Richard Lawson
Department: Acting
Biography
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
Poltergeist
1982
Justice
1999
The Forgotten
1989
Not Alone
2021
The Main Event
1979
A Holiday Chance
2021
Scream Blacula Scream
1973
Wag the Dog
1997
Crossfire
1975
For Colored Girls
2010
Blue Hill Avenue
2003
Audrey Rose
1977
Double Your Pleasure
1989
Sugar Hill
1974
The Jericho Mile
1980
Christmas at Water's Edge
2004
Black Fist
1977
Stick
1985
CHAAW: Chapter 1
2023
Under the Influence
1986
Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black
2024
Charleston
1979
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
1998
Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift
2019
Black Terror
—
The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story
1980
Dirty Harry
1971
Will I See You Again?
2024
A Royal Family Christmas
2015
A Royal Family Holiday
2015
Lemonade
2016
Streets of Fire
1984
Coming Home
1978
Johnnie Mae Gibson: FBI
1986
Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror
2019
Always a Bridesmaid
2019
From Zero to I Love You
2019
North Hollywood
2021
They Are Here: The Real World of the Poltergeists
2007
Shotguns and Six Strings: Making a Rock N Roll Fable
2017
The Last Stand
2006
Love for Sale
2008
Guess Who
2005
Maniac Magee
2003
Jackie's Back!
1999
Aftershock: The Nicole P. Bell Story
2025
St. Elsewhere
1982
Good Times
1974
Father Dowling Mysteries
1989
Hardcastle and McCormick
1983
Saved by the Bell: The New Class
1993
Numb3rs
2005
Remington Steele
1982
Half & Half
2002
The District
2000
All of Us
2003
The Division
2001
Judging Amy
1999
Touched by an Angel
1994
The Bernie Mac Show
2001
L.A. Doctors
1998
The Cosby Show
1984
All in the Family
1971
The Streets of San Francisco
1972
Sister, Sister
1994
Dynasty
1981
Soul Food
2000
MacGyver
1985
The Parent 'Hood
1995
Moesha
1996
Kojak
1973
Medical Center
1969
JAG
1995
Wiseguy
1987
Chicago Story
1982
Good News
1997
The White Shadow
1978
Family Law
1999
The Fantastic Journey
1977
V
1983
What Really Happened to the Class of '65?
1977
Dead Like Me
2003
Saints & Sinners
2016
Stitchers
2015
Pandora's Clock
1996
The Black Hamptons
2022
Grey's Anatomy
2005
The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd
1987
Beauty in Black
2024
T. J. Hooker
1982
mixed-ish
2019
Strong Medicine
2000
The Comedy Factory
1985
Sherri
2022
Magnum, P.I.
1980
For the People
2002