Richard Basehart
Biography
Richard Basehart was an American actor born on August 31, 1914, in Zanesville, Ohio, USA. He appeared in various film and television roles throughout his career. Basehart starred in the 1960s television science fiction drama Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, playing the role of Admiral Harriman Nelson. He also appeared in notable films such as La strada, He Walked by Night, Roseanna McCoy, Moby Dick, and Decision Before Dawn. Basehart was married to Italian actress Valentina Cortese, with whom he had one son. He passed away on September 17, 1984, at the age of 70.
Career overview
Richard Basehart was an American actor who began his career with notable film roles in the late 1940s. One of his early notable appearances was in the film noir classic He Walked by Night. He also appeared in the 1949 film Roseanna McCoy, where he played a member of the Hatfield clan.
Basehart's career continued with significant roles in various films, including Decision Before Dawn in 1951 and Moby Dick in 1956, where he portrayed Ishmael. He also appeared in the Italian film La strada, directed by Federico Fellini, as an acrobat known as "the Fool".
In the 1960s, Basehart gained recognition for his starring role as Admiral Harriman Nelson in the television science fiction drama Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. Throughout his career, he demonstrated his versatility as an actor, taking on diverse roles in film and television.
Ask the Vault
Ask anything about Richard Basehart.
Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
114 titles- The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller (2002) as Cpl. Denno (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Knight Rider (1982) as Wilton Knight
- Knight Rider: Knight of the Phoenix (1982) as Wilton Knight
- Bix: Ain't None of Them Play Like Him Yet (1982) as Self
- Egypt: Quest for Eternity (1982) as Narrator (Self)
- Mr. Merlin (1981)
- Masada (1981) as Modern-Day Narrator (voice, uncredited)
- Marilyn: The Untold Story (1980) as Johnny Hyde
- Tales of the Unexpected (1979) as Slade
- Being There (1979) as Vladimir Skrapinov
- The Rebels (1979) as Duke of Kentland
- Land of Celtic Ghosts (1979) as Himself
- Planet Mars (1979) as Narrator
- Vega$ (1978)
- The Critical List (1978) as Matt Kinsella
- The Great Bank Hoax (1978) as Manny Benchly
- W.E.B. (1978)
- A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1978) as King Arthur
- The Love Boat (1977) as Stan Ellis
- How the West Was Won (1977) as Colonel Flint
- The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977) as Sayer of the Law
- Flood! (1977) as John Cutler
- Stonestreet: Who Killed the Centerfold Model? (1977) as Elliott Osborn
- Time Travelers (1976) as Dr. Joshua Henderson (1871)
- 21 Hours at Munich (1976) as Willy Brandt
- Mansion of the Doomed (1976) as Dr. Leonard Chaney
- Joe Forrester (1975)
- Medical Story (1975) as Dr. Charles Galpin
- Valley Forge (1975) as Gen. Washington
- Judgment: The Court Martial of Lt. William Calley (1975) as George Latimer
- Little House on the Prairie (1974) as Hannibal Applewood
- The First Woman President (1974) as Woodrow Wilson
- ...and millions will die! (1973) as Dr Douglas Pruitt
- Maneater (1973) as Carl Brenner
- The Birdmen (1973) as Schiller
- The Streets of San Francisco (1972) as Bishop Tim Farrow
- Assignment: Munich (1972) as Maj. Barney Caldwell
- Chato's Land (1972) as Nye Buell
- Rage (1972) as Dr. Roy Caldwell
- The Bounty Man (1972) as Angus Keough
- Columbo (1971) as Nicholas Framer
- City Beneath the Sea (1971) as The President
- The Death of Me Yet (1971) as Robert Barnes
- They've Killed President Lincoln! (1971) as Host / Narrator
- Dan August (1970) as Prof. Theodore Rye
- The Andersonville Trial (1970) as Henry Wirz
- Sole Survivor (1970) as Brig. Gen. Russell Hamner
- Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969) as Professor Andrew Kirkcastle
- Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969) as Reece Sutton
- Love Is a Funny Thing (1969) as Acteur
- Hans Brinker (1969) as Dr. Boeker
- Hawaii Five-O (1968) as Murdock
- The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (1968) as Narrator
- Ironside (1967) as Noel Seymour
- Jacqueline Susann and the Valley of the Dolls (1967)
- National Geographic Specials (1965) as Narrator (voice)
- Let My People Go: The Story of Israel (1965) as Narrator (voice)
- The Satan Bug (1965) as Dr. Gregor Hoffman
- Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964) as Adm. Harriman Nelson
- Four Days In November (1964) as Narrator (voice)
- Trial at Nuremberg (1964) as Narrator
- Arrest and Trial (1963)
- Kings of the Sun (1963) as Ah Min
- The Yanks Are Coming (1963) as Narrator (voice)
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962) as Philip Townsend
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962) as Miles Crawford
- Combat! (1962) as Capt. Steiner
- Hitler (1962) as Adolf Hitler
- Ben Casey (1961)
- The Savage Guns (1961) as Steve Fallon
- Route 66 (1960)
- Portrait in Black (1960) as Howard Mason
- Playhouse 90: The Hiding Place (1960) as Martin Lambert
- Five Branded Women (1960) as Eric Reinhardt
- Visa to Canton (1960) as Don Benton
- For the Love of Mike (1960) as Father Phelan
- The Twilight Zone (1959) as Adam Cook
- Rawhide (1959) as Tod Stone
- Jons und Erdme (1959) as Wittkuhn
- The Ambitious One (1959) as George Rancourt
- Naked City (1958) as Lester Bergson
- The Brothers Karamazov (1958) as Ivan Karamazov
- Love and Troubles (1958) as Paolo Martelli
- Time Limit (1957) as Maj. Harry Cargill
- So Soon to Die (1957) as Lionel Amblin
- Miracles of Thursday (1957) as Martino
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as David Manning
- Moby Dick (1956) as Ishmael
- The Intimate Stranger (1956) as Reginald 'Reggie' Wilson
- The Extra Day (1956) as Joe Blake
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Captain Aron Sligo
- The Golden Vein (1955) as Ing. Stefano Manfredi
- The Swindle (1955) as Carlo
- Canyon Crossroads (1955) as Larry Kendall
- Cartouche (1955) as Il conte Jacques de Maudy
- La Strada (1954) as Il 'Matto'
- The Stranger's Hand (1954) as Joe Hamstringer
- The Good Die Young (1954) as Joe Halsey
- Jailbirds (1954) as Doctor Stefano Luprandi
- Titanic (1953) as George S. Headley
- Fourteen Hours (1951) as Robert Cosick
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Conway
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as General Washington
- Fixed Bayonets! (1951) as Cpl. Denno
- Decision Before Dawn (1951) as Lt. Dick Rennick
- The House on Telegraph Hill (1951) as Alan Spender
- Outside the Wall (1950) as Larry Nelson
- He Walked by Night (1949) as Roy Martin / Roy Morgan
- Reign of Terror (1949) as Maximilian Robespierre
- Roseanna McCoy (1949) as Mounts Hatfield
- Tension (1949) as Warren Quimby
- Studio One (1948) as Matt Donovan
- Repeat Performance (1947) as William Williams
- Cry Wolf (1947) as James Caldwell Demarest
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Richard Basehart best known for?
Richard Basehart is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Knight Rider (1982), Mr. Merlin (1981), The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974), Tales of the Unexpected (1979).
When and where was Richard Basehart born?
Richard Basehart was born on August 31, 1914 in Zanesville, Ohio, USA. They passed away on September 17, 1984.
How many credits does Richard Basehart have?
Richard Basehart has accumulated over 114 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1947 to 2002.
What is Richard Basehart's background in cinema and television?
Richard Basehart was an American actor born on August 31, 1914, in Zanesville, Ohio, USA. He appeared in various film and television roles throughout his career. Basehart starred in the 1960s television science fiction drama Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, playing the role of Admiral Harriman Nelson. He also appeared ...