Dick Sargent

Dick Sargent
Born
Richard Stanford Cox

(1930-04-19)April 19, 1930
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, U.S.
DiedJuly 8, 1994(1994-07-08) (aged 64)
Los Angeles, California
Other namesRichard Sargent
OccupationActor
Years active1954–1994
PartnerAlbert Williams (1986–1994)

Richard Stanford Cox (April 19, 1930 – July 8, 1994), known professionally as Dick Sargent, was an American actor. He is best known for being the second actor to portray Darrin Stephens on ABC's fantasy sitcom Bewitched. He took the name Dick Sargent from a Saturday Evening Post illustrator/artist of the same name.

Early life

Sargent was born Richard Stanford Cox in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, on April 19, 1930, to Ruth McNaughton and Colonel Elmer Cox. His mother was the daughter of John McNaughton, who founded Los Angeles's famed Union Stockyards. She appeared under the stage name of "Ruth Powell", and had supporting bit roles in such films as The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and Hearts and Trumps with Alla Nazimova. Sargent's father Elmer served in World War I and later became a business manager to Hollywood figures, including Douglas Fairbanks and Erich von Stroheim.[citation needed]

Sargent attended the San Rafael Military Academy in San Rafael, California, before majoring in drama at Stanford University. He appeared in two dozen plays with the Stanford Players Theater.[1]

Career

Sargent appeared in feature films following his debut in Prisoner of War (1954). He appeared in The Great Locomotive Chase (1956) starring Fess Parker. In the 1957 movie Bernardine, Sargent portrayed Sanford "Fofo" Wilson.

Sargent appeared in the 1959 feature film Operation Petticoat starring Cary Grant, and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken starring Don Knotts in 1966. He was a regular in three short-lived television comedies, One Happy Family in 1961, Broadside in 1964,[2][3] and The Tammy Grimes Show, a four-episode ABC flop in 1966. For three seasons, from 1969 to 1972, he played Darrin Stephens — a role he had previously turned down[citation needed] — in Bewitched, replacing ailing actor Dick York.

In 1975, Sargent appeared on the television show Tattletales with Fannie Flagg.

His later movies included the crime drama Hardcore (1979) as Jake Van Dorn (George C. Scott)'s strait-laced brother-in-law, Wes DeJong, and as Dr. Jameson in the sci-fi horror film Parts: The Clonus Horror (1979). He also played Sheriff Grady Byrd in two 1979–1980 season episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard.

Sargent continued to work in film. He played Harry in Live a Little, Love a Little (1968) opposite Elvis Presley and Michele Carey, and made guest appearances on television series, including Navy Log, The West Point Story, Medic, Code 3, Ripcord, Gunsmoke, Wagon Train, The Alaskans, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Rat Patrol, I Dream of Jeannie, Hazel, Dr. Kildare, Daniel Boone, Kraft Mystery Theater, Three's Company, The Waltons, Charlie's Angels, Knots Landing, Family Ties, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Adam-12, The Streets of San Francisco, Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law, Ellery Queen, The Tony Randall Show, The Devlin Connection, Baretta, Switch, The Six Million Dollar Man, Marcus Welby, M.D., Trapper John, M.D., Matt Houston, Alice, Taxi, Benson, Vega$, Diff'rent Strokes, Here's Lucy, Love, American Style, The Yellow Rose, The Commish, Finder of Lost Loves, Murder, She Wrote, L.A. Law and Harry and the Hendersons. In 1990, he also portrayed himself in an episode of Columbo.[4] In the mid-1980s he landed the steady role of Richard Preston, the widowed father, in the TBS sitcom Down to Earth. He also appeared in the fantasy comedy Teen Witch (1989).

Throughout the 1980s, he joined actress Sally Struthers as an advocate for Christian Children's Fund, which brought relief to children in developing nations. Sargent also did charitable work for the Special Olympics, World Hunger, AIDS Project Los Angeles and the American Foundation for AIDS Research.[1]

Personal life

On National Coming Out Day in 1991, Sargent publicly declared his homosexuality and his support of gay rights causes.[5] The high rate of suicide among young gay people was the main reason; he jokingly referred to himself as a "retroactive role model". Sargent recognized that his ill health from prostate cancer may have led people to assume that he suffered from AIDS.[6]

Sargent had a companion, with whom he lived for over 20 years, before the unidentified man died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1979. He later lived with his domestic partner Albert Williams until his death.[7]

In June 1992, Sargent was a Grand Marshal of the Los Angeles Gay Pride parade along with Elizabeth Montgomery.[5]

Death

Sargent was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1989. Doctors were initially optimistic that it could be treated. However, the disease continued to spread and, by early 1994, he had become seriously ill.[8] Sargent died from the disease on July 8, 1994, aged 64.[7] His body was cremated.

Former Bewitched co-star Elizabeth Montgomery commented, "He was a great friend, and I will miss his love, his sense of humor and his remarkable courage."[6] Montgomery herself died of colon cancer less than a year later.[5]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1954 Prisoner of War Lt. Leonard Lee Uncredited
1955 The Beast with a Million Eyes Deputy Larry Brewster
1956 The Great Locomotive Chase Andrews Raider Uncredited
Love Me Tender Confederate Soldier
1957 Bernardine Sanford Wilson
1958 Mardi Gras Dick Saglon
1959 Operation Petticoat Ensign Stovall
1960 The Great Impostor Hotchkiss
1962 That Touch of Mink Harry Clark
1963 For Love or Money Harvey Wofford
Captain Newman, M.D. Lt. Belden "Barney" Alderson
1965 Fluffy Tommy
Billie Matt Bullitt
1966 The Ghost and Mr. Chicken George Beckett
1968 The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell Captain Elwood Prohaska
The Young Runaways Freddie
Live a Little, Love a Little Harry
1979 Hardcore Wes DeJong
Parts: The Clonus Horror Dr. Jameson
1983 I'm Going to Be Famous The Director
1986 The Eleventh Commandment Charles Knight
1989 Teen Witch Frank Miller
Murder by Numbers Patrick Crain
Rock-A-Die Baby Adam
1990 Twenty Dollar Star Mr. Brandon
1991 Frame Up Will Curran
1993 Acting on Impulse Mr. Randolph

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1954 I Married Joan Party Attendee Episode: "Bev's Mistaken Marriage"
1956 Medic Clyde Episode: "The Glorious Red Gallagher"
1957 West Point Cadet Daniels/Cadet Mike Mullen 2 episodes
The Christophers Michael Phillips Episode: "Gentle Warrior"
Navy Log Seaman Episode: "Ito of Attu"
Code 3 George Pringle Episode: "The Guilty Ones"
1958 Playhouse 90 Michael Episode: "The Male Animal"
1959 Black Saddle Lt. Herndon Episode: "The Freebooters"
The Loretta Young Show Billy Simpson Episode: "Ten Men and a Girl"
1960 Wichita Town Scotty Episode: "Afternoon in Town"
The Alaskans Joey Episode: "The Seal Skin-Game"
The Millionaire Dixon Cooper Episode: "Millionaire Dixon Cooper"
1961 One Happy Family Dick Cooper 15 episodes
Death Valley Days Cliff Streeter Episode: "Gamble with Death"
Dr. Kildare Dr. Paul Willis Episode: "Holiday Weekend"
1962 Follow the Sun Lt. Collins Episode: "Sergeant Kolchak Fades Away"
Gunsmoke Bud Episode: "Catawomper"
Kraft Mystery Theatre Dick Sprague Episode: "Change of Heart"
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Dave Fulton Episode: "Don't Look Behind You"
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet George Episode: "An Old Friend of June's"
Alcoa Premiere Haines Episode: "The Potentate"
1963–1964 Wagon Train Tom Reade/Andrew Elliott 2 episodes
1963 Hazel Pete Episode: "Mr. Griffin Throws a Wedding"
Ripcord Frank Webb Episode: "Picture of Terror"
1964–1965 Broadside Lt. Maxwell Trotter 32 episodes
1966–1967 Daniel Boone Reuben Stone/Andrew Cooper 2 episodes
1966 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Dick O'Hara Episode: "Brilliant Benjamin Boggs"
The Tammy Grimes Show Terence Ward 6 episodes
1967 Accidental Family Ted Episode: "The Secret Life of Jerry Webster"
1968 The Rat Patrol Lt. Kemper Episode: "The Boomerang Raid"
1969 I Dream of Jeannie Norman Cashman Episode: "Jeannie for the Defense"
Adam-12 Sidney Roemer Episode: "Log 92: Tell Him He Pushed Back a Little Too Hard"
The Outcasts Reese Hawley Episode: "Give Me Tomorrow"
1969–1972 Bewitched Darrin Stephens 84 episodes
1970–1973 Love, American Style Ben Cortnoy/Freddy/Peter Bradley/Bill 4 episodes
1972–1974 Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law Neil Vickery/Edgar Hogan 2 episodes
1972 Young Dr. Kildare Sam Barlow Episode: "The Stranger"
1973 The Streets of San Francisco Boyd Caldwell Episode: "Shattered Image"
Here's Lucy Officer Spencer Episode: "Lucy Plays Cops and Robbers"
1974 Melvin Purvis: G-Man Thatcher Covington Television movie
Fools, Females and Fun Roger Morris
1976 McMillan & Wife Dr. Jim Vale Episode: "The Deadly Curse"
Ellery Queen Tom Calabrese Episode: "The Adventure of the Wary Witness"
Marcus Welby, M.D. Pete Randall 2 episodes
Rich Man, Poor Man Eddie Heath Miniseries; 2 episodes
The Six Million Dollar Man Bob Crandall Episode: "A Bionic Christmas Carol"
1976–1977 Rich Man, Poor Man Book II Eddie Heath Miniseries; 3 episodes
1976–1979 Charlie's Angels Hugh Morris/Marty Cole/Avery 3 episodes
1977–1982 Fantasy Island Charles Hollander/Algernon Pepperhill/Justin Rothwell
1977 The Tony Randall Show Chelsey Howard Episode: "Case: The Lawndale Report"
Three's Company Lloyd Cross Episode: "Chrissy's Date"
Baretta Gil Martin Episode: "Lyman P. Dokker, Fed"
The Love Boat Father Mike Episode: "Lonely at the Top/Silent Night/Divorce Me, Please"
1978 Switch Bill Gambel Episode: "Formula for Murder"
1979 The Power Within Captain Ed Holman Television movie
Not Until Today Father Francis Daley
1980 Vegas Farley/Phil King 2 episodes
The Dukes of Hazzard Sheriff Grady Byrd
The Gossip Columnist Alan Keyes Television movie
The Waltons Chief Petty Officer 2 episodes
1981 Aloha Paradise Jim Episode: "Make Me a Match/Treasure Hunt/The Kid Who Would Be a Daddy"
Trapper John, M.D. Dr. Philip Montague Episode: "Hate is Enough"
1982 Taxi John Bickers Episode: "Jim's Inheritance"
Family Ties Charlie Episode: "No Nukes is Good Nukes"
The Devlin Connection Robert Hutton Episode: "Jennifer"
This is the Life Reverend Burwick Episode: "The Visitation"
1983 Matt Houston Binky Bradworth Episode: "The Yacht Club Murders"
The Yellow Rose Judge Sam Claymore 2 episodes
ABC Afterschool Special Lew Shorr Episode: "The Celebrity and the Arcade Kid"
1984 Alice Dr. Crystal Episode: "Jolene is Stuck on Mel"
Benson Worth Lakewood 2 episodes
Finder of Lost Loves Dennis Hodges Episode: "White Lies"
Diff'rent Strokes Mr. Stone 2 episodes
1984–1987 Down to Earth Richard Preston 93 episodes
1985 Knots Landing Himself Episode: "Weighing of Evils"
1987 Murder, She Wrote George Selby Episode: "Simon Says, Color Me Dead"
1988 L.A. Law Edmund Bates Episode: "Leapin' Lizards"
Square One Television Wellworth Watching 2 episodes
1990 Columbo Himself Episode: "Uneasy Lies the Crown"
1991 P.S. I Luv U Sam Episode: "I'd Kill to Direct"
1992 The Commish Martin Belzer Episode: "Sex, Lies and Kreosene"
Harry and the Hendersons Earl Powers Episode: "Selling Out"

References

  1. ^ a b "Former "Bewitched' star Dick Sargent dies". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  2. ^ "Sargent Replaces Bewitched Costar". Los Angeles Times. January 31, 1969. p. G14. Archived from the original on October 3, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  3. ^ Keehnen, Owen. "Interview with Dick Sargent, 1992". Chicago Outlines. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  4. ^ "Columbo: Uneasy Lies the Crown: Cast and Crew". TV.com. Archived from the original on May 14, 2016. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  5. ^ a b c "Elizabeth Montgomery Dies Of Cancer". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. May 19, 1995. Retrieved May 16, 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Actor Dick Sargent, Long-Suffering Husband On Television's 'Bewitched'". The Seattle Times. July 9, 1994. Retrieved September 26, 2013.
  7. ^ a b Meyer, Jeff (July 8, 1994). "Bewitched Star Sargent Dead At 64". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  8. ^ Brady, David E. (July 9, 1994). "Dick Sargent, 64; 'Bewitched' TV Actor". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 26, 2013.

Further reading

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