
Acting
Richard Carpenter
Born 1946-10-15 · New Haven, Connecticut, USA
Richard Lynn Carpenter (born October 15, 1946) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer, who formed half of the sibling duo the Carpenters alongside his younger sister Karen. He had numerous roles in the Carpenters, including record producer, arranger, pianist, keyboardist, and songwriter, as well as joining with Karen on harmony vocals. Richard Lynn Carpenter was born at Grace-New Haven Hospital (now called Yale New Haven Hospital) in New Haven, Connecticut, the same hospital where his sister, Karen, was later born. His parents were Agnes Reuwer Tatum (a housewife) (March 5, 1915 – November 10, 1996) and Harold Bertram Carpenter (November 8, 1908 – October 15, 1988). Harold was born in China, where his own parents were missionaries, and was educated at boarding schools in England, before working in the printing business. Carpenter was named after his father's younger brother, Richard Lynn Carpenter. Carpenter and his uncle both married women named Mary. Richard and his sister were baptized into the United Methodist Church and as children were part of the Methodist Youth Ministry. Carpenter frequently played the piano while his younger sister, Karen, played baseball outside. He and Karen also liked to listen to the children's records their father bought for them when they were young. Richard was introduced to Perry Como and Ella Fitzgerald, among many others through his father's record collection, and by age 12, he knew he wanted to be in the music business. His first public appearance as a musician was at age 16 in New Haven. Along with two older friends, a group was formed and they played at a local pizza parlor. Richard joined the venture to earn money to buy a car. The Carpenter family moved from New Haven to Downey, California, in June 1963. They wanted Richard to further his music career, and the family was tired of the cold New England winters. After graduating from Downey High School in 1964, Carpenter studied music at California State College at Long Beach (now known as California State University, Long Beach). There, he met Frank Pooler, a conductor and composer who wrote the lyrics to the Christmas classic "Merry Christmas Darling" in 1968. Richard also met his good friend John Bettis, who co-wrote songs with Richard. At Long Beach, Richard also met Gary Sims, Dan Woodhams, and Doug Strawn, who later became members of the Carpenters’ live band. Carpenter created the Richard Carpenter Trio in 1965 with sister Karen and friend Wes Jacobs. Richard played the piano, Karen played the drums, and Wes played the tuba and bass. In 1966, the Richard Carpenter Trio played "Iced Tea" and "The Girl from Ipanema" at the Hollywood Bowl Battle of the Bands. They won the competition, and shortly afterward recorded three songs at RCA Studios: "Every Little Thing", "Strangers in the Night", and the Carpenter original, "Iced Tea". "Iced Tea" is the only recording that was officially released to the public. Around 1967, Richard and Karen joined four other student musicians from Long Beach State to form a sextet, Spectrum, consisting of: Richard Carpenter; Karen Carpenter; John Bettis; Leslie Johnston; Gary Sims; Danny Woodhams. ... Source: Article "Richard Carpenter (musician)" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Acting credits
NRThe Christmas music of the Carpenters is celebrated in this special, which features the influential duo's renditions of such songs as "The Christmas Song," "Winter Wonderland" and "White Christmas."
Carpenters: Christmas Memories
2016
7.0Doris Day has often been dismissed as an actress and overlooked as a singer, despite career highs such as Calamity Jane and Pillow Talk. Covering her early years as a band singer, and her troubled private life, this documentary re-evaluates one of the screen's most enduring legends.
Doris Day: Virgin Territory
2007
NRThis Bob Hope Special called “Highlights of a Quarter Century” begins his 26th year with NBC in 1975 (he began with NBC radio in 1937) celebrating 25 years of Bob Hope Specials and the many celebrities that appeared on them The clips begin with his very first special, for Frigidaire, on April 9, 1950 and putting his way through the years to 1975
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
2001
9.0"Mickey's 50" is a 90-minute special that aired on The Wonderful World of Disney on November 19, 1978. The special was made to commemorate the 50th birthday of Mickey Mouse and highlights many moments in his career.
Mickey's 50
1978
7.6From the success of Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, through the founding of A&M Records, to giving away more than $150 million to arts and education programs across the country, we’ll witness the humanity and the humility inherent in everything he does, as well as come to understand the power of creativity to entertain, inspire, heal and transform.
Herb Alpert Is...
2020
9.0A celebration of some of the biggest names in music, offering an epic compilation of 60 songs performed over the past 60 years to celebrate BBC Two's diamond anniversary. All the performances featured originated on BBC Two and have formed an important part of the channel's output over its 60-year history. Featuring such musicians as Joni Mitchell, Elton John, the Rolling Stones, Dolly Parton, Stormzy, Sam Smith, Kylie Minogue, Bob Marley, Blondie and Queen.
60 Songs: BBC Two at 60
2024
NRIn 1974, The Carpenters, American brother and sister duo, traveled to Japan for a series of concerts which were part of their World Tour. It shows footage of their airplane arrival, a press conference with Karen and Richard, backstage preparations, short interviews with fans, and finally, their sold out concert.
Carpenters: Live at Budokan
1974
NRThis Bob Hope Special called “Highlights of a Quarter Century” begins his 26th year with NBC in 1975 (he began with NBC radio in 1937) celebrating 25 years of Bob Hope Specials and the many celebrities that appeared on them The clips begin with his very first special, for Frigidaire, on April 9, 1950 and putting his way through the years to 1975
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
2001
NRFollowing Karen Carpenter's meteoric climb to stardom in the 1970s and the little-known anorexia nervosa diagnosis that resulted in her untimely death.
Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection
2023
8.0The Carpenters First Special was a performance of a variety of sketches with guest stars Victor Borge and John Denver.
Carpenters Very First Television Special
1976
8.0Richard and Karen Carpenter host a musical celebration of the holiday with celebrity guests Gene Kelly, Georgia Engel, and Jimmy & Kristy McNichol.
The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait
1978
6.0Take a magical, musical trip through time and space with the Carpenters and their guests... including a "Star Wars/Close Encounters" fantasy that will dazzle and delight you.
The Carpenters... Space Encounters
1978
8.0The Carpenters' debut BBC concert, recorded on their first British tour in September 1971. They perform hits including Close to You, Superstar and We've Only Just Begun, together with the odd Beatles tune and a Bacharach/David medley. Karen's drumming and Richard's keyboards get instrumental support from their five-piece touring band and a 26-piece orchestra conducted by Johnny Pearson.
The Carpenters: Live at the BBC
1971
NRDocumentary detailing the career of The Carpenters from their formative years through to specially shot footage of Richard Carpenter in the recording studio today. The film includes interviews with Richard Carpenter, Burt Bacharach, Herb Alpert, Petula Clark, Damon Gough, Kim Gordon and Dionne Warwick Rare archive includes the wedding footage of Karen walking down the isle. —Anonymous
Close to You: The Story of the Carpenters
2002
9.0A christmas special with Harvey Korman and other guests.
The Carpenters at Christmas
1977
NRIn-depth documentary about the story of easy listening, a popular music that is often said to be made to be heard but not listened to. The film looks at easy listening's architects and practitioners, its dangers and delights, and the mark it has left on modern life, from its emergence in the 1950s until its revival in the 1990s.
The Joy of Easy Listening
2011
Karen and Richard Carpenter concluded their 1976 British tour with this specially-recorded programme. Songs include There's A Kind of Hush, I Need to be in Love, Close to You, Strike up the Band, Top of the World, Only Yesterday, I Won't Last a Day Without You, Hurting Each Other, Superstar, Goodbye to Love, We've Only Just Begun and Yesterday Once More.
The Carpenters: A World of Music
1976
8.2You've heard the Carpenters' greatest hits, but have you seen them? This DVD brings you the first-ever collection of Carpenters videos, featuring their #1 songs (They Long to Be) Close to You; Top of the World , and Please Mr. Postman plus their Top 10 hits We've Only Just Begun; Superstar; Rainy Days and Mondays , and nine more. Great remastered sound and video!
Carpenters: Yesterday Once More
1985
6.5The first of Perry Como's Christmas specials includes appearances by Rich Little and figure skater Peggy Fleming as well as performances by the Carpenters and by Perry Como himself. Also featured a reenactment of the Birth of Jesus Christ.
The Perry Como Christmas Show
1974
NRA 1976 performance of the Carpenters at the new London Theatre. Songs performed include 'Superstar', 'We've Only Just Begun', 'Goodbye to Love' and 'Rainy Days and Mondays. ' Songs performed include 'Superstar', 'We've Only Just Begun', 'Goodbye to Love' and 'Rainy Days and Mondays.
The Carpenters Concert: Live at the New London Theatre
1976
The VHS/Beta Yesterday Once More was released in 1985, shortly after Karen Carpenter's death in 1983. The tape was repackaged as a DVD in 2002 under the name Gold: Greatest Hits, and the DVD contains all the videos from Yesterday Once More.
Carpenters: Gold
2002
NRDocumentary about brother and sister duo The Carpenters, one of the biggest-selling pop acts of the 1970s, but one with a destructive and complex secret that ended in tragedy.
Only Yesterday: The Carpenters Story
2007
The Carpenters concert from May 24th, 1972 in Melbourne that aired on The Seven Network in Australia. The songs performed are Help, Love Is Surrender, Ticket To Ride, For All We Know, Close To You, Cinderella Rockefella, Superstar, Medley (Any Day Now, Baby It's You, Knowing When To Leave, Make It Easy On Yourself, There's Always Something There To Remind Me, Walk On By, Do You Know The Way To San Jose?), Hurting Each Other, We've Only Just Begun.
The Carpenters: Live in Australia
1972
