Peter Mark Richman Dies: Versatile Playwright, Author And Actor For Broadway, Film, TV Was 93

Bruce Haring
·3 min read
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Peter Mark Richman, a star of Broadway, film and television who had guest starring roles on more than 500 TV shows, including a recurring role as Rev. Snow on the classic sitcom Three’s Company, died today in Woodland Hills, Calif. of natural causes. He was 93.

Born on April 16th, 1927 in Philadelphia, Richman’s career as an actor, playwright, author and artist spanned eight decades.

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After graduating from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science as a licensed pharmacist in two states, he found his first opportunities on the New York stage as a member of the Actors Studio. He starred in Calder Willingham’s End as a Man.

In addition to tours and productions across the US, he appeared on Broadway in A Hatful of Rain and Masquerade. He also portrayed “Jerry” in more than 400 performances of Edward Albee’s original NY production of The Zoo Story.

William Wyler brought him west for the classic film, Friendly Persuasion, which led to other film roles in Black Orchid, The Strange One, Naked Gun 2 and Friday the 13th Part 8.

In television, he starred as Nick Cain in his own NBC series, Cain’s Hundred, and in over 500 TV guest star appearances on such shows as The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, Murder She Wrote “Fantasy Island, and Star Trek the Next Generation. He had recurring roles on Three’s Company as the Reverend Snow and on Beverly Hills 90210, as well as costarring roles on Dynasty and Longstreet.

ANTA and the Actors Studio produced several of his one-act plays, and, after mounting his critically-acclaimed one-man play, 4 Faces in Los Angeles and New York, he starred in the film version of the piece.

His play, A Medal for Murray, received its world premiere with the Beit Lessin Theatre in Israel, garnering raves throughout the country during its two-year run.

He also published wrote novels and short-story collections, including Hollander’s Deal and The Rebirth of Ira Masters. Also an accomplished painter, Mr. Richman had seventeen critically acclaimed one-man exhibitions.

Richman served as a longtime board member for several charities. In 1990, the Motion Picture and Television Fund awarded the Silver Medallion to him for outstanding humanitarian achievement. He was also honored in that year with the Sybil Brand Humanitarian Award from the Jeffrey Foundation.

He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Helen Richman; five children, Howard Richman and his wife, Cherie, Kelly Lester and her husband, Loren, Lucas Richman and his wife, Debbie, Orien Richman and his wife, Alevé, and Roger Richman; as well as six grandchildren, Jenny, Lily, Max, Julia, Oliver and Danica.

Funeral services will be held privately and at the convenience of Richman’s family. Memorial contributions in honor of Richman can be made to the Motion Picture Television Fund (MPTF).

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