Richard Sanders
Buttoned-down prigs and ineffectual milquetoasts have not always been actor Richard Sanders's bread and butter. He first studied acting at Carnegie Mellon University in the late 1950s and subsequently went to England to learn Shakespearean theater on a Fulbright Scholarship. But his nerdy looks and diminutive stature pigeonholed him into roles of docility and weakness. He's had brief success in feature films with small roles in such hits as the war epic "Midway," the teen comedy "Valley Girl," and "Men of Honor" in 2000, but it has been television where he has made his mark. He made numerous appearances on various hit shows of the 1970s, including "Lou Grant," "Kojak," "The Rockford Files," and "Fantasy Island." His break came as bungling dweeb radio newsman Les Nessman on the highly popular "WKRP in Cincinnati" (he also penned five episodes) where his nebbishy oddness played well opposite hipster DJs Tim Reid and Howard Hesseman and the cartoon sensuality of Loni Anderson. Sanders landed a few more recurring roles in the 1980s on "Berrenger's" and "Spencer" and reprised the Nessman role from 1991 to 1993 on "The New WKRP in Cincinnati." He has also lent his voice to the animated series "Batman Beyond" and the video game "Day of the Tentacle."
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
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No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hip Hop Locos | Unknown (Character) | - | 2001 |
No Score Yet |
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Lovers Lane | Dr. Jack Grefe (Character) | - | 1999 |
No Score Yet |
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Black Circle Boys | Mr. Dunkel (Character) | - | 1997 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Simon & Simon: In Trouble Again | Dr. Budwig (Character) | - | 1995 |
No Score Yet |
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The Beans of Egypt, Maine | Lee Pomerleau (Character) | $6.5K | 1994 |
No Score Yet |
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Neon City | Dickie Devine (Character) | - | 1991 |
No Score Yet |
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Perry Mason: The Case of the Avenging Ace | Chester Lackberry (Character) | - | 1988 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Absent-Minded Professor: Trading Places | Dr. Dark (Character) | - | 1988 |
83% |
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Valley Girl | Drivers' Ed Teacher (Character) | - | 1983 |
17% |
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The Nude Bomb | German Delegate (Character) | - | 1980 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Yeagers | Lester (Character) | - | 1980 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Ruby and Oswald | Agent Kelley (Character) | - | 1978 |
No Score Yet |
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Good Against Evil | The Doctor (Character) | - | 1977 |
TV
Credit | ||||
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No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Bible: A History | Director | 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Unhappily Ever After | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1997 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Designing Women | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1990 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Coach | Warren Graustark (Guest Star) | 1990 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Charles in Charge | Professor Smalley (Guest Star) | 1990 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | 227 | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1990 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Growing Pains | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1986 1989 |
No Score Yet | 97% | Married ... With Children | Mr. Conner (Guest Star) | 1987 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Easy Street | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1987 |
No Score Yet | 79% | ALF | Hogarth (Guest Star) | 1986 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Riptide | Unknown (Character) | 1986 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Who's the Boss? | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1985 |
No Score Yet | 89% | Murder, She Wrote | Arnold Megrim (Guest Star) | 1984 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Newhart | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1984 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Simon & Simon | Ed Laughlin (Guest Star) | 1984 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Goodnight, Beantown | Chester (Guest Star) | 1983 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | WKRP in Cincinnati | Les Nessman (Character) | 1978-1982 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Weekend Specials | Unknown (Character) | 1982 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fantasy Island | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1980 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Barnaby Jones | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1977 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | McCloud | Clayton (Guest Star) | 1977 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Lights Out | Unknown (Character) | 1951 |