Richard Kiley

Biography: Richard Kiley trained for a theatrical career at the Barnum Dramatic School. Just before his World War II service, Kiley played small roles in several Chicago-based radio programs. He relocated to New York in 1947, making his Broadway debut in a 1953 revival of Shaw's Misalliance (which earned him a Theatre World Award). He spent the next two decades alternating in "straight" plays and musicals: his credits in the latter category include Kismet, Redhead, No Strings and, of course, his Tony-winning dual performance as Cervantes and Quixote in Man of La Mancha. In films from 1950, Kiley was often cast as a menace, never more so than in 1953's Pickup on South Street, in which he commits the heinously antisocial act of murdering Thelma Ritter. He was more sympathetic as the alcoholic teacher in The Blackboard Jungle (1955), whose faith in his abilities is irreparably damaged when his juvenile delinquent students wantonly destroy his valuable record collection. On television, KileyRichard Kiley trained for a theatrical career at the Barnum Dramatic School. Just before his World War II service, Kiley played small roles in several Chicago-based radio programs. He relocated to New York in 1947, making his Broadway debut in a 1953 revival of Shaw's Misalliance (which earned him a Theatre World Award). He spent the next two decades alternating in "straight" plays and musicals: his credits in the latter category include Kismet, Redhead, No Strings and, of course, his Tony-winning dual performance as Cervantes and Quixote in Man of La Mancha. In films from 1950, Kiley was often cast as a menace, never more so than in 1953's Pickup on South Street, in which he commits the heinously antisocial act of murdering Thelma Ritter. He was more sympathetic as the alcoholic teacher in The Blackboard Jungle (1955), whose faith in his abilities is irreparably damaged when his juvenile delinquent students wantonly destroy his valuable record collection. On television, Kiley starred in the original 1956 staging of Rod Serlings Patterns and was Emmy-nominated for his work in The Thorn Birds (1983), Do You Remember Love? (1988), Separate But Equal (1990),and his own starring series A Year in the Life (1989). He finally won the Emmy for a 1994 guest appearance in Picket Fences. Ironically, the most successful film endeavor with which Richard Kiley was associated was one in which only his voice is heard; he's the fellow who explains the cloning process in the opening animated sequences of Jurassic Park (1993). Expand

Richard Kiley's Scores

Average career score: 66
Highest Metascore: 73 Ally McBeal: Season 1
Lowest Metascore: 61 Picket Fences: Season 1
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
3 tv reviews
Title: Year: Credit: User score:
tbd The Thorn Birds: Season 1 Dec 11, 2012 Paddy Cleary / Paddy Cleary tbd
73 Ally McBeal: Season 1 Sep 8, 1997 Seymore Little 6.4
65 Christy: Season 1 Apr 3, 1994 Actor tbd
tbd Picket Fences: Season 2 Oct 22, 1993 Jill's Father tbd
tbd Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 2 Sep 26, 1993 Scientist 8.0
61 Picket Fences: Season 1 Sep 18, 1992 Jill's Father 8.2
tbd NOVA: Season 14 Jan 20, 1987 Host tbd
tbd The Twilight Zone (1985): Season 1 Sep 27, 1985 Lance 9.0
tbd Columbo: Season 3 Sep 23, 1973 Halperin tbd
tbd Gunsmoke: Season 19 Sep 10, 1973 Will Stambridge / Will Stambridge tbd
tbd Gunsmoke: Season 18 Sep 11, 1972 Bohannan / Bohannan tbd
tbd Gunsmoke: Season 17 Sep 13, 1971 Tom Lynott tbd
tbd Gunsmoke: Season 16 Sep 14, 1970 Lewis Stark / Lewis Stark tbd
tbd Bonanza: Season 12 Sep 13, 1970 Sheriff Gideon Yates tbd
tbd The Alfred Hitchcock Hour: Season 2 Sep 27, 1963 Actor tbd