Richard Shull was born in Evanston, Illinois on February 24, 1929, the son of Zana Marie (nee Brown), a court stenographer, and Ulysses Homer Shull, a manufacturing executive. He attended York High School in Elmhurst, Illinois and the University of Iowa.. He served in the U. S. Army before starting his Broadway career as a stage manager.
He got his first big break as an actor when he was cast in the Marx Brothers musical bio Minnie’s Boys in 1970 which he starred with actress Shelley Winters. Richard was the recipient of a Tony Award and Drama Desk Award nomination for his Broadway work on Goodtime Charlie in 1975. Richard's later career included such theater notables as The Marriage of Bette and Boo in 1985, for which he won an off-Broadway Obie award, and the ever-popular Victor/Victoria starring a resurgent Julie Andrews. in 1995. Additional theatre credits include Fools, The Front Page, and A Flea in Her Ear.
His hangdog demeanor, puffy features and bemused manner proved an excellent scene stealer in comedy roles and he moved easily into film and TV in mid-career. Following his film debut in the very obscure Watch the Birdie (1965), Richard came into his own starting in 1971 with regular roles in such movies as The Anderson Tapes (1971), Klute (1971), Made for Each Other (1971), Slither (1973). Hail (1972), Hearts of the West (1975), The Big Bus (1976), Splash (1984), Garbo Talks (1984), Unfaithfully Yours (1984), Housesitter (1992), Trapped in Paradise (1994) and, his last, Private Parts (1997) with Howard Stern.
His television appearances included Love, American Style in the episode "Love and the Locksmith", Ironside "Once More for Joey" aired 1974, Good Times "The Visitor", The Rockford Files "The Great Blue Lake", Alice "Flo's Chili Reception", Diana co star, Lou Grant episode "Samaratan", and Hart to Hart. On TV, he was probably best known for his title role on the silly, short-lived series Holmes and Yoyo (1976) as Det. Alexander Holmes, opposite John Schuck who played Yoyo, a robotic cop. He also appeared in numerous television movies. He appeared as the judge in a music video, "Keeping the Faith" (1984), by Billy Joel. In 1963 Richard became a member of the historical theater club, The Lambs, served on its council and remained a member until his death.
As a writer, Shull wrote the 1960 play Fenton's Folly, which was adapted as Fentons völlig verrückte Erfindung (1967), an independent German movie filmed in Austria. Shull also wrote the story for the 1966 thriller movie Aroused, and co-authored, with William L. Rose, the dramatic film Pamela, Pamela You are... (1968).
Richard died of a heart attack on October 14, 1999 at the age of 70 while appearing in the play Epic Proportions in New York City. He was buried at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, Westchester County, New York. He was married to the former Deborah Thomas.
The Lineage:
(Richard Shull was the husband of Deborah Lee Thomas. Deborah was the daughter of William Street, Jr. and Catherine McQuie, granddaughter of William Street and Louise Jones Thomas and great-granddaughter of William Henry and Martha Tinsley Thomas. William Henry was the third child of Stanley and Emily Ann Light Thomas. Stanley was the second child of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas. Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas. Mary was the seventh child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges)
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