Richard Crenna

Actor & Director

"We make all these jokes about every waiter and waitress in L.A. is an actor. They have to be waiters and waitresses, they have to make a living so they can follow their dream. My advice to them is: if you want to do it this badly hang in there, but make sure you can pay the rent."

About This Interview

Richard Crenna (1926-2003) was interviewed for three-and-a-half hours in Los Angeles, CA. Crenna talked about his early years as a busy radio actor in Hollywood. He spoke fondly about the radio community and his work with some of the top comic talents of the era. Crenna listed his various regular roles in radio including teenager “Oogie Pringle” in “A Date With Judy,” which he demonstrated briefly. He described developing a sense of comic rhythm in radio that influenced his later work as an actor and director in television. He discussed in great detail his appearance as “Walter Denton” in the sitcom Our Miss Brooks,“Luke McCoy” in the rural sitcom The Real McCoys and “James Slattery” in the political drama Slattery’s People. Crenna also spoke of his work as a director, notably helming episodes of The Andy Griffith Show. He described his later television work executive-producing Make Room for Granddaddy; and appearing in the miniseries Centennial, the sitcom All’s Fair, the sitcom It Takes Two, and the telefilm The Rape of Richard Beck, the latter of which won him an Emmy Award. He also talked about his feature films, working with director Robert Wise in The Sand Pebbles and director Lawrence Kasdan in Body Heat. He then talked about playing the role for which he is most identified, “Colonel Trautman” in the Rambo movies. Finally, he briefly discussed his recurring character on the television drama series Judging Amy. The interview was conducted by Henry Colman on April 3, 2002.

Resources

Video: Full Our Miss Brooks episode "Madison Mascot" with Richard Crenna as "Walter Denton" (airdate: May 20, 1955)

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Highlights
Chapters
Shows
Topics

Highlights

Chapters

Shows

All's Fair
- Richard Crenna on starring in the short-lived Norman Lear sitcom All's Fair
  (05m 45s)
Andy Griffith Show, The
- Richard Crenna on directing episodes of The Andy Griffith Show (06m 16s)
Centennial
- Richard Crenna on acting in Centennial (07m 10s)
Real McCoys, The
- Richard Crenna on playing "Luke McCoy" on The Real McCoys (07m 41s)
Slattery's People
- Richard Crenna on starring in Slattery's People (10m 47s)

Topics

Television Industry > Industry Crossroads > Hollywood Blacklist (ca. 1950s)
- Richard Crenna on the Blacklist (03m 13s)

Submitted by JHarder1000 on Tue, 2011-07-05 00:22.

Whats wrong here...this si the interview in which he talks about his personal favorite among his shows, Slattery's People. It was extremely inforamtive about that sadly forgotten show, and he tells of taping the pilot in the California State House in Sacramento, and learning that Jack Kennedy had just been shot in Dallas.

Submitted by ishmyl99 on Sat, 2011-07-02 13:45.

Thank you very much for posting this interview of Richard Crenna. But why isn't Part 4 (of 7) playing? The screen says: "An error occurred. Please try again later." Plus, I can't find the Richard Crenna interview on your TVLEGENDS channel page, which I thought might explain why Part 4 isn't playing?

Submitted by Dedokai32 on Sun, 2011-05-01 20:45.

now no buts, dinner....is on you. hahahaha he thought i was gonna say on me

Submitted by JHarder1000 on Wed, 2011-04-20 21:47.

Of course, his greatest TV performance was in Slattery's People. Its a shame that show isn't more widely known.

Submitted by HITMAN800n on Mon, 2011-04-11 23:31.

What a great actor..I would watch any movie with him in it..Rcihard Crenna reminded me of the old skool of actors and movie makers...Sad he is not longer with us..
God Bless his soul.

Submitted by mxylpx on Sun, 2011-02-06 17:45.

Fine Director as well as an actor..he is missed.

Submitted by cryvoyager666 on Sun, 2010-11-28 23:27.

il colonnello troutman R.I.P.

Submitted by samsungs5200 on Sun, 2010-11-21 12:30.

1218 it's dead?:(

Submitted by rowbyville on Sun, 2010-10-31 04:00.

I was fortunate to have met Richard Crenna when DIck Martin got his star (along with Dan Rowan) at the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was just a great regular guy. I told him how popular the "Our Miss Brooks" radio shows were on the internet, and he smiled and said he wish he got residuals for that. I told him what a perfect cast and great writers that blessed "Our MIss Brooks" . He was very friendly. Then just a few months later he died. I was happy to have met him. ...Rowby

Submitted by principia1000 on Mon, 2010-10-04 01:09.

Check him out in Our Miss Brooks and The Real McCoys: an actor of astounding range and versatility.

Submitted by sirjohnrambo on Mon, 2010-09-13 08:25.

I love Colonel Troutman forever, loved Rambo 4 but still missed him

Submitted by mrdashes1 on Fri, 2010-08-20 16:46.

His character portrayal of colonel Trautman was fabulous. RIP

Submitted by raiderfan89ify on Thu, 2010-08-19 23:18.

I would have loved to seen him Rambo 4. sad he died. :( RIP COLONEL TRAUMAN.

Submitted by italyamerica on Sun, 2010-08-08 17:35.

Love Richard Crenna, great actor, non better, love him as a person, soooo true. Miss him, loved his detective films. Rest in Peace. xxxxx
KLMyers
South Shields
UK

Submitted by GeorgieWise on Thu, 2010-08-05 03:09.

Man, I'm two hours plus into listening to this amazing video. I watched a few episodes of The Real McCoy's for the frst time in fifty years and then I discovered this and now I know so much more than I did yesterday. What a gift to the world YouTube can be when we don't hate them.

Submitted by T1w4z on Thu, 2010-07-29 20:00.

Rest In Peace Richard

Capturing Television History, One Voice At A Time