Richard Lawson

Known for: Acting

Born: 1947-03-07 (age 79)

From: Loma Linda, California, USA

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.

Filmography (96)

MOVIE
Aftershock: The Nicole P. Bell Story
2025
as Al Sharpton
TV★ 7.9
Beauty in Black
2024
as Norman
MOVIE
Will I See You Again?
2024
MOVIE★ 7.2
Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black
2024
as Clarence
MOVIE
CHAAW: Chapter 1
2023
as Chief of Police
TV★ 2.6
Sherri
2022
as Self - Guest
TV★ 6.7
The Black Hamptons
2022
as Moses Britton
MOVIE★ 8.5
A Holiday Chance
2021
as Garvin
MOVIE★ 5.3
Not Alone
2021
as Dr. James Clay
MOVIE★ 5.3
North Hollywood
2021
as Adolf's Dad
MOVIE★ 6.8
Always a Bridesmaid
2019
as Carlton Blakeston Sr.
TV★ 7.1
mixed-ish
2019
as Lynwood
MOVIE★ 7.8
Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift
2019
as Self
MOVIE★ 5.2
From Zero to I Love You
2019
as Ron Logsdon
MOVIE★ 6.8
Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror
2019
as Self
MOVIE
Shotguns and Six Strings: Making a Rock N Roll Fable
2017
as Self
MOVIE★ 8.4
Lemonade
2016
as Self (home footage)
TV★ 8.0
Saints & Sinners
2016
as Pastor Evan Johnson
MOVIE★ 4.0
A Royal Family Christmas
2015
as Leighton Royal
MOVIE★ 5.0
A Royal Family Holiday
2015
TV★ 6.8
Stitchers
2015
as Admiral Decker
MOVIE★ 6.7
For Colored Girls
2010
as Frank
MOVIE★ 6.0
Love for Sale
2008
as Uncle Mac
MOVIE
They Are Here: The Real World of the Poltergeists
2007
as Himself
MOVIE★ 4.1
The Last Stand
2006
as Winston
TV★ 8.2
Grey's Anatomy
2005
as Bill Pierce
MOVIE★ 6.0
Guess Who
2005
as Marcus
TV★ 7.0
Numb3rs
2005
as Clay Porter, Sr. (uncredited)
MOVIE★ 7.3
Christmas at Water's Edge
2004
as Mr. Turner
MOVIE★ 6.8
Blue Hill Avenue
2003
as Uncle Rob
TV★ 7.2
All of Us
2003
TV★ 7.6
Dead Like Me
2003
as William Garrett
MOVIE★ 8.0
Maniac Magee
2003
as Mr. Beale
TV★ 8.3
Half & Half
2002
as Ben
TV★ 10.0
For the People
2002
as Clay Portman
TV★ 6.6
The Bernie Mac Show
2001
as Bishop
TV★ 7.1
The Division
2001
as LaBon
TV★ 6.8
The District
2000
as Richard Gray
TV★ 7.4
Strong Medicine
2000
as Alton Clayborne
TV★ 7.2
Soul Food
2000
as Rev. Bobby Baxter
TV★ 8.1
Family Law
1999
as Chuck
TV★ 7.5
Judging Amy
1999
as Thomas Horne
MOVIE★ 6.9
Jackie's Back!
1999
as Milkman Summers (Jackie's Ex-Husband #1)
MOVIE★ 4.8
Justice
1999
as Gus
TV★ 8.5
L.A. Doctors
1998
as Gary Miller
MOVIE★ 5.8
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
1998
as Jack
MOVIE★ 6.9
Wag the Dog
1997
as Young Man / CIA
TV★ 7.0
Good News
1997
TV★ 5.5
Pandora's Clock
1996
as Daniel Robb
TV★ 7.1
Moesha
1996
as Marlon James
TV★ 7.3
JAG
1995
as Dan Craig
TV★ 7.3
The Parent 'Hood
1995
TV★ 7.2
Touched by an Angel
1994
as Nicholas Freeman
TV★ 7.1
Sister, Sister
1994
as Victor Sims
TV★ 5.9
Saved by the Bell: The New Class
1993
as Judge Thurston Jones
MOVIE★ 6.3
Double Your Pleasure
1989
as Dash
MOVIE★ 5.8
The Forgotten
1989
as Sgt. Frank " Doc " McDermott
TV★ 7.4
Father Dowling Mysteries
1989
TV★ 6.6
Wiseguy
1987
TV★ 7.0
The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd
1987
as Det. Nathaniel Hawthorne
MOVIE★ 6.5
Johnnie Mae Gibson: FBI
1986
as Adam Prentice
MOVIE★ 5.9
Under the Influence
1986
as Dr. Duran
TV★ 7.7
MacGyver
1985
as Jesse Colton
TV
The Comedy Factory
1985
as Dr. Julius Pepper
MOVIE★ 5.5
Stick
1985
as Cornell
TV★ 7.0
The Cosby Show
1984
as Mr. Bostic
MOVIE★ 6.9
Streets of Fire
1984
as Officer Ed Price
TV★ 6.5
Hardcastle and McCormick
1983
TV★ 7.8
V
1983
as Dr Ben Taylor
TV★ 5.7
St. Elsewhere
1982
as The Messiah
TV★ 7.1
Remington Steele
1982
as Monroe Henderson
MOVIE★ 7.2
Poltergeist
1982
as Ryan
TV★ 6.5
T. J. Hooker
1982
as Officer David McNeil
TV★ 7.5
Chicago Story
1982
as Detective O.Z. Tate
TV★ 6.5
Dynasty
1981
as Nick Kimball
TV★ 7.3
Magnum, P.I.
1980
as Gerald Calvin
MOVIE★ 6.0
The Jericho Mile
1980
as R.C. Stiles
MOVIE
The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story
1980
as Gene Davis
MOVIE★ 5.3
The Main Event
1979
as Hector Mantilla
MOVIE★ 8.0
Charleston
1979
as James Harris
TV★ 7.1
The White Shadow
1978
as David Mackey
MOVIE★ 7.0
Coming Home
1978
as Pat
TV★ 6.0
What Really Happened to the Class of '65?
1977
MOVIE★ 4.4
Black Fist
1977
as Leroy Fisk
MOVIE★ 5.7
Audrey Rose
1977
as Policeman #1
TV★ 6.2
The Fantastic Journey
1977
as Barker
MOVIE★ 8.0
Crossfire
1975
as Officer Ken Dillard
TV★ 8.0
Good Times
1974
MOVIE★ 5.7
Sugar Hill
1974
as Valentine
TV★ 7.2
Kojak
1973
as 1st Suspect
MOVIE★ 5.9
Scream Blacula Scream
1973
as Willis Daniels
TV★ 7.0
The Streets of San Francisco
1972
MOVIE★ 7.5
Dirty Harry
1971
as Homosexual (uncredited)
TV★ 7.8
All in the Family
1971
as Angry Black Man
TV★ 6.4
Medical Center
1969
MOVIE
Black Terror
—
as Talk Show Host