Richard X. Slattery
Richard Xavier Slattery was an American character actor in film, theater, and television. He appeared in films such as A Distant Trumpet, The Boston Strangler, Walking Tall, The No Mercy Man, and Herbie Rides Again.
Early years
Born in New York City, Slattery was a graduate of All Hallows High School, who briefly studied at Fordham University, where he had scholarships in track and football. He left Fordham and enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, serving as a lieutenant in the Pacific for two and a half years. He was awarded the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.Career
Slattery was distinguished by a square-jawed look and a rough, gravelly voice that made him ideal as a "tough guy" character, usually as a cop or a drill sergeant type. He had been an NYPD police officer for 12 years and started his acting career in police academy training films, and in community theater in the Bronx.Slattery was a familiar face on series television during the 1960s through the 1980s, appearing in numerous guest roles, including Route 66, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, 77 Sunset Strip, Gunsmoke, Rawhide, The Andy Griffith Show, Bewitched, The Invaders, F Troop, The Green Hornet, The Virginian, Bonanza, The Partridge Family, The Odd Couple,'' Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law, Cannon, Barnaby Jones, I Dream of Jeannie,The Mod Squad, Emergency!, Run, Joe, Run, The Waltons, Ironside, Kojak, The San Pedro Beach Bums, and Knight Rider.
Slattery starred in a revival of the play The Time of Your Life, starting March 17, 1972, at the Huntington Hartford Theater in Los Angeles.
For 14 years, Slattery was featured in a series of popular TV commercials for 76 gasoline during the 1970s and early 1980s, playing Murph, the grandfatherly owner of "Murph's 76 Station". He played Lieutenant Modeen in Switch and had featured roles in three series: The Gallant Men, Mister Roberts, and C.P.O. Sharkey''.