Richard Marius Joseph Greene (25 August 1918 – 1 June 1985) was a noted English film and television actor. A

matinée idol Matinée idol is a term used mainly to describe film or theatre movie star, stars who are adored to the point of Flattery, adulation by their Fan (person), fans. The term almost exclusively refers to adult male actors. Matinée idols often tend ...

who appeared in more than 40 films, he was perhaps best known for the lead role in the long-running British TV series ''

The Adventures of Robin Hood ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' is a 1938 American Technicolor swashbuckler film from Warner Bros. Pictures. It was produced by Hal B. Wallis and Henry Blanke, directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, and stars Errol Flynn, Olivia de H ...

'', which ran for 143 episodes from 1955 to 1959.

Early life

Greene was of Irish and Scottish ancestry, and was born in

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...

, England. He was raised Roman Catholic, attending

Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School , established = , closed = , type = Comprehensive, academy , religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic , president = , head_label = Headmaster , head ...

(

Kensington Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the West End of London, West of Central London. The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up b ...

, London), which he left at 18. His aunt was actress

Evie Greene Edith Elizabeth "Evie" Greene (14 January 1875 – 11 September 1917) was a much-photographed English actress and singer who played in Edwardian musical comedies in London and on Broadway. She starred as Dolores in the international hit musical ' ...

. His father, Richard Abraham Greene and his mother, Kathleen Gerrard, were both actors with the Plymouth Repertory Theatre. He was the grandson of Richard Bentley Greene and a descendant of four generations of actors. It has been stated elsewhere that he was the grandson of the inventor

William Friese-Greene William Friese-Greene (born William Edward Green, 7 September 1855 – 5 May 1921) was a prolific English inventor and professional photographer. He was known as a pioneer in the field of motion pictures, having devised a series of cameras in 1 ...

, (credited by some as the inventor of

cinematography Cinematography (from ancient Greek κίνημα, ''kìnema'' "movement" and γράφειν, ''gràphein'' "to write") is the art of motion picture (and more recently, electronic video camera) photography. Cinematographers use a lens to focu ...

) but this was found to be false, as a result of two parallel lines of genealogical research, conducted by the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

and Paul Pert respectively, the latter being subsequently published in 2009.

Career

He started his stage career as a

spear carrier A spear carrier is a minor actor in a play or, by extension, a person whose actions are of little significance. Overview In the world of opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are tak ...

in Shakespeare's ''

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...

'' in 1933. A handsome young man, Greene added to his income by modelling shirts and hats. His professional career began at the age of 15, with a walk-on role in ''Julius Caesar'' at the Old Vic. He did some modelling work and appeared in a stage production of ''

Journey's End ''Journey's End'' is a 1928 dramatic play by English playwright R. C. Sherriff, set in the trenches near Saint-Quentin, Aisne, towards the end of the First World War. The story plays out in the officers' dugout of a British Army infantry comp ...

'' and had a small role in ''

Sing As We Go ''Sing As We Go'' is a 1934 British musical film starring Gracie Fields, John Loder and Stanley Holloway. The script was written by Gordon Wellesley and J. B. Priestley. Considered by many to be British music hall star Gracie Fields' finest ve ...

'' (1934), He joined the Jevan Brandon Repertory Company in 1936 with whom he appeared in ''Antony and Cleopatra''. He won accolades in the same year for his part in

Terence Rattigan Sir Terence Mervyn Rattigan (10 June 191130 November 1977) was a British dramatist and screenwriter. He was one of England's most popular mid-20th-century dramatists. His plays are typically set in an upper-middle-class background.Geoffrey Wan ...

's ''

French Without Tears ''French Without Tears'' is a comic play written by a 25-year-old Terence Rattigan in 1936. Setting It takes place in a cram school for adults needing to acquire French for business reasons. Scattered throughout are Franglais phrases and sch ...

'', which brought him to the attention of MGM, Alexander Korda and

Darryl F. Zanuck Darryl Francis Zanuck (September 5, 1902December 22, 1979) was an American film producer and studio executive; he earlier contributed stories for films starting in the silent era. He played a major part in the Hollywood studio system as one of ...

, who all made offers for films. On 17 January 1938 Greene signed with Fox.

20th Century Fox

At 20, he joined

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...

as a rival to

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

's Robert Taylor. His first film for Fox was

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

's ''

Four Men and a Prayer ''Four Men and a Prayer'' is a 1938 American adventure film directed by John Ford and starring Loretta Young, Richard Greene and George Sanders. Plot After Loring Leigh (C. Aubrey Smith), a British Army Officer, is cashiered in India following ...

'' (1938). Greene was a huge success, especially with female film goers, who sent him mountains of fan mail which at its peak rivalled that of Fox star

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include '' Jesse James'', ...

. Greene co-starred with

Sonia Henie Sonja Henie (8 April 1912 – 12 October 1969) was a Norwegian figure skater and film star. She was a three-time Olympic champion (1928, 1932, 1936) in women's singles, a ten-time World champion (1927–1936) and a six-time European champion ( ...

in '' My Lucky Star'' (1938) and was reunited with Ford in ''

Submarine Patrol ''Submarine Patrol'' is a 1938 film directed by John Ford and starring Richard Greene, Nancy Kelly and Preston Foster. The supporting cast features George Bancroft (actor), George Bancroft, Elisha Cook, Jr., John Carradine, Maxie Rosenbloom, Ja ...

'' (1939). Zanuck put him in ''

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

'' (1938) with

Loretta Young Loretta Young (born Gretchen Young; January 6, 1913 – August 12, 2000) was an American actress. Starting as a child, she had a long and varied career in film from 1917 to 1953. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the fil ...

and

Walter Brennan Walter Andrew Brennan (July 25, 1894 – September 21, 1974) was an American actor and singer. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in '' Come and Get It'' (1936), ''Kentucky'' (1938), and '' The Westerner ...

. Greene was the romantic male lead in the

Shirley Temple Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple;While Temple occasionally used "Jane" as a middle name, her birth certificate reads "Shirley Temple". Her birth certificate was altered to prolong her babyhood shortly after she signed with Fox in ...

vehicle '' The Little Princess'' (1939) and was Sir Henry Baskerville in the 1939

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...

film ''

The Hound of the Baskervilles ''The Hound of the Baskervilles'' is the third of the four crime novels by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes. Originally serialised in ''The Strand Magazine'' from August 1901 to April 1902, it is set i ...

''. The film marked the first pairing of

Basil Rathbone Philip St. John Basil Rathbone MC (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967) was a South African-born English actor. He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in more than 70 films, primarily costume ...

and

Nigel Bruce William Nigel Ernle Bruce (4 February 1895 – 8 October 1953) was a British character actor on stage and screen. He was best known for his portrayal of Dr. Watson in a series of films and in the radio series ''The New Adventures of Sherlock H ...

as Sherlock Holmes and

Dr. Watson John H. Watson, known as Dr. Watson, is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Along with Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson first appeared in the novel ''A Study in Scarlet'' (1887). The last work by Doyle fe ...

, but it was Greene who was top billed. Greene had a support part in ''

Stanley and Livingstone ''Stanley and Livingstone'' is a 1939 American adventure film directed by Henry King and Otto Brower. It is loosely based on the true story of Welsh reporter Sir Henry M. Stanley's quest to find Dr. David Livingstone, a Scottish missionary presu ...

'' (1939) with

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...

and the lead in ''

Here I Am a Stranger ''Here I Am a Stranger'' is a 1939 American drama film directed by Roy Del Ruth and written by Sam Hellman and Milton Sperling. The film stars Richard Greene and Richard Dix as son and father. It was based on the short story of the same name by ...

'' (1939). He co-starred with

Alice Faye Alice Faye (born Alice Jeanne Leppert; May 5, 1915 – May 9, 1998) was an American actress and singer. A musical star of 20th Century-Fox in the 1930s and 1940s, Faye starred in such films as ''On the Avenue'' (1937) and ''Alexander's Ragtime B ...

and

Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series, in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...

in '' Little Old New York'' (1940) and supported

Vera Zorina Vera Zorina (January 2, 1917 – April 9, 2003), born Eva Brigitta Hartwig, was a Norwegian ballerina, theatre and film actress, and choreographer. Today, she is chiefly remembered for her films choreographed by her then-husband George Bala ...

in ''

I Was an Adventuress ''I Was an Adventuress'' is a 1940 American drama film directed by Gregory Ratoff, starring Vera Zorina, Richard Greene, Erich von Stroheim, and Peter Lorre. Actress/ballerina Countess Tanya Vronsky (Vera Zorina) works as decoy for two internati ...

'' (1940). He had failed to become a major star but he was still playing leads in "A" movies when World War II began.

World War II

Greene tried to enlist in the

Seaforth Highlanders The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, mainly associated with large areas of the northern Highlands of Scotland. The regiment existed from 1881 to 1961, and saw servic ...

in Vancouver, but they would not give him a commission. He obtained a release from Fox and travelled to England where he enlisted in the

27th Lancers The 27th Lancers was a British Army cavalry regiment from 1941 to 1945. History The regiment was raised in June 1941 from a cadre of personnel taken from the 12th Royal Lancers. It was assigned to the 11th Armoured Division as the divisional reco ...

, where he distinguished himself. After three months, he went to the

Royal Military College, Sandhurst The Royal Military College (RMC), founded in 1801 and established in 1802 at Great Marlow and High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, England, but moved in October 1812 to Sandhurst, Berkshire, was a British Army military academy for training infantry a ...

and was commissioned and given the

service number A service number is an identification code used to identify a person within a large group. Service numbers are most often associated with the military; however, they may be used in civilian organizations as well. National identification numbers may ...

of 184251. He was promoted to captain in the 27th Lancers in May 1944. He was given leave in 1942 to appear in the British

propaganda film A propaganda film is a film that involves some form of propaganda. Propaganda films spread and promote certain ideas that are usually religious, political, or cultural in nature. A propaganda film is made with the intent that the viewer will ad ...

s ''

Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...

'' (1942) for Warners and ''

Unpublished Story ''Unpublished Story'' is a 1942 British black-and-white war film directed by Harold French and starring Richard Greene and Valerie Hobson. It was produced and co-written by Anthony Havelock-Allan. The film served as a propaganda film during Wo ...

'' (1942) with

Valerie Hobson Babette Louisa Valerie Hobson (14 April 1917 – 13 November 1998) was a British actress whose film career spanned the 1930s to the early 1950s. Her second husband was John Profumo, a British government minister who became the subject of the Pro ...

. In 1943, he appeared in the Anna Neagle thriller ''

Yellow Canary The yellow canary (''Crithagra flaviventris'') is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is a resident breeder in much of the western and central regions of southern Africa and has been introduced to Ascension and St Helena islands. T ...

'' while on leave. He also appeared in a British comedy ''

Don't Take It to Heart ''Don't Take It to Heart'' is a 1944 British comedy film directed by Jeffrey Dell and starring Richard Greene, Alfred Drayton, Patricia Medina, Moore Marriott and Richard Bird. It was shot at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith with sets desig ...

'' (1944). He later toured in Shaw's ''

Arms and the Man ''Arms and the Man'' is a comedy by George Bernard Shaw, whose title comes from the opening words of Virgil's ''Aeneid'', in Latin: ''Arma virumque cano'' ("Of arms and the man I sing"). The play was first produced on 21 April 1894 at the Aven ...

'', entertaining the troops. Greene was discharged in December 1944 and appeared in the stage play ''Desert Rats''.

Return to Hollywood

After the war he starred in a British musical, distributed by Warners, ''

Gaiety George ''Gaiety George'' is a 1946 British historical musical film directed by George King and Leontine Sagan and starring Richard Greene, Ann Todd and Peter Graves.Harper p.179 It is set in the late Victorian music hall, when an Irish impresario ...

'' (1946), which was a flop. He returned to Hollywood, and appeared in Fox's big budget '' Forever Amber'' (1947), but in support of Cornel Wilde. He went to Universal to play the villain in ''

The Fighting O'Flynn ''The Fighting O'Flynn'' is a 1949 American adventure film directed by Arthur Pierson. The film's screenplay by Douglas Fairbanks Jr. is based on the novel of the same name by Justin Huntly McCarthy. Fairbanks stars, along with Helena Carter. ...

'' (1948) with

Douglas Fairbanks Jr Douglas Elton Fairbanks Jr., (December 9, 1909 – May 7, 2000) was an American actor, producer and decorated naval officer of World War II. He is best known for starring in such films as ''The Prisoner of Zenda'' (1937), ''Gunga Din'' (1939) a ...

. At Fox he was third billed in '' The Fan'' (1949), based on the play ''

Lady Windermere's Fan ''Lady Windermere's Fan, A Play About a Good Woman'' is a four-act comedy by Oscar Wilde, first performed on Saturday, 20 February 1892, at the St James's Theatre in London. The story concerns Lady Windermere, who suspects that her husband i ...

''. Greene returned to England to appear in ''

That Dangerous Age ''That Dangerous Age'' is a 1949 British romance film directed by Gregory Ratoff and starring Myrna Loy, Roger Livesey and Peggy Cummins. It was adapted from the play ''Autumn'' by Margaret Kennedy and Ilya Surguchev. The film was released und ...

'' (1949) and ''

Now Barabbas ''Now Barabbas'' is a 1949 British drama film directed by Gordon Parry and starring Richard Greene, Cedric Hardwicke and Kathleen Harrison. It is sometimes known as ''Now Barabbas Was a Robber''. It was based on a 1947 play of the same title by ...

'' (1949). He went back to Universal in Hollywood to play the hero in a

Yvonne de Carlo Margaret Yvonne Middleton (September 1, 1922January 8, 2007), known professionally as Yvonne De Carlo, was a Canadian-American actress, dancer and singer. She became a Hollywood film star in the 1940s and 1950s, made several recordings, and late ...

eastern, '' The Desert Hawk'' (1950). Director de Cordova said Greene was "everything a man or woman could want in a desert hero." In Britain he was in ''

My Daughter Joy ''My Daughter Joy'' is a 1950 British drama film directed by Gregory Ratoff and starring Edward G. Robinson, Peggy Cummins and Richard Greene. The screenplay concerns a millionaire who spoils his only daughter, but has a strained relationship w ...

'' (1950), and '' Shadow of the Eagle'' (1950). He went to Italy to make ''

The Rival of the Empress ''The Rival of the Empress'' (Italian: ''La rivale dell'imperatrice'') is a 1951 Italian historical adventure film directed by Jacopo Comin and Sidney Salkow and starring Richard Greene, Valentina Cortese and Isa Pola. A separate English-language ...

'' (1951). In 1951, he divorced his wife,

Patricia Medina Patricia Paz Maria Medina (19 July 1919 – 28 April 2012) was a British actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles in the films ''Phantom of the Rue Morgue'' (1954) and ''Mr. Arkadin'' (1955). Early life Medina was the daughter of Laure ...

, whom he had married in 1941. In Hollywood

Edward Small Edward Small (born Edward Schmalheiser, February 1, 1891, Brooklyn, New York – January 25, 1977, Los Angeles) was a film producer from the late 1920s through 1970, who was enormously prolific over a 50-year career. He is best known for the movi ...

asked him to play the male hero of ''

Lorna Doone ''Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor'' is a novel by English author Richard Doddridge Blackmore, published in 1869. It is a romance based on a group of historical characters and set in the late 17th century in Devon and Somerset, particularly ar ...

'' (1951). He stayed on to star in ''

The Black Castle ''The Black Castle'' is a 1952 American horror film directed by Nathan H. Juran and starring Richard Greene, Boris Karloff, Stephen McNally, Rita Corday and Lon Chaney Jr. It was produced by William Alland. The film was made in the United States ...

'' (1952) and support

Peter Lawford Peter Sydney Ernest Lawford ( Aylen; 7 September 1923 – 24 December 1984) was an English-American actor.Obituary ''Variety'', 26 December 1984. He was a member of the " Rat Pack" and the brother-in-law of US president John F. Kennedy and sen ...

in '' Rogue's March'' (1952). For Small he made ''

The Bandits of Corsica ''The Bandits of Corsica'', alternative title ''The Return of the Corsican Brothers'', is a 1953 American adventure film directed by Ray Nazarro and starring Richard Greene, Paula Raymond and Raymond Burr. It is loosely based on the 1844 novell ...

'' (1953), then he was in another swashbuckler, ''

Captain Scarlett ''Captain Scarlett'' is a 1953 American adventure film directed by Thomas Carr (director), Thomas Carr, that was shot in Mexico. The film is set in France following the fall of Napoleon, stars Richard Greene in the title role as a Robin Hood- ...

'' (1953) shot in Mexico.

''The Adventures of Robin Hood''

Greene returned to Britain looking for work. Reflecting on his career he said "I haven't had the big build-up part I expected. They turned me into a cloak-and-dagger merchant. After four dungeon pictures in a row I decided to throw it up." Greene got a role on stage in a production of ''

I Capture the Castle ''I Capture the Castle'' is the first novel of List of English writers (R–Z), English author Dodie Smith, written during the Second World War when she and her husband Alec Beesley, an English conscientious objector, moved to California. She ...

'' with

Virginia McKenna Dame Virginia Anne McKenna, (born 7 June 1931) is a British stage and screen actress, author and wildlife campaigner. She is best known for the films ''A Town Like Alice'' (1956), '' Carve Her Name with Pride'' (1958), ''Born Free'' (1966), and ...

. Then Yeoman Films of Great Britain approached him for the lead role in ''

'' (1955–59). He was an immediate success in it. The series and a number of related marketing products bearing his likeness, such as comic books and "Robin Hood Shoes", solved his financial problems with success both in the United Kingdom and the United States. During the series' run he made the occasional film such as '' Contraband Spain'' (1955), ''

Beyond the Curtain ''Beyond the Curtain'' is a 1960 British drama film written and directed by Compton Bennett, and starring Richard Greene and Eva Bartok. Plot A refugee from East Germany finds herself trapped in her home city of Dresden when a plane she is t ...

'' (1960), and ''

Sword of Sherwood Forest ''Sword of Sherwood Forest'' is a 1960 British Eastman Color adventure film in MegaScope directed by Terence Fisher for Hammer Film Productions. Richard Greene reprises the role of Robin Hood, which he played in ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' o ...

'' (1960), as Robin Hood. He had a long love affair in the 1950s with Nancy Oakes, wealthy daughter of

mining Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the economic via ...

tycoon Sir

Harry Oakes Sir Harry Oakes, 1st Baronet (23 December 1874 – 7 July 1943) was a British gold mine owner, entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist. He earned his fortune in Canada and moved to the Bahamas in the 1930s for tax purposes. Though American by b ...

Later career

Amongst other TV programmes, Greene was in ''A Man For Loving'', '' The Doctors'', '' The Morecambe and Wise Show'', ''

Dixon of Dock Green ''Dixon of Dock Green'' was a BBC police procedural television series about daily life at a fictional London police station, with the emphasis on petty crime, successfully controlled through common sense and human understanding. It ran from 19 ...

'', ''Scarf Jack'', as corrupt businessman Neil Turvey in ''

The Professionals A professional is someone who is skilled in a profession. Professional or professionals may also refer to: * Professional sports Music *The Professionals (band), a British punk rock band formed in 1979 * ''The Professionals'' (The Professionals ...

'' episode "Everest Was Also Conquered", and the '' Tales of the Unexpected'' episode "

Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat "Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat" is a short story by Roald Dahl that first appeared in the 1959 issue of ''Nugget''. The story is Dahl's variation on a popular anecdote dating back at least to 1939: a married woman receives a glamorous mink coat ...

". Greene replaced

Douglas Wilmer Douglas Wilmer (8 January 1920 – 31 March 2016) was an English actor, best known for playing Sherlock Holmes in the 1965 TV series ''Sherlock Holmes''. Early life Wilmer was born in Brentford, Middlesex, and received his education at King' ...

to play

Sir Denis Nayland Smith Denis Nayland Smith is a character who was introduced in the series of novels Dr. Fu Manchu by the English author Sax Rohmer. He is a rival to the villain Dr. Fu Manchu. History The character of Denis Nayland Smith was created in 1912 by Sax Ro ...

in two of

Harry Alan Towers Harry Alan Towers (19 October 1920 – 31 July 2009) was a British radio and independent film producer and screenwriter. He wrote numerous screenplays for the films he produced, often under the pseudonym Peter Welbeck. He produced over 80 ...

Fu Manchu Dr. Fu Manchu () is a supervillain who was introduced in a series of novels by the English author Sax Rohmer beginning shortly before World War I and continuing for another forty years. The character featured in cinema, television, radio, comic ...

films, ''

The Blood of Fu Manchu ''The Blood of Fu Manchu'' (german: Der Todeskuss des Dr. Fu Man Chu, lit=The Death-Kiss of Dr. Fu Manchu, es, Fu-Manchú y el beso de la muerte), also known as ''Kiss of Death'', ''Kiss and Kill'' (U.S. title) and ''Against All Odds'' (orig ...

'' (1968) and ''

The Castle of Fu Manchu ''The Castle of Fu Manchu'' (german: Die Folterkammer des Dr. Fu Man Chu, lit=The Torture Chamber of Dr. Fu Manchu, es, El castillo de Fu-Manchu) is a 1969 film and the fifth and final Dr. Fu Manchu film with Christopher Lee portraying the ti ...

'' (1969). Both films were directed by

Jess Franco Jess is a unisex given name, often a short form (hypocorism) of Jessica, Jesse, Jessie, etc., and a surname. It may refer to: Given name * Jess Atkinson (born 1961), American football player * Jess Cain (1926–2008), American radio host * J ...

and shot in Spain.

Later life and death

In 1972 Greene was unwittingly embroiled in the '' Lewis v Averay'' court case, after a fraudster pretending to be Greene had purchased a vehicle. Greene died in 1985 of

cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and possib ...

at his home at

Kelling Hall Kelling Hall is a Grade II* listed building situated in the civil parish of Kelling in the English county of Norfolk. It is 0.7 miles from the parish of Holt and overlooks the North Norfolk coastline at a height of 171 feet above sea level. T ...

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

, England, aged 66. His daughter, Patricia, said he had never completely recovered from an injury sustained from a fall three years earlier. "He still had quite a fan club and was receiving letters requesting signed pictures", she said.

Filmography

* ''

'' (1934) – Bit * ''

'' (1938) – Geoffrey Leigh * '' My Lucky Star'' (1938) – Larry Taylor * ''

'' (1938) – Perry Townsend III * ''

'' (1938) – Jack Dillon * '' The Little Princess'' (1939) – Geoffrey Hamilton * ''

'' (1939) – Sir Henry Baskerville * ''

'' (1939) – Gareth Tyce * ''

'' (1939) – David Paulding * '' Little Old New York'' (1940) – Robert Fulton * ''

'' (1940) – Paul Vernay * ''

'' (1942) – James "Jim" Spence Jr. * ''

'' (1942) – Bob Randall * ''

'' (1943) – Lieutenant Commander Jim Garrick * ''

'' (1944) – Peter Hayward * ''

'', also known as ''Showtime'' (1946) – George Howard * '' Forever Amber'' (1947) – Lord Harry Almsbury * ''

'' (1949) – Lord Philip Sedgemonth * '' The Fan'' (1949) – Lord Arthur Windermere * ''

'' or ''If This Be Sin'' (1949) – Michael Barcleigh * ''

'' (1949) – Tufnell * '' The Desert Hawk'' (1950) – Omar aka The Desert Hawk * ''

'' (''Operation X'') (1950) – Larry * '' Shadow of the Eagle'' (1950) – Count Alexei Orloff * ''

'' (1951) – Conte Alexei Orloff * ''

'' (1951) – John Ridd * ''

'' (1952) – Sir Ronald Burton, alias Richard Beckett * '' Rogue's March'' (1953) – Capt. Thomas Garron * ''

'' (1953) – Mario / Carlos * ''

'' (1953) – Capt. Carlos Scarlett * '' Contraband Spain'' (1955) – Treasury Agent Lee Scott * ''

'' (1960) – Capt. Jim Kyle * ''

'' (1960) – Robin Hood * ''

Island of the Lost ''Island of the Lost'' is a 1967 American adventure film directed by John Florea and starring Richard Greene, Luke Halpin and Irene Tsu.Halliwell p.525 It was shot on location in The Bahamas and Palm Beach Gardens in Florida. Plot An anthropolog ...

'' (1968) – Josh MacRae * ''

'' (1968) – Sir Dennis Nayland-Smith * ''

'' (1969) – Sir Dennis Nayland-Smith * ''

Tales from the Crypt Tales from the Crypt may refer to: * ''Tales from the Crypt'' (album), by American rapper C-Bo * ''Tales from the Crypt'' (comics), published by EC Comics during the 1950s ** ''Tales from the Crypt'' (film), a 1972 Amicus film starring Ralph Ric ...

'' (1972) – Ralph Jason (segment 4 "Wish You Were Here")

References

External links

*
Paul Pert: "From Lens Hood to Robin Hood!" ''Fishko Files'', WNYC, 25 June 2010.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Greene, Richard 1918 births 1985 deaths Military personnel from Plymouth, Devon 20th-century English male actors 20th Century Studios contract players 27th Lancers officers British expatriate male actors in the United States English male film actors English male television actors English people of Irish descent English people of Scottish descent British Army personnel of World War II Seaforth Highlanders soldiers Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst Male actors from Plymouth, Devon