Richard Lawson

Acting

Richard Lawson

Born March 7, 1947Loma Linda, California, USA96 credits

Richard Lee Lawson (born March 7, 1947) is an American actor who has starred in movies and on television. He is perhaps best known for his roles in genre films; he portrayed Ryan in the 1982 film Poltergeist, and Dr. Ben Taylor in the 1983 NBC miniseries V.

Known For

Aftershock: The Nicole P. Bell Story

Aftershock: The Nicole P. Bell Story

Movie

2025

Beauty in Black
7.7

Beauty in Black

TV

2024

Will I See You Again?

Will I See You Again?

Movie

2024

Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black
7.2

Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black

Movie

2024

CHAAW: Chapter 1

CHAAW: Chapter 1

Movie

2023

Sherri
2.7

Sherri

TV

2022

Filmography

Aftershock: The Nicole P. Bell Story
2025Aftershock: The Nicole P. Bell Storyas Al SharptonMovie
Beauty in Black
2024Beauty in Blackas NormanTV
Will I See You Again?
2024Will I See You Again?Movie
Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black
2024Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Blackas ClarenceMovie
CHAAW: Chapter 1
2023CHAAW: Chapter 1as Chief of PoliceMovie
Sherri
2022Sherrias Self - GuestTV
The Black Hamptons
2022The Black Hamptonsas Moses BrittonTV
A Holiday Chance
2021A Holiday Chanceas GarvinMovie
Not Alone
2021Not Aloneas Dr. James ClayMovie
North Hollywood
2021North Hollywoodas Adolf's DadMovie
Always a Bridesmaid
2019Always a Bridesmaidas Carlton Blakeston Sr.Movie
mixed-ish
2019mixed-ishas LynwoodTV
Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift
2019Beyoncé Presents: Making The Giftas SelfMovie
From Zero to I Love You
2019From Zero to I Love Youas Ron LogsdonMovie
Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror
2019Horror Noire: A History of Black Horroras SelfMovie
Shotguns and Six Strings: Making a Rock N Roll Fable
2017Shotguns and Six Strings: Making a Rock N Roll Fableas SelfMovie
Lemonade
2016Lemonadeas Self (home footage)Movie
Saints & Sinners
2016Saints & Sinnersas Pastor Evan JohnsonTV
A Royal Family Christmas
2015A Royal Family Christmasas Leighton RoyalMovie
A Royal Family Holiday
2015A Royal Family HolidayMovie
Stitchers
2015Stitchersas Admiral DeckerTV
For Colored Girls
2010For Colored Girlsas FrankMovie
Love for Sale
2008Love for Saleas Uncle MacMovie
They Are Here: The Real World of the Poltergeists
2007They Are Here: The Real World of the Poltergeistsas HimselfMovie
The Last Stand
2006The Last Standas WinstonMovie
Grey's Anatomy
2005Grey's Anatomyas Bill PierceTV
Guess Who
2005Guess Whoas MarcusMovie
Numb3rs
2005Numb3rsas Clay Porter, Sr. (uncredited)TV
Christmas at Water's Edge
2004Christmas at Water's Edgeas Mr. TurnerMovie
Blue Hill Avenue
2003Blue Hill Avenueas Uncle RobMovie
All of Us
2003All of UsTV
Dead Like Me
2003Dead Like Meas William GarrettTV
M
2003Maniac Mageeas Mr. BealeMovie
Half & Half
2002Half & Halfas BenTV
F
2002For the Peopleas Clay PortmanTV
The Bernie Mac Show
2001The Bernie Mac Showas BishopTV
The Division
2001The Divisionas LaBonTV
The District
2000The Districtas Richard GrayTV
Strong Medicine
2000Strong Medicineas Alton ClayborneTV
Soul Food
2000Soul Foodas Rev. Bobby BaxterTV
Family Law
1999Family Lawas ChuckTV
Judging Amy
1999Judging Amyas Thomas HorneTV
Jackie's Back!
1999Jackie's Back!as Milkman Summers (Jackie's Ex-Husband #1)Movie
Justice
1999Justiceas GusMovie
L.A. Doctors
1998L.A. Doctorsas Gary MillerTV
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
1998How Stella Got Her Groove Backas JackMovie
Wag the Dog
1997Wag the Dogas Young Man / CIAMovie
G
1997Good NewsTV
Pandora's Clock
1996Pandora's Clockas Daniel RobbTV
Moesha
1996Moeshaas Marlon JamesTV
JAG
1995JAGas Sgt. Dan CraigTV
The Parent 'Hood
1995The Parent 'HoodTV
Touched by an Angel
1994Touched by an Angelas Nicholas FreemanTV
Sister, Sister
1994Sister, Sisteras Victor SimsTV
Saved by the Bell: The New Class
1993Saved by the Bell: The New Classas Judge Thurston JonesTV
Double Your Pleasure
1989Double Your Pleasureas DashMovie
The Forgotten
1989The Forgottenas Sgt. Frank " Doc " McDermottMovie
Father Dowling Mysteries
1989Father Dowling MysteriesTV
Wiseguy
1987WiseguyTV
The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd
1987The Days and Nights of Molly Doddas Det. Nathaniel HawthorneTV
Johnnie Mae Gibson: FBI
1986Johnnie Mae Gibson: FBIas Adam PrenticeMovie
Under the Influence
1986Under the Influenceas Dr. DuranMovie
MacGyver
1985MacGyveras Jesse ColtonTV
The Comedy Factory
1985The Comedy Factoryas Dr. Julius PepperTV
Stick
1985Stickas CornellMovie
The Cosby Show
1984The Cosby Showas Mr. BosticTV
Streets of Fire
1984Streets of Fireas Officer Ed PriceMovie
Hardcastle and McCormick
1983Hardcastle and McCormickTV
V
1983Vas Dr Ben TaylorTV
St. Elsewhere
1982St. Elsewhereas The MessiahTV
Remington Steele
1982Remington Steeleas Monroe HendersonTV
Poltergeist
1982Poltergeistas RyanMovie
T. J. Hooker
1982T. J. Hookeras Officer David McNeilTV
Chicago Story
1982Chicago Storyas Detective O.Z. TateTV
Dynasty
1981Dynastyas Nick KimballTV
Magnum, P.I.
1980Magnum, P.I.as Gerald CalvinTV
The Jericho Mile
1980The Jericho Mileas R.C. StilesMovie
The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story
1980The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Storyas Gene DavisMovie
The Main Event
1979The Main Eventas Hector MantillaMovie
Charleston
1979Charlestonas James HarrisMovie
The White Shadow
1978The White Shadowas David MackeyTV
Coming Home
1978Coming Homeas PatMovie
What Really Happened to the Class of '65?
1977What Really Happened to the Class of '65?TV
Black Fist
1977Black Fistas Leroy FiskMovie
Audrey Rose
1977Audrey Roseas Policeman #1Movie
The Fantastic Journey
1977The Fantastic Journeyas BarkerTV
Crossfire
1975Crossfireas Officer Ken DillardMovie
Good Times
1974Good TimesTV
Sugar Hill
1974Sugar Hillas ValentineMovie
Kojak
1973Kojakas 1st SuspectTV
Scream Blacula Scream
1973Scream Blacula Screamas Willis DanielsMovie
The Streets of San Francisco
1972The Streets of San FranciscoTV
Dirty Harry
1971Dirty Harryas Homosexual (uncredited)Movie
All in the Family
1971All in the Familyas Angry Black ManTV
Medical Center
1969Medical CenterTV
Black Terror
—Black Terroras Talk Show HostMovie