Richard “Dick” Evans Dies: Familiar Face On Iconic ’60s & ’70s TV Shows Was 86

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Richard “Dick” Evans, who was a staple of 1960s and ’70s television, died on October 2 of cancer, his family announced today. He was 86.

In his 40-year career, Evans played opposite Mia Farrow as a series regular on Peyton Place, acted opposite George C. Scott in Islands in the Stream and starred in Jack L. Warner’s final movie, Dirty Little Billy.

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And he was ubiquitous on dozens of classic shows such as Star Trek, Gunsmoke, S.W.A.T., Bonanza, The Mod Squad, Quincy ME, The A-Team, Hart to Hart, Gunsmoke and Lou Grant.

Acting in films, theatre and television led Evans to writing, producing and directing a number of films including The Mystery of Howard Hangar, Harry Monument, Shadow of Rain and Shuffle & Cut (A Question for Godard).

His theatrical directing credits include Wings of the Termite, Sliding Dog, Cats in the L.A. River, Angel City, Glengarry Glen Ross, American Buffalo, True West, Crime X 2, Club Ded, Orphans and his one-person show Off the Wall–An Evening with Richard Evans. His most recent directorial credit for theater was Frost/Nixon at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts. (Evans and his family made their home on Whidbey Island in Washington for 32 years after decamping from Los Angeles.)

Evans was also a prolific artist and author. He wrote several books of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, including his autobiography Fazkills. His final book, completed shortly before his death, is Ploys, a collection of plays to be performed free of rental fees when staged as fundraisers for the homeless.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Jo (nee Neff) Evans, a former casting director; son Paul Evans; grand-daughters Sarah Evans Eastlick, Madalyn Evans Ettles and Rachel Evans Wilson. Richard was pre-deceased by his son Mitchell Evans and parents Paul and Gertrude (nee Perkins) Evans.

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