Richard Long carved out a distinct legacy in mid-century American entertainment, transitioning seamlessly from brooding film noir youth to a fixture of prime-time television. While he didn't seek out flamboyant stardom, his understated screen presence made him a dependable lead across multiple hit ABC series during the golden age of television.
From his cinematic debut under Orson Welles to his iconic portrayal of Jarrod Barkley in The Big Valley, Long's career reflects the structural shifts of Hollywood production across three decades. Understanding his trajectory requires looking past the surface of standard television credits to examine how professional versatility and understated charm kept him working constantly until his untimely death at age forty-seven.
Early Film Breakthroughs and Orson Welles
Born in Chicago in December 1927, Long entered the film industry with immediate momentum. International Pictures signed him to a contract before he turned twenty, putting him in front of cameras alongside major studio stars. His feature film debut came in Orson Welles's noir-infused drama Tomorrow Is Forever (1946), where he played Drew Hamilton, the son of characters portrayed by Claudette Colbert and Welles himself.
Welles recognized an innate naturalism in Long's acting style and cast him immediately afterward in The Stranger (1946), playing Noah Longstreet opposite Edward G. Robinson and Loretta Young. That same year, Long appeared in the psychological thriller The Dark Mirror (1946) with Olivia de Havilland. These early roles typecast him as thoughtful, slightly troubled youths, allowing him to hold his own against heavyweight performers while still a teenager.
The Universal Years and Tom Kettle
As his contract shifted to Universal-International, Long expanded his range into lighter studio fare. He landed the role of Tom Kettle in The Egg and I (1947), starring alongside Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert. The film introduced Ma and Pa Kettle to audiences, a property that became a massive box-office phenomenon for the studio.
Long reprised his role as the oldest Kettle son in subsequent sequels, including Ma and Pa Kettle (1949) and Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town (1950). His film career faced a brief interruption when he was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean War, serving a two-year tour in California and Japan alongside fellow future actors like Clint Eastwood and Martin Milner. Upon returning, he completed his run in the franchise with Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm (1952) while simultaneously branching into westerns and horror, including roles in Kansas Raiders (1950) and William Castle's cult classic House on Haunted Hill (1959).
Transition to Television and Warner Bros.
By the late 1950s, motion picture studios were contracting, and television offered stable, widespread employment. Long signed with Warner Bros. and quickly became a familiar face across their stable of detective and western programs. He appeared as "Gentleman" Jack Darby in several episodes of Maverick, showcasing a polished, charismatic persona that set him apart from rougher genre archetypes.
Warner Bros. soon capitalized on his growing popularity by casting him as private investigator Rex Randolph in Bourbon Street Beat (1959–1960). When that series concluded, the character migrated directly into other network properties, leading to regular roles on Hawaiian Eye and 77 Sunset Strip (1960–1962). This era established Long as a reliable anchor for serialized network television, capable of carrying ensemble dynamics without demanding center stage.
Defining Roles: The Big Valley and Nanny and the Professor
Long secured his most enduring television legacy through two distinct ABC series that defined his mature career.
From 1965 to 1969, he starred as Jarrod Barkley in the western drama The Big Valley. Unlike his siblings on the show—portrayed by actors like Peter Breck and Lee Majors—Jarrod was the eldest son and the family's intellectual anchor. As a principled attorney in 1870s California, Jarrod balanced physical frontier grit with legal sophistication. Long also stepped behind the camera during the show's run, directing two episodes.
Following the cancellation of The Big Valley, Long pivoted entirely away from the gritty western format into gentle family comedy. From 1970 to 1971, he starred as Professor Harold Everett in Nanny and the Professor, alongside co-star Juliet Mills. Playing a widowed college professor raising three children with the help of a magical nanny, Long displayed a warm, comedic timing that introduced him to a new generation of viewers.
Personal Life and Health Struggles
Off-screen, Long's life was marked by both profound personal tragedy and quiet domestic stability. In 1954, he married actress Suzan Ball, who had recently lost a leg to cancer. Her battle with the illness captured public sympathy, and her death in August 1955 at age twenty-one devastated Long.
In 1957, he married actress and model Mara Corday, with whom he built a lasting family life, raising three children: Carey, Valerie, and Gregory. Despite his steady professional output, Long battled significant health issues from early middle age, suffering his first heart attack in 1961 at just thirty-three years old. He managed these recurring cardiac problems while continuing to work in television films like Death Cruise (1974). On December 21, 1974—just four days after his forty-seventh birthday—he suffered a fatal heart attack in Los Angeles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Richard Long's most famous role?
He is best remembered for playing Jarrod Barkley, the eldest son and lawyer in the western series The Big Valley (1965–1969), as well as Professor Harold Everett in Nanny and the Professor (1970–1971).
Was Richard Long related to any other actors?
No, though his sister Barbara Long was married to actor Marshall Thompson until Thompson's death in 1992. Richard Long was also married to actresses Suzan Ball and Mara Corday.
Why did Richard Long pass away at a young age?
Long suffered from chronic heart issues throughout his adult life, experiencing his first heart attack in 1961. He passed away from a heart attack in December 1974 at the age of forty-seven.
Did Richard Long appear in horror films?
Yes. Aside from his work in westerns and family comedies, he starred in William Castle's classic horror film House on Haunted Hill (1959) and Universal's monster feature Cult of the Cobra (1955).
