Trivia

Had only one real film break during his short American movie career -- playing a minor role as the darkly handsome boyfriend of adulteress Marilyn Monroe in the melodrama Niagara (1953). Inexplicably, it also is the last time where he had a credited role in an American film.

Marilyn Monroe personally selected him for the brief role of her lover in Niagara (1953), the film that made her officially a star.

Photoplay Magazine dubbed him "one of America's most promising newcomers" of 1953. Despite this the Fox studio did little to capitalize on this major attention and in fact, dropped his contract a couple of years later. Long after he left show business, he kept the citation he received from Photoplay magazine on display in his apartment. In 1989, a silver-haired, cheerful Allan posed with it for the book "Whatever Became of".

Quit the business in 1964 and became a masseur.

The tall, dark and handsome actor once doubled for the equally handsome Montgomery Clift in A Place in the Sun (1951).

Met and befriended 20th Century-Fox star Betty Grable while dancing in her film Wabash Avenue (1950). It was Grable who later went out of her way to help Richard get a Fox contract.

Earned a scholarship to the University of Illinois and studied there until being drafted into the Army. He was honorably discharged with the ranking of Sergeant. His tombstone reads "SGT US ARMY WORLD WAR II".

Was briefly considered to co-star with Sidney Poitier in the classic film The Defiant Ones (1958) when Tony Curtis, whom Richard resembled, dropped out for a short time.

In the late 1980s Richard moved to Kentucky to be closer to relatives. Although he died in Prospect, Kentucky in 1999, he was transported and buried at Gillham Cemetery in Winchester, Illinois (his home state).

Broke into films singing and dancing in 20th Century Fox musicals films in the early 1950s. His career never got off the ground and later found work in transcontinental (German and French) features.

According to Laura Wagner in her Spring 2013 issue of Films of the Golden Age, Richard started taking dance lessons at age 7 and was inspired by the fancy cinematic footwork of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers to pursue a career.

His father was an Illinois farmer. He had two brothers and a sister.

After his film career was over, he danced in a late 1950's nightclub act.

Made his Broadway bow in the 1945 revival of "The Red Mill" and later toured nationally with the show.

Was a dancer in the Los Angeles musical production of "Naughty Marietta" in 1948 that starred Susanna Foster.

Married to a Mexican dancer but ended in divorce.

Tested for the lead in The Egyptian (1954) that was eventually given to Edmund Purdom, Richard wound up with a non-speaking role in the film.