In Remembrance: Richard Crenna

     Character actor Richard Crenna, who has appeared in such films as The Sand Pebbles, Body Heat and the Rambo series, died of heart failure on Friday, January 20, 2003. He was 76.

     Born in Los Angeles in 1926, Crenna first started acting when he was 10 years old on The Burns and Allen Show radio series. He also appeared on the radio series A Date With Judy and The Great Gildersleeve. After serving in World War II, he was cast as the squeaky-voiced teen Walter Denton on the comedy series Our Miss Brooks, which starred Eve Arden. He moved with the series from radio to television in 1952 and would play the part in the 1956 movie adaptation of the series.

     His first role was a bit part in the Irene Dunn comedy It Grows On Trees in 1952. His first major role was that of pitcher Daffy Dean in the 1953 baseball film Pride of St. Louis.

     Through the 50s into the 60s he worked primarily in television, first on Our Miss Brooks, and then on The Real McCoys and Slattery’s People. In 1966 he starred as a Navy captain in the Steve McQueen film The Sand Pebbles. He followed this up with roles in Wait Until Dark (1967), Marooned (1969) and Doctors’ Wives (1971).

     Through the 70s, Crenna, found himself in more b-grade fare and television movies. His career took an upswing in the `80s with roles like the cuckolded husband of Kathleen Turner in 1981’s Body Heat. His portrayal of a card shark in 1984’s The Flamingo Kid would earn him a Golden Globe nomination for best supporting actor.

     In 1982, Crenna took on the role of Col. Troutman, in First Blood, the first of the three Rambo films, taking over for Kirk Douglas who had left the project. He would parody the role in 1993’s Hot Shots! Part Deux, playing Col. Denton Walters, a play on his Our Miss Brooks character’s name.

     In addition to acting, Crenna also directed more than 300 TV shows including episodes of such diverse series as The Rockford Files, The Andy Griffith Show and Lou Grant.

     He was honored with a star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1988.