Richard Deacon

Biography

Richard Deacon was an American actor who spent much of his career in television and film, frequently cast as pompous or imperious figures. Born in Philadelphia, he appeared on The Jack Benny Program as both a barber and a salesman, and he became familiar for supporting parts on The Dick Van Dyke Show and Leave It to Beaver. In the former he played Mel Cooley, while in the latter he was Fred Rutherford. His film work included Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), The Birds (1963), The Young Philadelphians (1959), The Gnome-Mobile (1967), and Blackbeard's Ghost (1968). His other credits included Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955), Désirée (1954), and Decision at Sundown (1957). On stage, he played Horace Vandergelder in Hello, Dolly! on Broadway in 1969. Later television credits included The Mothers-in-Law, where he took over as Roger Buell, and guest spots on Match Game in the 1970s and early 1980s. Deacon died in 1984.

62years old at death

Born May 14, 1922Philadelphia
Died August 8, 1984Los Angeles
Star sign: TaurusThe sign runs April 20 to May 20
Also credited as Richard Lewis Deacon

Movie Career

Films: 28
Career span: 27 years1953 to 1980

Genres

Comedy57%, 16 films
Family21%, 6 films
Romance21%, 6 films
Drama18%, 5 films
Crime14%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Beyond film
In 1969, Deacon played Horace Vandergelder on Broadway in the long-running musical Hello, Dolly!, sharing the stage again with Diller, who took the title role.

Richard Deacon movies on Netflix

Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty1980IMDb rating 7.3as King of Cey What
The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood1980IMDb rating 4.2as Joseph Rottman
Piranha1978IMDb rating 5.9as Earl Lyon
Blackbeard's Ghost1968IMDb rating 6.8as Dean Wheaton
Lady in Cement1968IMDb rating 5.8as Arnie Sherwin
The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band1968IMDb rating 6.3as Charlie Wrenn
The Gnome-Mobile1967IMDb rating 6.5as Ralph Yarby
Lt. Robin Crusoe U.S.N.1966IMDb rating 5.9as Survival Manual Narrator
That Darn Cat!1965IMDb rating 6.8as Drive-in-Mgr.
Dear Heart1964IMDb rating 7.2as Mr. Cruikshank
The Patsy1964IMDb rating 6.2as Sy Devore
The Birds1963IMDb rating 7.6as Mitch's City Neighbor
Who's Minding the Store?1963IMDb rating 6.7as Tie Salesman
That Touch of Mink1962IMDb rating 6.6as Mr. Miller
Lover Come Back1961IMDb rating 7.1as Dr. Melnick
A Summer Place1959IMDb rating 6.9as Pawnbroker
The Young Philadelphians1959IMDb rating 7.4as George Archibald
Decision at Sundown1957IMDb rating 6.8as Reverend Zaron
Designing Woman1957IMDb rating 6.7as Larry Musso
Kiss Them for Me1957IMDb rating 5.6as Bill Hotchkiss
Invasion of the Body Snatchers1956IMDb rating 7.7as Emergency Room Doctor
The Solid Gold Cadillac1956IMDb rating 7.4as Williams
Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy1955IMDb rating 6.2as Semu
This Island Earth1955IMDb rating 5.9as Pilot
Désirée1954IMDb rating 6.3as Etienne Clary
Private Hell 361954IMDb rating 6.7as Mr. Mace
Shield for Murder1954IMDb rating 6.8as The Professor
Invaders from Mars1953IMDb rating 6.3as MP

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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The Birds1963 Horror, Thrilleras Mitch's City Neighbor
IMDb rating 7.6222K votes
Blackbeard's Ghost1968 Comedy, Family, Fantasyas Dean Wheaton
IMDb rating 6.87.6K votes
Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy1955as Semu
IMDb rating 6.27.0K votes
Piranha1978as Earl Lyon
IMDb rating 5.928K votes
The Gnome-Mobile1967as Ralph Yarby
IMDb rating 6.52.7K votes
That Touch of Mink1962as Mr. Miller
IMDb rating 6.612K votes
Lady in Cement1968as Arnie Sherwin
IMDb rating 5.83.2K votes
That Darn Cat!1965as Drive-in-Mgr.
IMDb rating 6.88.9K votes

Most often with

Delbert Mann directed three of these films, Robert Stevenson three and Don Siegel two. Three actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Bess Flowers

Dean Jones

Carolyn Jones

Cary Grant

Dick Miller

Keenan WynnDelbert MannDirector, 3 films Robert StevensonDirector, 3 films

Don SiegelDirector, 2 films

Films together

Bess Flowers3 films together, 1954 to 1963
Bess Flowers's page
- Who's Minding the Store?1963IMDb rating 6.7Deacon as Tie SalesmanFlowers as Shopper at Gourmet Department
- Designing Woman1957IMDb rating 6.7Deacon as Larry MussoFlowers as Fashion Show Guest
- Désirée1954IMDb rating 6.3Deacon as Etienne ClaryFlowers as Attendant Holding Baby at Palace Ball
Dean Jones3 films together, 1957 to 1968
Dean Jones's page
- Blackbeard's Ghost1968IMDb rating 6.8Deacon as Dean WheatonJones as Steve Walker
- That Darn Cat!1965IMDb rating 6.8Deacon as Drive-in-Mgr.Jones as Zeke Kelso
- Designing Woman1957IMDb rating 6.7Deacon as Larry MussoJones as Assistant Stage Manager
Carolyn Jones3 films together, 1954 to 1956
Carolyn Jones's page
- Invasion of the Body Snatchers1956IMDb rating 7.7Deacon as Emergency Room DoctorJones as Theodora 'Teddy' Belicec
- Désirée1954IMDb rating 6.3Deacon as Etienne ClaryJones as Mme. Tallien
- Shield for Murder1954IMDb rating 6.8Deacon as The ProfessorJones as Beth, Girl at Bar
Cary Grant2 films together, 1957 to 1962
Cary Grant's page
- That Touch of Mink1962IMDb rating 6.6Deacon as Mr. MillerGrant as Philip Shayne
- Kiss Them for Me1957IMDb rating 5.6Deacon as Bill HotchkissGrant as Cmdr. Andrew " Andy" Crewson
Dick Miller2 films together, 1978 to 1980
Dick Miller's page
- The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood1980IMDb rating 4.2Deacon as Joseph RottmanMiller as New York Cop
- Piranha1978IMDb rating 5.9Deacon as Earl LyonMiller as Buck Gardner
Keenan Wynn2 films together, 1964 to 1978
Keenan Wynn's page
- Piranha1978IMDb rating 5.9Deacon as Earl LyonWynn as Jack
- The Patsy1964IMDb rating 6.2Deacon as Sy DevoreWynn as Harry Silver
Delbert MannDirector, 3 films, 1961 to 1964
All films by Delbert Mann
- Dear Heart1964IMDb rating 7.2Deacon as Mr. Cruikshank
- That Touch of Mink1962IMDb rating 6.6Deacon as Mr. Miller
- Lover Come Back1961IMDb rating 7.1Deacon as Dr. Melnick
Robert StevensonDirector, 3 films, 1965 to 1968
All films by Robert Stevenson
- Blackbeard's Ghost1968IMDb rating 6.8Deacon as Dean Wheaton
- The Gnome-Mobile1967IMDb rating 6.5Deacon as Ralph Yarby
- That Darn Cat!1965IMDb rating 6.8Deacon as Drive-in-Mgr.
Don SiegelDirector, 2 films, 1954 to 1956
All films by Don Siegel
- Invasion of the Body Snatchers1956IMDb rating 7.7Deacon as Emergency Room Doctor
- Private Hell 361954IMDb rating 6.7Deacon as Mr. Mace
Also two films together30 more actors
- Kathleen FreemanWho's Minding the Store? (1963) and Kiss Them for Me (1957)
- Jerry LewisThe Patsy (1964) and Who's Minding the Store? (1963)
- Walter BrennanThe One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (1968) and The Gnome-Mobile (1967)
- Kevin McCarthyPiranha (1978) and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
- Elsa LanchesterBlackbeard's Ghost (1968) and That Darn Cat! (1965)
- Doris DayThat Touch of Mink (1962) and Lover Come Back (1961)
- Adam WestThe Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood (1980) and The Young Philadelphians (1959)
- Leif EricksonKiss Them for Me (1957) and Invaders from Mars (1953)
- Ray WalstonWho's Minding the Store? (1963) and Kiss Them for Me (1957)
- Isobel ElsomWho's Minding the Store? (1963) and Désirée (1954)
- Larry J. BlakeThe One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (1968) and That Darn Cat! (1965)
- William PhippsKiss Them for Me (1957) and Invaders from Mars (1953)
- John WilliamsThe Young Philadelphians (1959) and The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956)
- William BoyettPrivate Hell 36 (1954) and Shield for Murder (1954)
- King DonovanInvasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and Private Hell 36 (1954)
- Suzanne PleshetteBlackbeard's Ghost (1968) and The Birds (1963)
- Ralph DumkeInvasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956)
- Edie AdamsThe Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood (1980) and Lover Come Back (1961)
- Madge BlakeDesigning Woman (1957) and The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956)
- Ed WynnThe Gnome-Mobile (1967) and That Darn Cat! (1965)
- Nancy KulpThe Patsy (1964) and Who's Minding the Store? (1963)
- Ruth McDevittDear Heart (1964) and The Birds (1963)
- Neva PattersonDear Heart (1964) and The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956)
- Norman GrabowskiBlackbeard's Ghost (1968) and The Gnome-Mobile (1967)
- Jerry HausnerWho's Minding the Store? (1963) and Private Hell 36 (1954)
- Everett GlassA Summer Place (1959) and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
- Werner KlempererSteve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty (1980) and Kiss Them for Me (1957)
- Gil LambBlackbeard's Ghost (1968) and The Gnome-Mobile (1967)
- Tom LowellThe Gnome-Mobile (1967) and That Darn Cat! (1965)
- Kenneth PattersonInvasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and Private Hell 36 (1954)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Richard Deacon's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$77.2 million

6 of the 28 films have a worldwide figure.

6Worldwide figure
4US gross only
1Never in cinemas
17Figure not found

Top grosser

That Darn Cat!1965Drive-in-Mgr.$28.1 million

Highest grossing

The six biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
That Darn Cat!1965as Drive-in-Mgr.
$28M36.3% of the total
2
Lover Come Back1961as Dr. Melnick
$17M21.9% of the total
3
Piranha1978as Earl Lyon
$16M20.7% of the total
4
The Birds1963as Mitch's City Neighbor
$12M14.9% of the total
5
Invasion of the Body Snatchers1956as Emergency Room Doctor
$3.0M3.9% of the total
6
This Island Earth1955as Pilot
$1.7M2.2% of the total