Kim Richards
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Kim Erica Richards (born September 19, 1964) is an American actress, socialite, and television personality. She began her career as a child actress, and rose to prominence from her roles in ''
Nanny and the Professor ''Nanny and the Professor'' is an early 1970s American sitcom created by AJ Carothers and Thomas L. Miller for 20th Century-Fox Television that aired on ABC from January 21, 1970 until December 27, 1971. During pre-production, the proposed tit ...
'', ''
Escape to Witch Mountain ''Escape to Witch Mountain'' is a science fiction novel written by Alexander Key in 1968. It was adapted for film by Disney as '' Escape to Witch Mountain'' in 1975 which spawned the ''Witch Mountain'' franchise. The novel was illustrated by ...
'', and ''
Return from Witch Mountain ''Return from Witch Mountain'' is a 1978 American science fiction–adventure film and a sequel to '' Escape to Witch Mountain'' (1975) and the second film in the ''Witch Mountain'' franchise. It was produced by Walt Disney Productions. It was w ...
''. In 2010, Richards appeared as a main cast member on ''
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills ''The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'' (abbreviated ''RHOBH'') is an American reality television series which has been broadcast on Bravo since October 14, 2010. Developed as the sixth installment in ''The Real Housewives'' franchise, it has ...
'' alongside her sister
Kyle Richards Kyle Richards Umansky (: born January 11, 1969) is an American actress, socialite, and television personality. Since 2010, she has appeared as a main cast member on ''The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'', and as of 2022, is the last remaining ...
. She was part of the main cast for the first five seasons and has returned for guest appearances in subsequent seasons.


Early life

Richards was born September 19, 1964, in
Mineola, New York Mineola is a village in and the county seat of Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 18,799 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from an Algonquin Chief, Miniolagamika, which means "pleasant village". ...
, the daughter of Kathleen Mary (née Dugan) and her second husband, Kenneth Edwin Richards. They separated in 1972 and her mother later remarried. Her younger sister is actress, socialite, and television personality
Kyle Richards Kyle Richards Umansky (: born January 11, 1969) is an American actress, socialite, and television personality. Since 2010, she has appeared as a main cast member on ''The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'', and as of 2022, is the last remaining ...
. Socialite
Kathy Hilton Kathleen Elizabeth Hilton ( Avanzino; formerly Richards; born March 13, 1959) is an American socialite, fashion designer, actress, and television personality. She is the mother of socialite Paris Hilton and fashion designer Nicky HiltonBooth Moo ...
is her half-sister, from her mother's prior marriage to Larry Avanzino, and her nieces include
Nicky Nicky is a diminutive form of the name Nicholas, Nicola and Nicole, occasionally used as a given name in its own right. It can also be used as a diminutive of Dominic. It may refer to: People Sports * Nicky Adams (born 1986), English-born Welsh ...
and
Paris Hilton Paris Whitney Hilton (born February 17, 1981) is an American media personality, businesswoman, socialite, model, and entertainer. Born in New York City, and raised there and in Beverly Hills, California, she is a great-granddaughter of Conra ...
. Richards is of Welsh and Irish ancestry.


Career

Richards' career began when she was months old and appeared in a TV commercial for Firth Carpet. From 1970 to 1971, she starred as Prudence Everett in the television series ''Nanny and the Professor''. She also starred in several
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
films, including ''Escape to Witch Mountain'', ''
No Deposit, No Return ''No Deposit, No Return'' is a 1976 American crime comedy film directed by Norman Tokar and produced by Walt Disney Productions. The film was written by Arthur Alsberg and Don Nelson, and stars David Niven, Darren McGavin, Don Knotts, Herschel ...
'', and ''Return from Witch Mountain''. In 1974 and 1976, Richards appeared in Disney's ''Whiz Kid Capers'' series (''The Whiz Kid and the Mystery at Riverton'' and ''The Whiz Kid and the Carnival Caper''), two television movies that aired as part of ''
The Wonderful World of Disney The Walt Disney Company has produced an anthology television series since 1954 under several titles and formats. The program's current title, ''The Wonderful World of Disney'', was used from 1969 to 1979 and again from 1991 to the present. The pr ...
'' anthology series. Richards and her sister Kyle played sisters in the thriller film ''
The Car ''The Car'' is a 1977 American horror film directed by Elliot Silverstein and written by Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack and Lane Slate. The film stars James Brolin, Kathleen Lloyd, John Marley and Ronny Cox, along with real-life sisters Kim and ...
'' (1977). She teamed up once again with ''Witch Mountain'' co-star
Ike Eisenmann Ike Eisenmann (born July 21, 1962) is a former American actor, producer, and sound effects specialist who has been active in the entertainment industry since childhood. Early life and education Eisenmann was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Ru ...
in the made-for-television movie '' Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell'' (1978). In the 1976 film '' Assault on Precinct 13'', she played a young girl who was brutally murdered when a gang member fired a round into her chest. She later starred in the short-lived television series ''
Hello, Larry ''Hello, Larry'' is an American sitcom television series created by Dick Bensfield and Perry Grant, starring McLean Stevenson. It aired on NBC from January 26, 1979, to April 30, 1980. Its broadcast run consisted of 38 episodes over two season ...
'' (1979-80) and appeared as a guest on numerous episodes of American television shows, including ''
Emergency! ''Emergency!'' is an American action-adventure medical drama television series jointly produced by Mark VII Limited and Universal Television. Debuting on NBC as a midseason replacement on January 15, 1972, replacing the two short-lived situatio ...
'', ''
Diff'rent Strokes ''Diff'rent Strokes'' is an American television sitcom, which aired on NBC from November 3, 1978, to May 4, 1985, and on ABC from September 27, 1985, to March 7, 1986. The series stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as Arnold and Willis Jackson, r ...
'', '' Alice'', ''
Fantasy Island ''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. Gu ...
'', ''
The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pac ...
'', ''
CHiPs ''CHiPs'' is an American crime drama television series created by Rick Rosner and originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. It follows the lives of two motorcycle officers of the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The serie ...
'', ''
Magnum, P.I. ''Magnum, P.I.'' is an American crime drama television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator (P.I.) living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from December 11, 1980 to May 8, 1988 during its first-run broadcast on ...
'', ''
James at 16 ''James at 15'' (later ''James at 16'') is an American drama series that aired on NBC during the 1977–1978 season. The series was preceded by the 1977 made-for-TV movie ''James at 15'', which aired on Monday September 5, 1977, and was intended ...
'', ''
The Dukes of Hazzard ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' is an American action comedy TV series that was aired on CBS from January 26, 1979 to February 8, 1985. The show aired for 147 episodes spanning seven seasons. It was consistently among the top-rated television series ...
'', ''
The Rockford Files ''The Rockford Files'' is an American detective drama television series starring James Garner that aired on the NBC network from September 13, 1974 to January 10, 1980, and remains in syndication. Garner portrays Los Angeles private investigator ...
'', and ''
Little House on the Prairie The ''Little House on the Prairie'' books is a series of American children's novels written by Laura Ingalls Wilder (b. Laura Elizabeth Ingalls). The stories are based on her childhood and adolescence in the Midwestern United States, American M ...
'' as Olga Nordstrom. As a young adult, she appeared in ''
Meatballs Part II ''Meatballs Part II'' is a 1984 American comedy film and the in-name only sequel to the 1979 film ''Meatballs''. The film stars Richard Mulligan, Hamilton Camp, John Mengatti, Kim Richards, Archie Hahn, Misty Rowe, and John Larroquette, and w ...
'' (1984) and ''
Tuff Turf ''Tuff Turf'' is a 1985 American drama film directed by Fritz Kiersch and starring James Spader and Kim Richards. The film was released in the United States on January 11, 1985. Plot Morgan Hiller (Spader) is an intelligent but bullied teenager ...
'' (1985). in 1990, she co-produced the film ''Escape'', along with then-husband G. Monty Brinson. Richards appeared in a supporting role as
Christina Ricci Christina Ricci ( ; born February 12, 1980) is an American actress. Known for playing unusual characters with a dark edge, Ricci predominantly works in independent productions, but has also appeared in numerous box office hits. She has receiv ...
's estranged mother in '' Black Snake Moan'' (2006). She made a cameo appearance in ''
Race to Witch Mountain ''Race to Witch Mountain'' is a 2009 American science fiction adventure thriller film directed by Andy Fickman, starring Dwayne Johnson in the lead role, with AnnaSophia Robb, Alexander Ludwig, Ciarán Hinds, and Carla Gugino. The latest in a se ...
'' (2009), playing a waitress named Tina, a minor variation from the character Tia she played in the franchise's 1975 and 1978 films. In 2010, Richards began appearing as a regular cast member of ''The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'', alongside her sister Kyle. After five seasons, Kim was let go as a full-time cast member following her personal struggles. She returned as a guest star, though, in the show's sixth, seventh, ninth, and tenth seasons.


Personal life

In 1985, Richards married Monty Brinson, a supermarket-franchise heir who later became a professional poker player. They have one daughter together, Brooke Ashley (born February 21, 1986). Brinson and Richards divorced amicably in 1988. Later that year, she married Gregg Davis, the son of petroleum mogul
Marvin Davis Marvin H. Davis (August 31, 1925 – September 25, 2004) was an American industrialist. He made his fortunes as the chair of Davis Petroleum and at one time owned 20th Century Fox, the Pebble Beach Corporation, the Beverly Hills Hotel, and the ...
and his wife
Barbara Davis Barbara Davis ( Levine) is an American philanthropist, billionaire, and widow of Marvin Davis. Biography Early life Born Barbara Levine in New York City, she graduated from Adelphi University in Garden City, New York, in 1951. Philanthropy In 19 ...
. They have two children together: a daughter, Whitney Nicole Davis (born March 16, 1990) and a son, Chad Austin Davis (born May 26, 1991). Richards and Davis divorced in 1991. Following her separation from Davis, Richards dated commodities salesman John J. Collett, a central figure in a criminal scheme involving 8,000 elderly investors and nearly US$150 million (equivalent to $ million in ) in losses. On October 28, 1991, he was murdered outside
Brent's Deli Brent's Delicatessen & Restaurant is a Jewish cuisine, Jewish delicatessen, deli and restaurant located in Northridge, California. The restaurant was opened in 1967 and purchased by Ron Peskin in 1969 for $1700. The deli has expanded to a second l ...
in Northridge. He was shot twice in the head at point-blank range by a hit man who had been paid US$30,000 (). He was speaking with Kim on the phone when the shooting occurred. Richards spoke about Collett's murder on an episode of ''The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills''. After Collett's death, Richards was in a relationship with aircraft-parts supplier John Jackson from 1992 to 1996. She gave birth to their daughter, Kimberly Collette Jackson, on August 23, 1995. From 2012 to 2018 she was in a relationship with businessman Wynn Katz. They appeared together on
WE TV We TV (stylized as WE tv) is an American pay television channel. Owned by AMC Networks since its September 1997 launch, it is oriented mainly towards lifestyle and entertainment programming. As of February 2015, approximately 85.2 million Ameri ...
's ''
Marriage Boot Camp ''Marriage Boot Camp'' (also known as ''Marriage Boot Camp: Bridezillas'', ''Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars'' and ''Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars Family Edition'') is an American reality television series which debuted on May 31, 2013, on W ...
'' in 2018, and split after their appearance on the show. On April 15, 2015, Richards was arrested and charged with trespassing, public intoxication, resisting an officer, and battery on a police officer at the
Beverly Hills Hotel The Beverly Hills Hotel, also called the Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows, is located on Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California, Beverly Hills, California. One of the world's best-known hotels, it is closely associated with Cinema of the ...
. She spent the night in
Los Angeles County Jail The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD), officially the County of Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, is a law enforcement agency serving Los Angeles County, California. LASD is the largest sheriff's department in the United States a ...
and was released the next morning on bail of US$20,000. She was arrested again on August 2, 2015, for allegedly shoplifting at a
San Fernando Valley The San Fernando Valley, known locally as the Valley, is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County, California. Located to the north of the Los Angeles Basin, it contains a large portion of the City of Los Angeles, as well as unincorporated ar ...
Target Target may refer to: Physical items * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
department store, was booked into the
Van Nuys Van Nuys () is a neighborhood in the central San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Home to Van Nuys Airport and the Valley Municipal Building, it is the most populous neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley. History In 1909, t ...
jail, and was released on August 3 after posting bail of US$5,000. Richards remained close friends with first husband Brinson and helped care for him during his struggle with lung cancer, which eventually caused his death on January 25, 2016 at age 58. Richards has two grandsons through her oldest daughter Brooke and husband, Thayer Wiederhorn: Hucksley Andrew Wiederhorn (born September 28, 2016) and Hunter Montgomery Wiederhorn (born April 18, 2019).


Filmography


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Richards, Kim Living people 1964 births People from Mineola, New York 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Actresses from New York (state) American people of Irish descent American people of Welsh descent American child actresses American film actresses The Real Housewives cast members Conrad Hilton family Richards family Davis family