Richard Lawson

Acting

Richard Lawson

Born 1947-03-07 · 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.

Acting credits

Dirty Harry poster
7.5

When a madman dubbed 'Scorpio' terrorizes San Francisco, hard-nosed cop, Harry Callahan – famous for his take-no-prisoners approach to law enforcement – is tasked with hunting down the psychopath.

Dirty Harry

1971

Poltergeist poster
7.2

The Freelings' suburban home becomes the center of paranormal activity that opens a portal to the 'other side'. With help, they must cross over to get their daughter back.

Poltergeist

1982

Guess Who poster
6.0

When a young African-American woman brings her fiancé home to meet her parents, she's neglected to mention one tiny detail – he's white.

Guess Who

2005

Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black poster
7.2

Ava, a young bank professional is devastated when her husband Dallas abandons a marriage she is determined to fight for until fate intervenes, revealing Dallas' wicked deeds that have trashed their marriage, and once upon a time sabotaged Ava's destiny to be loved by her true soulmate.

Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black

2024

Wag the Dog poster
6.9

During the final weeks of a presidential race, the President is accused of sexual misconduct. To distract the public until the election, the President's adviser hires a Hollywood producer to help him stage a fake war.

Wag the Dog

1997

Jackie's Back! poster
6.9

A British documentarian profiles washed-up diva Jackie Washington as she prepares for her comeback concert.

Jackie's Back!

1999

Streets of Fire poster
6.9

Raven Shaddock and his gang of merciless biker friends kidnap rock singer Ellen Aim. Ellen's former lover, soldier-for-hire Tom Cody, happens to be passing through town on a visit. In an attempt to save his star act, Ellen's manager hires Tom to rescue her. Along with a former soldier, they battle through dangerous cityscapes, determined to get Ellen back.

Streets of Fire

1984

Stick poster
5.5

After getting out of jail, car thief Ernest "Stick" Stickley witnesses the murder of his friend Rainy during a drug deal. To avoid getting killed by the same people, who work for mobster Chucky, Stick gets a job as a chauffeur for millionaire Barry Braham and lies low. As he gets used to his new routine, Stick woos Barry's financial consultant, Kyle McClaren, but must fight back when Chucky's men come after him.

Stick

1985

How Stella Got Her Groove Back poster
5.8

Through good times and bad, Stella and Delilah have always had each other. Now, Stella's so busy building a life that she's forgotten how to really live. But Delilah is about to change all that. What starts as a quick trip to Jamaica, ends as an exhilarating voyage of self discovery as Stella learns to open her heart and find love – even if it's with a man 20 years her junior.

How Stella Got Her Groove Back

1998

Coming Home poster
7.0

In 1968 California, a Marine officer's wife falls in love with a former high school classmate who suffered a paralyzing combat injury in the war.

Coming Home

1978

North Hollywood poster
5.4

A kid must decide between choosing the future his father wants and following his dream of becoming a pro skater.

North Hollywood

2021

Audrey Rose poster
5.7

A man is convinced that 11-year old girl, Ivy, is the reincarnation of his own daughter Audrey Rose, who died in a fiery car accident, along with his wife, two minutes before Ivy was born.

Audrey Rose

1977

For Colored Girls poster
6.7

A film about existence from the perspective of 20 nameless black females. Each of the women portray one of the characters represented in the collection of twenty poems, revealing different issues that impact women in general and women of color in particular.

For Colored Girls

2010

The Jericho Mile poster
6.0

A runner, serving a life sentence at Folsom Prison, works at becoming the world's fastest miler and wins a chance to compete for a spot on the Olympic team.

The Jericho Mile

1980

The Main Event poster
5.3

A bankrupt entrepreneur attempts to recoup some of her losses by getting a washed-out boxer she picked up as a tax loss back into the ring — an idea her protégé isn't fond of.

The Main Event

1979

Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift poster
7.8

Beyoncé takes viewers on a journey through Africa with an hour-long documentary special, an intimate behind-the-scenes look at the making of the album, The Lion King: The Gift, featuring candid footage and interviews detailing the hard work and passion that went into her love letter to Africa.

Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift

2019

Lemonade poster
8.4

The second "visual album" (a collection of short films) by Beyoncé, this time around she takes a piercing look at racial issues and feminist concepts through a sexualized, satirical, and solemn tone.

Lemonade

2016

Scream Blacula Scream poster
5.9

After an aging voodoo priestess dies, her arrogant son Willis Daniel's believes he is next in line to lead. He is outraged when Lisa, his mother's adopted apprentice is chosen as the leader. Willis seeks revenge by reviving the African prince Blacula — but soon finds that he cannot control him.

Scream Blacula Scream

1973

Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror poster
6.8

Delving into a century of genre films that by turns utilized, caricatured, exploited, sidelined, and finally embraced them, this is the untold history of black Americans in Hollywood through their connection to the horror genre.

Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror

2019

The Last Stand poster
4.1

The Last Stand, a drama that chronicles the life of four very different people attempting success as performers in Los Angeles until life becomes too much to handle.

The Last Stand

2006

Sugar Hill poster
5.7

When a nightclub owner is murdered by gangsters after refusing to sell his business to the mob boss, his grieving fiancé enlists the help of a voodoo priestess to avenge his death.

Sugar Hill

1974

From Zero to I Love You poster
5.2

Pete is a gay man from Philadelphia whose fear of intimacy leads him to getting involved with married men. His father Ron, and his soon-to-be step mom, Pamela, are on him to find someone who's actually available and to settle down. Instead, he finds a man named Jack who is fifteen years into a perfect marriage with two beautiful children and an enviable wife. This will force both men to confront what they really want in their romantic lives.

From Zero to I Love You

2019

Blue Hill Avenue poster
6.7

A child of a middle class home with solid moral values is lured into a world of crime and corruption.

Blue Hill Avenue

2003

Love for Sale poster
6.0

Trey is a young deliveryman who can't seem to catch a break. His whole life is a shambles - no money for college and no game to attract the ladies. After a failed attempt to get together with the girl of his dreams, Trey gets caught up by a seductive older woman who pays for his "personal delivery services." He's having the time of his life - at first, but this deceptively ideal situation soon sends his life spinning out of control!

Love for Sale

2008

Behind the camera