Early Life and Career
Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Simmons started his film acting career in 1937. Many of his roles would be uncredited through 1942, which included an uncredited role in the film The Yukon Patrol, which would later be important as it would lead to his best-known starring role. Starting in 1943 he began appearing in credited roles, beginning with his appearance in The Youngest Profession, starring Virginia Weidler. From 1943 through 1949 he would appear in seventeen films, of which seven were uncredited.
The 1950s mirrored the 1940s, with him appearing in several films and television programs, at times uncredited. In 1952 he played the co-pilot in Above and Beyond. In 1955, Simmons won his best known role, portraying the lead of Sergeant William Preston in the 1950s television series Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, a spinoff of The Yukon Patrol. Following the end of the series in 1958, he continued to have a successful acting career, mostly with television series appearances, through 1982, with his last role being in the TV show Chips, starring Sue Lyon and Cesar Romero.
Read more about this topic: Richard Simmons (actor)
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