Richard Derr Papers

Richard LeMar Derr (1917-1992) was an actor whose career spanned stage, film, and television. During World War II, Derr spent three years with the Air Transport Command as a navigator. After graduating from Norristown High School (Pennsylvania) in 1933, Derr worked as a bank clerk while pursuing his theatre interests with The Dramateurs, a Norristown amateur little theatre group. He then appeared at the Hedgerow Theatre, a repertory theatre in nearby Moylan, Pennsylvania. His acting career blossomed after appearing with Joe E. Brown in Elmer the Great. In 1948, Derr played John in a touring production of John Loves Mary. He made his Broadway debut as Lt. Henderson in The Traitor, receiving a Theatre World Award in 1948/49 for this performance. He also appeared in numerous other stage productions, including Grand Tour (1951); Dial M for Murder (1952); Plain and Fancy (1955); Maybe Tuesday (1958); Mister Roberts (1959); and Invitation to a March (1960).

Derr's film career developed simultaneously. He screen debut was in 20th Century Fox's Man at Large (1941). He was the lead actor in When Worlds Collide (1951) and also appeared in Secret Heart (1946); Joan of Arc (1948); Guilty of Treason (1949); Terror is a Man (1959); The Drowning Pool (1957); and others.

Among the many television programs that Derr has appeared on are F.B.I., Marcus Welby, M.D., Barnaby Jones, Philco Theatre, Studio One, and Circle Theatre. Derr, who also held a real estate broker's license, was an associate of the Beverly Hills Realty Company and a member of the Beverly Hills Realty Board.