Person attributes
Other attributes
Richard Emory (born Emory Waldemar Johnson Jr.) was born on January 27, 1919 in Santa Barbara, California, USA.
His mother was silent film actress Ella Hall and his father was actor-turned-director Emory Johnson. At the time of his birth, both parents were contract players for Universal.
Richard Emory
By 1924, his parents' marriage was on the rocks, but they reconciled in late 1925. Tragedy struck in March 1926 when Emory's five-year-old brother, Alfred, was killed by a truck. The vehicle reportedly narrowly missed Emory.After the reconciliation of Emory's parents, the couple decided to have one last child. Emory's sister, Diana Marie, was born on October 27, 1929.
After his parents' divorced in 1930, Emory and his two younger sisters went to live with their mother. Emory would be the first of the Johnson children to appear in a film. At age ten, he had an uncredited role in the 1930 film All Quiet on the Western Front. He would have another uncredited part in the 1941 production of I Wanted Wings.
After World War II, Emory worked as a wholesale florist, but quit after 18 months and began studying at the Gilliard's Playhouse. He remained there for two years.
His first credited film role was in South of Death Valley which was released in 1949. Bandit King of Texas was released several days later. Around the time he left dramatic school, his rugged good looks got him employment as an advertising model. He used modeling to supplement his income for eighteen years because of the unsteady pay generated from movie parts.
Emory acted in a variety of movie genres that included adventure, comedy, science fiction, Westerns and musicals. A full third of his artistic output was in the Western genre. These films included Code of the Silver Sage, Gene Autry and the Mounties, Little Big Horn, Hellgate and Perils of the Wilderness.On television, a third of his output was westerns, including roles in The Cisco Kid, The Roy Rogers Show, Bat Masterson, The Gene Autry Show and The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin. He ended his acting career at the age of 44 with a role as an intern in the television series Perry Mason. The episode aired on May 9, 1963.
He died on February 15, 1994 in Moab, Utah, USA.
