RICHARD
CLAYMAN's career has spanned 30 years as a writer, director, producer
and actor in television, theater and film. Richard started at 18 as a
radio DJ, talk show host and sportscaster. Soon after, he was offered
his first job in television, assisting the producer of THE JOHN WOODEN
SHOW. After just 3 weeks the producer left, and Richard, though a
novice to the business, jumped at the opportunity. For the next 2 years
he learned on the job, producing, directing and writing some 200 events,
documentaries and specials, including RAMS and RAIDERS football, USC TROJAN
football and basketball and DAVIS CUP tennis. Richard received an Emmy
nomination for THE JOHN ROBINSON SHOW, and also found time to continue
broadcasting, hosting pre-game shows for the USC Football radio
network and the WFL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SUN.
But sports began to
wear thin (imagine anything wearing thin at 21 years old!), and Richard
joined Norman Lear’s Embassy, Tandem and TAT Productions, working
under the head of production. Within a year, his boss had moved on, and
Richard again stepped in. For the next 4 years, he headed production on
such shows as ALL IN THE FAMILY, MAUDE, ONE DAY AT A TIME, THE JEFFERSONS,
GOOD TIMES, SANFORD & SON, MARY HARTMAN MARY HARTMAN, FERNWOOD 2NIGHT,
PALMERSTOWN USA, DIFF'RENT STROKES and THE FACTS OF LIFE. He also produced,
directed and wrote, including TV spots for Lear's PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN
WAY. As Vice President in Charge of Production, Richard was responsible for
all series and pilots of what was at the time Hollywood’s biggest TV
videotape production entity by far.
Yet,
Richard yearned for a more creative life. So, at 26, having completed
a $100 million deal to move Lear’s companies to a new home at Universal
Studios, Richard turned down lucrative offers from other studios such as
Paramount, and began to pursue his dream of writing and directing. Knowing
that in order to direct he had to understand acting, Richard joined an acting
workshop and for the next 10 years lived that difficult yet rewarding life.
While still actively producing, writing and directing, he also performed in
14 plays, starred in a low-budget feature film, did minor TV work and ran his
own acting workshop for 5 years.
Finally, Richard’s
“education” was complete. It was time to quit acting and make
a film. WHISTLESTOP GIRL, a 47-minute “short” written and
directed by Richard and starring Anthony Geary of GENERAL HOSPITAL fame,
won the Gold Award at Worldfest Houston and then became the surprise
hit of the Independent Feature Film Market in New York. Widescreen, black
and white, taking place in 1963, literate – no wonder it was a
surprise. The New York Times called it “A home run,” and WHISTLESTOP
GIRL turned out to be the only film of over 400 at the IFFM which
actually signed a distribution deal before the market’s end.
While continuing to
write screenplays and coach a long list of successful actors, Richard
turned to theater, directing his ROCKY MOUNTAIN SUNDAY at the Beverly
Hills Playhouse. The play garnered 11 Dramalogue Awards, including BEST
DIRECTOR for Richard. Following this, Richard co-wrote and directed VINCE:
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF LOMBARDI, the one-man show starring John Pinero. After
a rave review by Mike Downey of the Los Angeles Times, VINCE sold out
for 4 months in Los Angeles, and has since toured the country, including
the Super Bowl in New Orleans, the 2,000-seat Weidner Center in Green
Bay, the 2,200-seat Civic Center in Madison, consecutive annual engagements
at the 1,500-seat Pabst Theater in Milwaukee and the NFL Pro Football Hall
of Fame Ceremonies in Canton, Ohio. During this period, Richard also produced
and/or directed such TV series as IN THE NAME OF LOVE (Lifetime Cable), THE
JERSEY (Disney Channel), THE CRAYON BOX (Random House/Polygram), the Showtime
pilot HUTCHINGTON SQUARE (Chiodo Bros. Productions), the comedy pilot THE
WASHINGTON-BYRNES REPORT (CNN), the live action/puppeteering pilots SKWIDS
(Nickelodeon) and LUNCHTIME (Disney Channel) and, most recently, the initial
two episodes of an exciting new DVD series, ANIMAL WOW.
Currently,
Richard is especially excited about several new projects. JIM MURRAY TONIGHT:
THE WIT AND WISDOM OF “THE WORLD’S GREATEST SPORTSWRITER”,
a humorous, moving, high-profile one-man show starring ROBERT HAYS is being
written and will be directed by Richard (who will also exec produce with
Linda McCoy-Murray and Roy Firestone). The hilarious one-woman show COOKIN'
WITH A RIGHT SMART OF LOVE, a "Southern Kitchen Comedy Musical"
starring Bobbi Jo Lathan and written by Lathan and Richard, is being
developed as a TV series. On the literary side, Richard has recently completed
his first novel, based on his acclaimed play ROCKY MOUNTAIN SUNDAY. Biopic
screenplay TUCKING IN THE ENDS: THE STORY OF LEGENDARY JAZZ DRUMMER STAN
LEVEY has recently been written by Richard, who is also working on a new
novel, a fresh, fun look at the Arthurian Legends Richard has also finished a
new book on acting, THE ACTOR'S TOOLBOX: THE ART OF CREATING LIFE and is
developing exciting new software to accompany it. Another screenplay, based
on the extraordinary life of BILLY CARTER (President Jimmy's infamous brother)
is currently being penned by Brendan Vogel and Richard, with Richard to
direct.
Television Directing
and/or Producing Credits after Embassy/Tandem include:
THE CAVANAUGHS (CBS), COWBOY JOE (pilot - ABC/Imagine Pictures TV); SHAPING
UP (ABC/Paramount TV/James Brooks); 221B BAKER STREET (10 episodes); in
Fiji and Australia, EMMA, QUEEN OF THE SOUTH SEAS, OPT miniseries with
Barbara Carrera, Hal Holbrook, E.G. Marshall; THE MARCUS ALLEN SPECIAL
(NBC); DECADES OF GREATNESS (NBC); a series of RAIDERS commercials; IN
THE NAME OF LOVE (Lifetime series); SKWID ZONE (Nickelodeon series pilot);
THE CRAYON BOX (Random House Ent./Polygram, National Syndication); THE
JERSEY (The Disney Channel series); HUTCHINGTON SQUARE (Showtime Pilot);
THE WASHINGTON-BYRNES REPORT (CNNComedy Pilot), LUNCHTIME (Disney Channel)
and ANIMAL WOW (DVD Series). Television Writing Credits include
PARADISE(CBS) and THE YOUNG RIDERS(ABC).
Theatre Credits
include:
Playwright/Director, ROCKY MOUNTAIN SUNDAY (Best Director Award, Dramalogue,
Beverly Hills Playhouse); Playwright/Producer/Star, TAKING OFF - AN EVENING
AWAY FROM THE CITY (Dramalogue Award, Odyssey Theatre); Playwright/Director,
LOS GRANDES PESCADORES (Odyssey Theatre), Shaw's VILLAGE WOOING (Wilton
Project), Tennessee Williams' THE LADY OF LARKSPUR LOTION (Wilton Project),
COACHES (Dramalogue Award, Los Angeles Times "Best of the Weekend",
Company of CharActors); THE PIT (Ventura Court), DIAMOND GIRLS (Hudson);
Director/Co-Playwright, Bobbi Jo Lathan's COOKIN' WITH A RIGHT SMART OF
LOVE (Whitefire Theatre) and John Pinero's acclaimed national one-man
tour, VINCE, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF LOMBARDI ("**** Four Stars!",
Green Bay Press-Gazette).
Film Credits include:
Director/Writer/Producer, WHISTLESTOP GIRL (Worldfest Houston Gold Award),
a short feature starring Anthony Geary; and DUKE, a feature presentation
from Clayman's screenplay starring Peter Onorati.
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"Three
words... hire Richard Clayman."
--Bobbi Jo Lathan