- Born
- Died
- Birth nameRichard Earl Cunha
- Nickname
- Dick
- Hawaiian-born Richard E. Cunha received his film training in the newsreel and motion picture units of the US Army Air Corps during World War II. He made his first step into the civilian film business by making industrial films and commercials, and then moved on to write, shoot and direct such early TV shows as "The Adventures of Marshal O'Dell" and "Captain Bob Steele and the Border Patrol" for Toby Anguish Productions. Cunha and his friend Arthur A. Jacobs then plunged into the adventurous arena of shoestring 1950s exploitation by forming Screencraft Enterprises and cranking out the horror/sci-fi films Giant from the Unknown (1958) and She Demons (1958) (both directed by Cunha). Cunha later added to his legend by helming two more well-remembered schlock titles, Frankenstein's Daughter (1958) and Missile to the Moon (1958).
- IMDb mini biography by: Tom Weaver <TomWeavr@aol.com> (qv's & corrections by A. Nonymous)
- SpouseKathryn Cunha(1943 - September 18, 2005) (his death, 5 children)
- After he left the film business he opened up a video-rental shop in Oceanside, CA, called Video Depot.
- Children: sons Steven (died 1972), Richard, Michael, Anthony; daughter Kathryn.
- Co-founder, with Arthur A. Jacobs, production company Screencraft Enterprises.
- An archive recording of Cunha and producer Arthur A. Jacobs talking about the making of "Giant from the Unknown" is included as part of Tom Weaver's Blu-ray audio commentary for "Giant" (Film Detective, 2020).
- Co-founded, with Marc Frederic, Layton Film Productions.
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