Richard Bright (actor)
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Richard James Bright (born June 28, 1937 in Brooklyn , New York City , † February 18, 2006 in Manhattan , New York City) was an American actor . He became internationally known for his role as Al Neri in the three parts of the mafia trilogy The Godfather by Francis Ford Coppola .
Career
Bright was born in the New York borough of Brooklyn , the son of shipbuilder Ernest Bright and his wife Matilda . Bright and his three brothers were named after English kings , Richard after Richard the Lionheart . In 1959, at the age of 18, he made his film debut in Robert Wises Little Chances for Tomorrow . He also appeared in some of his friend Sam Peckinpah's films .
In 1965, Bright played the lead role of Billy the Kid in Michael McClure's play "The Beard". After each performance, he and his colleague Billie Dixon, who played the female lead, were arrested by the police for "making obscene remarks" and "depicting sexual acts". In court, Bright was assisted by the American Civil Liberties Union . The freedom of speech guaranteed in the first amendment to the United States Constitution was invoked . The trial ended in an acquittal.
After the Video Hound Movie Guide falsely reported his death back in 1998, Bright didn't actually die until 2006. The cause of death was a traffic accident. The actor was struck by a bus in Manhattan and died instantly. The bus driver did not notice the collision and drove on. Bright was married to Rutanya Alda , with whom he has a son. Another child comes from a previous marriage.
Filmography (selection)
- 1959: Odds Against Tomorrow (Odds Against Tomorrow)
- 1972: The Godfather (The Godfather)
- 1972: Getaway (The Getaway)
- 1973: Pat Garrett chases Billy the Kid (Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid)
- 1974: The Godfather - Part II (The Godfather: Part II)
- 1976: The Marathon Man
- 1983: Two of a Kind (Two of a Kind)
- 1984: Once Upon a Time in America (Once Upon a Time in America)
- 1988: Red Heat
- 1990: The Ambulance
- 1990: The Godfather - Part III (The Godfather: Part III)
- 1994: No Panic - Good hostages are rare (The Ref)
- 1996: Young, female, merciless (Jaded)
- 2002: The Sopranos (episode The Weight )
- 2002: Criminal Intent - Crime in the sights ( Law & Order: Criminal Intent , TV series, episode 2x06 Malignant )
Web links
- Richard Bright in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- "Character actor Richard Bright killed by a bus"
- "Richard Bright Memorial Page"
- Controversy surrounding The Beard , from a review and feature article on playwright Michael McClure
Individual evidence
- ^ Richard Bright Biography . Archived from the original on April 15, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Bright, Richard |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Bright, Richard James (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | US-American actor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 28, 1937 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Brooklyn , New York City , United States |
| DATE OF DEATH | February 18, 2006 |
| Place of death | Manhattan , New York City , United States |