Although Richard Kiley's rich baritone and strong vocal talent was much in evidence and received due respect with his award of a Tony for "Man of La Mancha", it was little used in his television and movie appearances. Won two Tony Awards as Best Actor (Musical): in 1959 for "Redhead" and in 1966 for his signature role, "Man of La Mancha". He was ...
| # | Fact |
|---|
| 1 | He was nominated for a 1987 Antoinette Perry (Tony) Award for Best Actor in a Play for "All My Sons" on Broadway in New York City. |
| 2 | Introduced the Bob Wright/Chet Forrest song "Stranger in Paradise" (with Doretta Morrow) in the stage musical "Kismet" (Ziegfeld Theatre New York (1953). |
| 3 | First of only three actors who has been named as a character in a fictional novel, then appeared as themselves in that role in the film. Richard did so in Jurassic Park (1993). Colin Firth, who had already played Mr. Darcy in Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), was also featured as a character in the sequel novel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004). He returned to play both his original character and himself, though the scene in which he played himself was deleted. Paolo Roberto then went on to play himself in The Girl Who Played with Fire (2009). |
| 4 | Attended Mt. Carmel High School, Chicago. |
| 5 | Won two Tony Awards as Best Actor (Musical): in 1959 for "Redhead" and in 1966 for his signature role, "Man of La Mancha". He was also nominated in the same category in 1962 for "No Strings" and, in 1987, as Best Actor (Play) for a revival of Arthur Miller's "All My Sons". |
| 6 | Attended St. Thomas the Apostle elementary school in Chicago. |
| 7 | Was the original Don Quixote (as well as Cervantes) in "Man of La Mancha". |
| 8 | Has six children. |
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|
| Celanese Theatre | 1952 | TV Series |
| The Sniper | 1952 | Dr. James G. Kent |
| Lux Video Theatre | 1952 | TV Series | Dan |
| The Mob | 1951 | Thomas 'Tom' Clancy |
| Big Town | 1951 | TV Series |
| Pulitzer Prize Playhouse | 1950-1951 | TV Series |
| The Clock | 1950-1951 | TV Series |
| Jesus the Christ | 2002 | Matthew |
| Blue Moon | 1999 | TV Movie | Jimmy Keating |
| Mysteries of the Bible III | 1998 | TV Series | Narrator (voice) |
| Patch Adams | 1998 | Dr. Titan |
| Biography | 1993-1998 | TV Series documentary | Narrator |
| Ally McBeal | 1998 | TV Series | Seymore Little |
| Time to Say Goodbye? | 1997 | Dr. Gerald Klooster |
| Tigers of the Snow | 1997 | TV Movie | Narrator (voice) |
| Mary & Tim | 1996 | TV Movie | Ron Melville |
| The Rockford Files: Punishment and Crime | 1996 | TV Movie | Frank Dougherty |
| Phenomenon | 1996 | Dr. Wellin |
| Secrets | 1995 | TV Movie | Dr. Will Berter |
| The Great Defender | 1995 | TV Series | Jason DeWitt |
| Christy | 1994 | TV Series | Dr. Ferrand |
| A Passion for Justice: The Hazel Brannon Smith Story | 1994 | TV Movie | Earl Clayburn |
| Picket Fences | 1992-1994 | TV Series | Hayden Langston |
| The Cosby Mysteries | 1994 | TV Movie | Sears Cushing |
| The Poetry Hall of Fame | 1993 | TV Movie |
| Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | 1993 | TV Series | Seyetik |
| The Visual Bible: Matthew | 1993 | Old Matthew |
| Jurassic Park | 1993 | Jurassic Park Tour Voice (voice) |
| Tribeca | 1993 | TV Series | Winston Hannah |
| Mastergate | 1992 | TV Movie | Archer Bowman |
| The Ray Bradbury Theater | 1992 | TV Series | Doug |
| Absolute Strangers | 1991 | TV Movie | Dr. R.J. Cannon |
| Separate But Equal | 1991 | TV Mini-Series | Chief Justice Earl Warren |
| Aladdin | 1990 | TV Movie | Magician |
| Gunsmoke: The Last Apache | 1990 | TV Movie | Chalk Brighton |
| The Final Days | 1989 | TV Movie | J. Fred Buzhardt |
| Miami Cops | 1989 | as Richard David Kiley |
| My First Love | 1988 | TV Movie | Sam Morrissey |
| A Year in the Life | 1987-1988 | TV Series | Joe Gardner |
| A Year in the Life | 1986 | TV Mini-Series | Joe Gardner |
| Howard the Duck | 1986 | The Cosmos (voice) |
| The Twilight Zone | 1986 | TV Series | Sir Lancelot du Lac (segment "The Last Defender of Camelot") |
| If Tomorrow Comes | 1986 | TV Mini-Series | Gunther Hartog |
| American Playhouse | 1986 | TV Series | Col. Grangerford |
| The Canterville Ghost | 1985 | TV Movie | Sir Simon de Canterville |
| Do You Remember Love | 1985 | TV Movie | George Hollis |
| A.D. | 1985 | TV Mini-Series | Claudius |
| The Bad Seed | 1985 | TV Movie | Richard Bravo |
| Hotel | 1985 | TV Series | Matt Carmichael |
| Return to Everest | 1984 | TV Movie | Narrator (voice) |
| George Washington | 1984 | TV Mini-Series | George Mason |
| Parade of Stars | 1983 | TV Movie | Don Quixote
Cervantes |
| The Thorn Birds | 1983 | TV Mini-Series | Paddy Cleary |
| Pray TV | 1982 | TV Movie | Rev. Gus Keiffer |
| Isabel's Choice | 1981 | TV Movie | Lyman Jones |
| Golden Gate | 1981 | TV Movie | Thomas J. Kingsley |
| Endless Love | 1981 | Arthur Axelrod |
| Angel on My Shoulder | 1980 | TV Movie | Nick |
| Looking for Mr. Goodbar | 1977 | Mr. Dunn |
| The Andros Targets | 1977 | TV Series | Rev. Ellis |
| Hawaii Five-O | 1976 | TV Series | Sam Patton |
| How the West Was Won | 1976 | TV Series | Timothy Macahan |
| The Macahans | 1976 | TV Movie | Timothy Macahan |
| Medical Story | 1975 | TV Series | Mark Kellerman |
| Friendly Persuasion | 1975 | TV Movie | Jess Birdwell |
| Give Me Liberty | 1974 | TV Movie |
| The Little Prince | 1974 | The Pilot |
| Cannon | 1974 | TV Series | Bishop Michael Harrigan |
| The American Parade | 1974 | TV Mini-Series |
| Columbo | 1974 | TV Series | Mark Halperin |
| Great Performances | 1974 | TV Series | Introduction Narrator |
| Gunsmoke | 1970-1973 | TV Series | Will Stambridge / Bohannan / Tom Lynott / ... |
| Jigsaw | 1972 | TV Movie | District Attorney Dan Bellington |
| The F.B.I. | 1968-1972 | TV Series | Frederic Oliver Scott / Dr. Herbert Barth / John Streyer |
| Night Gallery | 1969-1972 | TV Series | Ralph Burke (segment "The Ghost of Sorworth Place") / SS-Gruppenführer Helmut Arndt / Josef Strobe |
| The Swan Song | 1972 | Short | Theatre Actor |
| All the Way Home | 1971 | TV Movie | Jay Follet |
| Murder Once Removed | 1971 | TV Movie | Frank Manning |
| The Name of the Game | 1970-1971 | TV Series | Arlen McKittrick / Dr. Judson Strode |
| Medical Center | 1971 | TV Series | Dr. Thomas Patton |
| Incident in San Francisco | 1971 | TV Movie | Robert Harmon |
| Bonanza | 1970 | TV Series | Sheriff Gideon Yates |
| Mod Squad | 1970 | TV Series | Vincent Warren |
| NET Playhouse | 1970 | TV Series | King Ethelred |
| The New People | 1969 | TV Series | Hannichek |
| Judd for the Defense | 1969 | TV Series | Barnaby Cutler |
| Pendulum | 1969 | Woodrow Wilson King |
| Garrison's Gorillas | 1968 | TV Series | Frank Keeler / Field Marshal Ernst Donner |
| The Danny Thomas Hour | 1968 | TV Series |
| Coronet Blue | 1967 | TV Series | Dr. Courtland |
| The Long, Hot Summer | 1965 | TV Series | Sen. Jonathan Dane |
| Slattery's People | 1964 | TV Series | Dr. Robert Kelly |
| Kraft Suspense Theatre | 1964 | TV Series | Lou Franklin |
| The Defenders | 1961-1964 | TV Series | Harvey Slaughter / Acting Governor White / George Helber |
| The Doctors and the Nurses | 1964 | TV Series | Manning |
| Ben Casey | 1964 | TV Series | Dr. Paul Hamilton |
| The Great Adventure | 1964 | TV Series | Col. Edwin L. Drake |
| The Eleventh Hour | 1963 | TV Series | Kenneth Newell |
| The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | 1963 | TV Series | Jim Derry |
| Alcoa Premiere | 1962 | TV Series | Dr. Jonathan Bent |
| Cain's Hundred | 1962 | TV Series | Doug Crawford |
| Dr. Kildare | 1961 | TV Series | Fred Carroll |
| The United States Steel Hour | 1953-1961 | TV Series | Charlie Webb / Scott Malone / Paul Barman / ... |
| Play of the Week | 1961 | TV Series |
| Goodyear Theatre | 1958 | TV Series | Captain Josiah Newman |
| Alfred Hitchcock Presents | 1958 | TV Series | Harry Adams |
| Decision | 1958 | TV Series | Paul Scott |
| Kraft Theatre | 1951-1958 | TV Series | Fred Staples
Hacker
Artaban
... |
| Playhouse 90 | 1957-1958 | TV Series | Dr. David Del Vecchio / Bob Lyttleton |
| The Power of the Resurrection | 1958 | Peter |
| Spanish Affair | 1957 | Merritt Blake |
| Studio One in Hollywood | 1951-1957 | TV Series | Fred Baxter / Edward Dean / Merrick / ... |
| The Alcoa Hour | 1957 | TV Series | Peter Melnecke |
| The Kaiser Aluminum Hour | 1957 | TV Series | David Oro |
| The Edge of Night | 1956 | TV Series | Leland Davis Breckenridge (1961) |
| Armstrong Circle Theatre | 1955 | TV Series | Sergeant Krenzer |
| The Phenix City Story | 1955 | John Patterson |
| Climax! | 1955 | TV Series | Charley Kincaid |
| General Electric Theater | 1955 | TV Series |
| Blackboard Jungle | 1955 | Joshua Y. Edwards |
| Encounter | 1955 | TV Series | Vail Trahern |
| You Are There | 1953-1955 | TV Series | Andrew Marvell / Captain John Montressor / Apollodorus |
| The Ford Television Theatre | 1954 | TV Series | Walter Crandall |
| Omnibus | 1954 | TV Series | Actor |
| Goodyear Playhouse | 1954 | TV Series |
| Campbell Summer Soundstage | 1954 | TV Series |
| Justice | 1954 | TV Series |
| Ponds Theater | 1954 | TV Series |
| Medallion Theatre | 1954 | TV Series |
| The Web | 1950-1953 | TV Series |
| Danger | 1951-1953 | TV Series |
| The Revlon Mirror Theater | 1953 | TV Series |
| Pickup on South Street | 1953 | Joey |
| Short Short Dramas | 1952-1953 | TV Series |
| Tales of Tomorrow | 1953 | TV Series |
| Eight Iron Men | 1952 | Pvt. Coke |
| Robert Montgomery Presents | 1950-1952 | TV Series |
| Suspense | 1950-1952 | TV Series | Webb Wilson |
| Curtain Call | 1952 | TV Series |
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|
| Jack and Jill | 2011/I | performer: "The Impossible Dream" |
| Great Performances | 2004 | TV Series performer - 1 episode |
| American Masters | 1999 | TV Series documentary performer - 1 episode |
| Parade of Stars | 1983 | TV Movie performer: "Dulcinea" |
| The Little Prince | 1974 | performer: "I Need Air It's A Hat", "I'm On Your Side", "Little Prince", "I Never Met A Rose", "Why Is The Desert?" |
| Night Gallery | 1969 | TV Series performer - 1 episode |
| The Kraft Music Hall | 1969 | TV Series performer - 1 episode |
| The Jerry Lewis Show | 1967 | TV Series performer - 1 episode |
| The Ed Sullivan Show | 1962-1966 | TV Series performer - 2 episodes |
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|
| Great Broadway Musical Moments from the Ed Sullivan Show | 2015 | TV Movie documentary | Don Quijote |
| Fresco: The Ancient Art of Fresco Comes Alive | 1999 | TV Movie documentary | Narrator |
| The Gates of Jerusalem: A History of the Holy City | 1998 | Documentary | Himself - Host |
| Mysteries of the Bible | 1994-1998 | TV Series documentary | Himself - Narrator |
| Hugh Hefner: American Playboy Revisited | 1998 | TV Movie documentary | Himself (Narrator) |
| The City of Greater New York: The Story of Consolidation | 1998 | TV Movie documentary | Thomas Collier Platt (voice) |
| Wolves at Our Door | 1997 | TV Movie documentary | Narrator |
| The Sonoran Desert: A Violent Eden | 1997 | TV Movie documentary | Narrator (voice) |
| 3 Minutes to Impact | 1996 | TV Movie documentary | Narrator (voice) |
| The Pig Picture | 1995 | Documentary short | Narrator |
| American Masters | 1995 | TV Series documentary | Himself - Actor |
| 30 Years of National Geographic Specials | 1995 | TV Movie documentary | Himself - Narrator |
| Beyond Planet Earth | 1994 | Video Game documentary | Narrator |
| Mysteries Underground | 1992 | TV Movie | Himself - Narrator |
| Changing Minds, Changing Times | 1991 | Documentary short | Himself |
| No Gravy for the Cat | 1990 | Documentary short | Narrator |
| Power and Fear: The Hollywood Graylist | 1990 | Video documentary short | Himself - Host |
| Great Performances | 1989-1990 | TV Series | Himself |
| National Geographic Specials | 1976-1990 | TV Series documentary | Himself - Narrator |
| World of Discovery | 1990 | TV Series documentary | Narrator |
| To the Limit | 1989 | Documentary short | Narrator |
| National Geographic Explorer | 1985-1989 | TV Series documentary | Himself - Narrator |
| Natural World | 1988 | TV Series documentary | Narrator |
| The 40th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards | 1988 | TV Special | Himself - Winner: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series |
| Lerner and Loewe: Broadway's Last Romantics | 1988 | TV Movie | Himself - Host |
| The 45th Annual Golden Globe Awards | 1988 | TV Special | Himself - Winner: Best Actor in a TV-Series Drama |
| Lions of the African Night | 1987 | Documentary | Narrator (voice) |
| Treasures from the Past | 1987 | Documentary | Himself - Narrator |
| The Infinite Voyage | 1987 | TV Series documentary | Host (1987-1989) |
| Grace Kelly: The American Princess | 1987 | Video documentary | Narrator (voice) |
| National Geographic: White Wolf | 1986 | TV Movie documentary | Narrator |
| The 40th Annual Tony Awards | 1986 | TV Special | Himself - Performer |
| Planet Earth | 1986 | TV Series documentary | Narrator |
| Ballad of the Irish Horse | 1985 | TV Movie documentary | Narrator (voice) |
| The 36th Primetime Emmy Awards | 1984 | TV Special | Himself - Presenter: Tribute to Rod Serling |
| Yorktown | 1983 | Documentary short | Narrator |
| American Playhouse | 1983 | TV Series | Himself - Host |
| Starfest: The Stars Salute Public Television | 1983 | TV Special | Himself - Host |
| Night of 100 Stars | 1982 | TV Special | Himself |
| Some Call Them... Freaks | 1981 | TV Movie documentary | Himself - Host |
| The 34th Annual Tony Awards | 1980 | TV Special | Himself - Presenter: Best Direction of a Play |
| New Media Bible, The: The Gospel According to St. Luke | 1979 | Documentary | Narrator, St. Luke (voice) |
| The Mike Douglas Show | 1972-1977 | TV Series | Himself - Actor |
| The Eye of Jefferson | 1977 | Documentary short | Narrator |
| Nova | 1977 | TV Series documentary | Narrator |
| Incident at Browns Ferry | 1977 | Documentary | Narrator |
| The 25th Annual Tony Awards | 1971 | TV Special | Himself - Perfomer |
| a.k.a. Cassius Clay | 1970 | Documentary | Host / Narrator |
| The Merv Griffin Show | 1970 | TV Series | Himself |
| Shaw vs. Shakespeare I: The Character of Caesar | 1970 | Documentary short | Julius Caesar |
| Shaw vs. Shakespeare II: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar | 1970 | Documentary short | Julius Caesar |
| Shaw vs. Shakespeare III: Caesar and Cleopatra | 1970 | Documentary short | Julius Caesar |
| Mantovani and His Concert Orchestra | 1969 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Kraft Music Hall | 1969 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Joey Bishop Show | 1968 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Woody Woodbury Show | 1968 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Jerry Lewis Show | 1967 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Carol Burnett Show | 1967 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Ed Sullivan Show | 1962-1966 | TV Series | Himself
Cervantes
Don Quixote
... |
| The 16th Annual Tony Awards | 1962 | TV Special | Himself - Nominee: Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical |
| An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving | 1961 | TV Movie | Himself |
| The Steve Allen Plymouth Show | 1959 | TV Series | Himself - Singer |
| This Is Your Life | 1958 | TV Series | Himself |
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|
| 1997 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Informational Special | Tigers of the Snow (1997) |
| 1994 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series | Picket Fences (1992) |
| 1991 | Bronze Wrangler | Western Heritage Awards | Factual Narrative | World of Discovery (1990) |
| 1988 | Golden Globe | Golden Globes, USA | Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama | A Year in the Life (1987) |
| 1988 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | A Year in the Life (1987) |
| 1984 | Golden Globe | Golden Globes, USA | Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | The Thorn Birds (1983) |
| 1983 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special | The Thorn Birds (1983) |
| 1976 | Bronze Wrangler | Western Heritage Awards | Fictional Television Drama | The Macahans (1976) |
| 1975 | Bronze Wrangler | Western Heritage Awards | Factual Television Program | The American Parade (1974) |
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|
| 1995 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Informational Special | 30 Years of National Geographic Specials (1995) |
| 1993 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series | Picket Fences (1992) |
| 1992 | Golden Globe | Golden Globes, USA | Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Separate But Equal (1991) |
| 1992 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | The Ray Bradbury Theater (1985) |
| 1991 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special | Separate But Equal (1991) |
| 1985 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special | Do You Remember Love (1985) |
