Richard Donald Crenna was born in Los Angeles, California, into a modest-income family, the only child of Edith J. . Crenna married shortly after his graduation from USC, but the marriage was short-lived. He met and married his last wife in the late 1950s. Richard Crenna died at age 76 of heart failure on January 17, 2003 in Los Angeles, with more than 70 major motion pictures to his credit.
Was successfully treated for thyroid cancer, which almost claimed his voice.
Richard has three children - Seana, a social worker (b. 1955); Richard Anthony Crenna , an actor (b. 1959); and Maria, a CBS Vice-president (b. 1966). He also has two grandchildren - Emma (b. 1994) and Isabella.
Liked playing golf.
Crennas character, Colonel Denton Walters, in Hot Shots! Part Deux , is a tip of the hat to his old character Walter Denton in the radio and television series "Our Miss Brooks" (1952) .
His mother is named Edith.
Attended Belmont High School in Los Angeles.
He spoofed his role from the Rambo films in Hot Shots! Part Deux .
Member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity at the University of Southern California.
Attended Virgil Junior High School on Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles. Today its known as Virgil Middle School.
Crenna had a recurring role on "Judging Amy" as Jared Duff, the fianc of Maxine Gray, Tyne Daly s character. His unexpected death prompted the writers of the series to have his character die unexpectedly as well, just before Jared and Maxine were to be married. The 2003 episode, entitled "Requiem", was dedicated to Crennas memory.
Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume 7, 2003-2005, pages 111-112. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2007.
Has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6714 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
His parents were both of Italian descent.
The June 11, 1969, and also Aug. 20, editions of Variety, in its Hollywood Production Pulse column, shows Richard Crenna starring with Robert Conrad and Tippi Hedren in the movie Seven Against Kansas, directed by David Friedkin, which started filming June 10, 1969, in Almeria, Spain. No evidence if the film was ever completed.
