RIP Richard Evans

 Richard Evans, Actor on ‘Peyton Place’ and ‘Dirty Little Billy,’ Dies at 86

 

He also appeared on the big screen in ‘The Nickel Ride’ and ‘Islands in the Stream’ and as a guest star on ‘Gunsmoke’, ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Mannix’

 

The Hollywood Reporter

By Mike Barnes

October 26, 2021

Richard Evans, who tussled with Ryan O’Neal’s character on the ABC primetime soap Peyton Place and appeared in Dirty Little Billy, the final film from producer Jack L. Warner, has died. He was 86.

Evans died Oct. 2 of cancer on Whidbey Island in Washington state, a family spokesman announced.

Evans also co-starred in the Robert Mulligan-directed neo-noir crime drama The Nickel Ride(1974) and played the sidekick of George C. Scott’s artist character in Ernest Hemingway’s Island’s in the Stream (1977), helmed by Franklin J. Schaffner.

During his 40-year acting career, Evans showed up as a guest star on such TV series as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Death Valley Days, Cheyenne, Mr. Novak, The Fugitive, Star Trek, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Mod Squad, Lotsa Luck!, Mannix and The A-Team

In 1965 on the first season of ABC’s Peyton Place, Evans portrayed Paul Hanley, who falsely accused O’Neal’s Rodney Harrington of murdering his sister, and he played Goldie, Michael J. Pollard’s psychopathic mentor, in Dirty Little Billy (1972), also starring Lee Purcell.

Born on Jan. 23, 1935, in Kansas City, Missouri, Evans also wrote, directed and produced for the big screen and for local theater and was an artist and author. His final book, completed shortly before his death, is a collection of plays to be performed free of rental fees when staged as fundraisers for the homeless.

He and his family made their home on Whidbey Island for 32 years after they left Los Angeles.

Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Jo Evans, former casting director of Lien/Evans; son Paul; and granddaughters Sarah (and her husband, Aaron), Madalyn (Joey) and Rachel (Geoff).

 

EVANS, Richard (Richard Rodell Evans)

Born: 1/23/1935, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.A.

Died: 10/2/2021, Whidbey Island, Washington, U.S.A.

 

Richard Evans’ westerns – actor:

Death Valley Days (TV) – 1958, 1960 (Chris Gaunt, Lije)

Tales of Wells Fargo (TV) – 1958 (Indian boy)

Bronco (TV) – 1959, 1960 (Tim Willis, Wes Maxton)

Wagon Train (TV) – 1958 (1^st son)

The Rebel (TV) – 1959, 1960 (Tony Parlio, Ezel)

Sugarfoot (TV) – 1959 (Gitano, Led Wilkes)

The Alaskans (TV) – 1960 (Roy Stevenson)

Gunsmoke (TV) – 1960, 1965, 1966, 1967 (William Cole, Austin Boyle, Ab Benteen, Pete)

Lawman (TV) – 1960 (Billy Deal, Pete Goff)

The Rifleman (TV) – 1960, 1962 (Bruce Henry, Shep Coleman)

Cheyenne (TV) – 1961 (Gilby Collins)

Laramie (TV) – 1961 (Lem Dixon)

Outlaws (TV) – 1961 (Lucky Davis)

Zane Grey Theater (TV) – 1961 (Eph)

Lancer (TV) – 1962, 1969

Empire (TV) – 1963 (Monte Clifford)

Redigo (TV) – 1963 (David ‘Davy’ Porter)

Stoney Burke (TV) – 1963 (Jess Hagen)

Temple Houston (TV) – 1963(Roan Chevenix)

Bonanza (TV) – 1965, 1967, 1970 (John Carter, Billy Wilcox, Ellis Watson)

Iron Horse (TV) – 1966 (Will Bemis)

Shane (TV) – 1966 (J.D. Spicer)

The Guns of Will Sonnett (TV) – 1968 (Ben Harper)

The High Chaparral (TV) – 1968

The Big Valley (TV) – 1968 (Seth Campbell Jr.)

The Virginian (TV) – 1969 (Tom Kabe)

Macho Callahan – 1970 (Mulvey)

Dirty Little Billy – 1972 (Goldie)

Honky Tonk (TV) – 1974

How the West Was Won (TV) – 1979 (Druey)