episode. He was Tallulah Bankhead's butler in an episode of The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour. Deacon played Roger Buell on The Mothers-in-Law (1967–1969) and Principal "Jazzbo" Conroy in The Danny Thomas Show (1958).

Other Appearances

Deacon appeared in many TV shows and movies. In the film Carousel (1956), he was a policeman. He also appeared in Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955) and Désirée (1954). He played a butler in The Young Philadelphians (1959) and a justice of the peace in the western Decision at Sundown (1957).

He was in many sitcoms like It's a Great Life, The People's Choice, and The Donna Reed Show. He also appeared in westerns like Gunsmoke and Bonanza. In The Munsters, he played Mr. Pike, a water district commissioner. In The Addams Family, he was a psychologist testing Cousin Itt. He was also in The Twilight Zone in 1964.

Deacon appeared in Disney films such as The Gnome-Mobile (1967) and Blackbeard's Ghost (1968). He was also a guest on the game show Match Game. In 1970, he played a psychiatrist in four episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies.

In 1969, he performed on Broadway in the musical Hello, Dolly!, playing Horace Vandergelder.

In 1983, Deacon played Fred Rutherford again in the TV movie Still the Beaver. He was supposed to be in the TV series that followed, but he passed away before it started. His last movie role was a small part in the teen comedy Bad Manners (1984).

Personal Life

Richard Deacon was born in Philadelphia, but his family later moved to Binghamton, New York. He went to high school there and met Rod Serling, who later created The Twilight Zone.

During World War II, Deacon served in the United States Army medical corps. After his service, he worked as a laboratory technician before becoming interested in acting.

Besides acting, Deacon was a talented chef. In the 1970s and 1980s, he wrote several cookbooks and hosted a Canadian TV show about cooking with a microwave oven.

Richard Deacon was known for being a very kind and generous person. After he passed away, many people shared stories about how he had helped those in need and supported charities.

Death

Richard Deacon died from cardiovascular disease on August 8, 1984, when he was 62 years old. His remains were cremated and his ashes were scattered at sea.

Selected Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Richard Deacon (actor) para niños