Richard Emory

Richard Emory
1953 Perils of the Wilderness movie poster
Born	Emory Waldemar Johnson Junior (1919-01-27)January 27, 1919 Santa Barbara, California
Died	February 15, 1994(1994-02-15) (aged 75) Moab, Utah
Nationality	US
Other names	Dick Emory
Occupation	Film, television actor
Years active	1949–1963
Known for	Supporting roles in Westerns
Notable work	Perils of the Wilderness, Gene Autry and The Mounties The Cisco Kid The Roy Rogers Show

Richard Emory (January 27, 1919 – February 15, 1994) was the first-born son of show business parents. He would achieve his fame as an American B-movie actor of the 1950s and 1960s. He would also play supporting roles in various television series of the same period. He retired from movies and television in 1963.

Biography

Early Life

Walter Emory Johnson Jr was born in Santa Barbara, California. His mother was silent film actress Ella Hall, and his father was Emory Johnson. At the time of his birth, both parents were contract players for Universal. Emory Jr was the couple's firstborn son. Another brother, Benard Alfred, would follow in September 1920. His sister Ellen Joanna was born on April 18, 1923, in Los Angeles, California. By 1924, their parents' marriage was on the rocks. His parents reconciled in late 1925; then tragedy struck in March 1926. While the Ella and the kids were crossing a busy street in Hollywood, Emory Jr's 5-year-old brother Benard was struck and killed by a truck. The truck had narrowly missed Emory Jr.^[1] After his parent's reconciliation, Ella and Emory decided to have one last child. Emory Jr's sister Diana Marie (Dinie) was born on October 27, 1929, in Los Angeles, California.

His parents eventually got a divorce, and Emory Jr along with his two younger sisters went to live with their mother. Richard Emory would be the first of the Johnson children to appear in a film. At age 10, he had an uncredited role in the 1930 film – All Quiet on the Western Front. He would have another uncredited part before entering the service in the 1941 production of I Wanted Wings. Around this time, his sister then dropped the last name of Johnson and became Ellen Hall.

Military

Dick Emory's early personal life was focusing on finishing High School. He also liked to hunt and fish. We know he enlisted in the Marines reserves when he came of age. Emory then registered for the draft on October 16, 1940, as Emory Waldemar Johnson. He stated he was 21 years old, 6' tall, 162 pounds, blue eyes, blond hair and lived in North Hollywood. He also stated he was a private in the Marine Corps Reserve.^[2] Emory Johnson enlisted in the Marines on November 7, 1940. He served until his release on September 12, 1945.^[3]

Career

After World War II, he got work as a wholesale florist. After a year and a half, he quit and started studying at the Gilliard's Playhouse. He remained there for two years. Then, Emory Waldmar Johnson Jr became Richard (Dick) Emory. He reignited his film career with his first credited role in South of Death Valley released in 1949. Bandit King of Texas was released days later. Thus, he would embark upon a career as a Character actor in both films and television. Around the time he left dramatic school, his rugged good looks got him work as an advertising model. With the unsteady pay from movie parts, he used modeling to supplement his income for eighteen years.

Dick Emory would act in a variety of movie roles including adventures, comedies, science fiction, Westerns and even 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.t He earned a variety of roles in television. A third of his television output were westerns including roles in The Cisco Kid, The Roy Rogers Show, The Gene Autry Show and The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin. He ended his acting career with a role as an intern in the television series Perry Mason. The episode aired on May 9, 1963.^[4] Dick Emory was 44 years old.

Post Career

Dick Emory spent a good part of his life living in North Hollywood. California. In fact, he was married there in January 1952. After he retired from movies and television, he tried selling insurance and real estate. He also pursued other opportunities until he finally found his niche. In 1966, he went to a local college and started work as a landscaper and gardener. He worked at his new job for ten years. In 1976, Dick retired at 57 years old. In 1980, Dick and his wife moved Jemez Springs, New Mexico. Dick was once again able to pursue his passion in life – growing things. Ten years later, Richard and his wife decided to move to Moab, Utah.^[5] The move to Utah, explains why Richard Emory is listed in the "Brief Biographies of Church of the Latter Day Saints and/or Utah Film Personalities" website. The listing is based on being a Film Personality residing in Utah. He was not a member of the LDS church.

Death

Emory was in his early seventies when they moved to Moab. Richard Emory died of a stroke on Friday, February 15, 1994, in Moab, Utah. Unlike his parents and two siblings, he chose not to be interred with the rest of the family at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in California. Richard Emory had a non-cemetery burial in Utah. Richard Emory had just turned 75 years-old at the time of his death.^[6]

Filmography

Television

References

External links

• Richard Emory on IMDb
• Richard Emory at AllMovie
• Richard Emory at the TCM Movie Database
• "Richard Emory". Actor. Find a Grave. April 26, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
• http://www.ldsfilm.com/bio/bioE.html