Richard Stahl

Richard Stahl (January 4, 1932 – June 18, 2006) was an American actor who mostly appeared in comic roles on television and in films.

Richard Stahl
Born	January 4, 1932 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Died	June 18, 2006(2006-06-18) (aged 74) Woodland Hills, California, U.S.
Years active	1966–1999
Spouse	Kathryn Ish ​ (m. 1959)​
Children	2

Early life

A native of Detroit, Stahl moved to California when he was 15. During the Korean War he served in the U.S. Army. After, he studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. In 1959, he was appearing in off-Broadway productions when he met his wife to be, Kathryn Ish. In the 1960s, they relocated to San Francisco and became members of an improvisational comedy group, The Committee.^[1]

Career

Stahl's film credits include Five Easy Pieces, High Anxiety, 9 to 5, and Ghosts of Mississippi.^[2]

He appeared in many TV situation comedies and in occasional dramas, including Columbo, The Odd Couple,^[3] Harry O, Barney Miller, Laverne & Shirley, Newhart, and Empty Nest.^[4]

Stahl co-starred in the short-lived comedy mini-series Turnabout (1979);^[5] and between 1985 and 1989 was a regular on the sitcom It's a Living.^[6]

Personal life and death

Stahl died aged 74, on June 18, 2006, at the Motion Picture and Television Fund Health Center in Los Angeles, after a 10-year struggle against Parkinson's disease.^[1]

Stahl's wife, actress Kathryn Ish, died of cancer in Santa Barbara, California, on December 31, 2007.^[7]

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref
1964	Too Tough to Care	Lumkin, a chemist	Educational anti-smoking short film
1967	Funnyman	Zach, Comic Salesman		[2]
1970	The Student Nurses	Dr. Warshaw		[2]
1970	Five Easy Pieces	Recording Engineer		[2]
1971	Billy Jack	Council Chairman		[2]
1971	Summertree	Man in Conservatory		[2]
1972	Slaughterhouse-Five	Army Doctor	Uncredited	[2]
1972	¡Qué hacer!	Martin Scott Bradford		[2]
1972	Beware! The Blob	Edward Fazio		[2]
1972	Every Little Crook and Nanny	Airport Security Guard	Uncredited	[4]
1972	Fuzz	Vagrant		[2]
1972	Dirty Little Billy	Earl Lovitt		[2]
1973	Terminal Island	TV Anchorman		[4]
1973	The Daring Dobermans	Winston		[4]
1975	Hearts of the West	Barber		[2]
1977	High Anxiety	Dr. Baxter		[2]
1980	9 to 5	Meade		[4]
1981	All Night Long	Pharmacist		[2]
1981	Under the Rainbow	Lester Hudson		[4]
1983	Private School	Mr. Flugel		[2]
1983	Tin Man	Tyson		[4]
1984	The Flamingo Kid	Charlie Cooper		[2]
1987	Overboard	Elk Cove: Hospital Psychiatrist		[2]
1991	L.A. Story	Bank Executive		[2]
1995	The American President	Rumson Staffer		[2]
1996	Ghosts of Mississippi	Judge Hendrick		[2]
1999	The Other Sister	Train Ticket Seller	Final film role	[2]

Television

Title	Notes	Ref
That Girl		[4]
The Partridge Family		[4]
Bonanza		[4]
Love American Style		[4]
Columbo	(3 roles)	[4]
All in the Family		[4]
Good Times		[4]
What's Happening!!		[4]
The Odd Couple	(9 episodes, 9 different roles)	[4]
Maude		[4]
The Rookies		[4]
Happy Days		[4]
Harry O	(4 episodes, in 2 different roles)	[4]
McMillan & Wife		[4]
The Bob Newhart Show		[4]
WKRP in Cincinnati		[4]
Soap		[4]
Benson		[4]
Barney Miller	(3 roles)	[4]
Laverne & Shirley	(3 roles)	[4]
Hill Street Blues		[4]
The Facts of Life		[4]
Family Ties		[4]
Who's the Boss?		[4]
Highway to Heaven		[4]
Newhart	(3 roles as 2 different characters)	[4]
Simon & Simon		[4]
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice		[4]
Murder, She Wrote		[4]
Night Court		[4]
Golden Girls		[4]
Empty Nest	(3 roles)	[4]
Married... with Children		[4]