Character actor Allan Rich who was blacklisted in Hollywood and went on to star in Serpico and Quiz Show dies at 94
Character actor Allan Rich whose credits included Serpico, Quiz Show and Amistad, has died.
He was 94.
Rich, who was blacklisted in Hollywood in the post-war era, passed away on Saturday at the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, New Jersey, Variety reported.
Character actor Allan Rich, pictured in Beverly Hills in 2012, died on Saturday at the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, New Jersey. He was 94
Rich, who was born Benjamin Norman Schultz in New York’s The Bronx in 1926, started out on Broadway and enjoyed success on the stage.
He appeared in numerous theatrical productions and was close friends with such luminaries as Milton Berle, Edward G. Robinson, Claude Rains, Ralph Bellamy and Jack Palance, according to Variety.
His acting career was interrupted in the 1940s after he joined the Theatrical Action Committee to Free Willie McGee, a black man from Mississippi who was convicted of rape in 1945 and subsequently executed in 1951.
His involvement in the cause led to him being blacklisted as a communist sympathizer and no-one would hire him.
Rich, who was born Benjamin Norman Schultz in New York’s The Bronx in 1926, started out on Broadway and enjoyed success on the stage. But he was blacklisted in the 1940s for his support of civil rights and branded a communist sympathizer. He’s pictured in 2006
After Sidney Lumet cast him in his 1973 film Serpico, Rich’s career took off again. He starred in Robert Redford’s Quiz Show, pictured, and Steven Spielberg’s Amistad as well as a slew of TV shows
He subsequently became a stockbroker in New York as well as opening an art gallery on Madison Avenue but returned to acting in the 1960s.
After director Sidney Lumet cast him in his 1973 film Serpico, starring Al Pacino, Rich began doing more work in movies and television.
He went on to appear in Robert Redford’s Quiz Show, Steven Speilberg’s Amistad, and a slew of small screen shows including The Rockford Files, Hawaii-Five-0, Judging Amy, NYPD Blue, CSI and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Rich also developed his own acting technique which he shared with upcoming stars including Sharon Stone, Jamie Lee Curtis, Rene Russo and Alan Thicke.
He set down his approach to the art in his book A Leap From The Method, published in 2007.
He also co-founded the nonprofit We Care About Kids which produced and distributed short films educating school students about how to combat prejudice.
He was married for 62 years to talent manager Elaine Rich who died in 2015.
Rich is survived by his son David, daughter Marian and two grandchildren.
Rich also developed his own acting technique which he set out in his book A Leap From The Method, published in 2007, and co-founded the nonprofit We Care About Kids