Richard Harrison Movies
Though Richard Harrison is perhaps best remembered by American audiences as a footnote in most biographies of Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood (he recommended Eastwood for the lead in Leone's Fistful of Dollars), the ruggedly handsome actor enjoyed one of the longest film careers of any American expatriate performer. Born in Utah in 1935, Harrison relocated to Los Angeles and worked as a fitness trainer and physique model before moving onto bit parts in television and films like South Pacific and Kronos. He married Loretta Nicholson, daughter of American International Pictures chief James Nicholson, and was on the verge of becoming an AIP stock player when he received an offer from Italian producer Italo Zingarelli to come to Europe and star in The Invincible Gladiator, one of a host of sword-and-sandal films made in the wake of Steve Reeves' Hercules (1958). Harrison's toned (but not overdeveloped) build, male-model good looks, and physical prowess helped make the film into a success, and he would star in several more "peplum" before making the transition to Italian Westerns and spy pictures in the mid-'60s. Though virtually unknown in the United States, Harrison quickly became a top draw in the rest of the world, and remained a leading man well into the late '70s. Under the name James London, Harrison also wrote and directed Two Brothers in Trinity, (1972), a broad Western-comedy co-starring Donald O'Brien. As the '70s drew to a close, Harrison made films in Yugoslavia, Turkey (Una donna per sette bastardi), and later the Philippines and Hong Kong, where he appeared in two films for the Shaw Brothers, including Marco Polo (1975). While in Hong Kong, he made the acquaintance of Godfrey Ho, who directed him in Inferno Thunderbolt, a low-budget martial arts film which was incorporated into at least nine other films, each touting Harrison as the star without his knowledge. Harrison returned to the United States in the early '90s, a wealthy man from his adventures in Europe; aside from a few friendly appearances for Fred Olen Ray and a pair of bids for mayor of Palm Springs, he is content to enjoy his life in well-deserved anonymity. Harrison's son Sebastian also had a brief acting career in Europe; among his credits is the 1987 Western Scalps, directed by Bruno Mattei, and featuring a script co-written by his father. ~ Paul Gaita, All Movie Guide- 1983
After his father and sister are kidnapped, a millionaire hires an explosives team to bring them back. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1981
- R
The Four Assassins in this kung-fu effort are brothers. As the title indicates, these siblings aren't to be trifled with. Their courage and strength is tested to the utmost when they run up against a wicked Mongolian emperor. A full cast list has yet to be found: we do know that two of the brothers are played by Yuan Lung and Chai His Fan. Also starring is Richard Harrison, hero of many a sword 'n' sandal pic of the sixties and seventies. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
Challenge of the Tiger is one of the more notorious members of the "Bruce-sploitation" subgenre of martial arts movies, a loose label referring to exploitative quickies that cashed in on the untimely death of Bruce Lee. Such films often featured a lookalike martial artist billed with a name and likeness close to that of Bruce Lee and Challenge of the Tiger doesn't disappoint in this respect -- it stars one Bruce Le, who also directs this bizarre outing. Le plays C.I.A. agent Wong Leung, who teams up with fellow agent Richard Cannon (played by European exploitation star Richard Harrison) to keep the forces of evil from getting their hands on a serum that makes its users sterile. The film uses this premise as springboard for plenty of sex and violence, including such memorable highlights as Harrison playing tennis with a bevy of topless women (in slow motion, no less) and Le using his martial arts skills to fight a bull. Between the premise and such scenes, Challenge of the Tiger has earned a legendary reputation amongst fans of exploitation fare. Genre devotees should note that the film was also released on video as Gymkata Killer and received a formal DVD reissue in 2005 by Mondo Macabro. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Le, Richard Harrison, (more)
There's nothing more terrifying than a Beast With a Gun, and when psychotic criminal Nanni Vitali (Helmut Berger) and three violent thugs stage a jailbreak, the streets will run red with blood in the final film from notorious director Sergio Grieco. Taking to the pavement in a horrific frenzy of rape, robbery, and revenge, Vitali seals his own grim fate when, in brutalizing a beautiful young woman, he catches the attention of a determined cop (Richard Harrison) bent on bringing the murderous madman to justice. As his relentless slide into darkness speeds to a furious race against death, Vitali seems determined to avoid going back into his cage even if it means going down in a hail of bullets and gunsmoke. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Helmut Berger, Marisa Mell, (more)
- 1977
In this film, a small troop of American Marines battle Japanese forces on a South Pacific island during World War II. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1976
In the midst of a wave of Italian Nazi sex/horror films during 1976-1977, this standard sleazefest from director Luigi Batzella (using the pseudonym "Ivan Kathansky") was tarted up with extra scenes of sex and torture and promoted as an Italian version of Ilsa, She-Wolf of the S.S. In spirit, it's actually closer to a hybrid of that film and its sequel, Ilsa, Harem Keeper of the Oil Sheiks, as Allied prisoners and a harem of Arab women end up in a Nazi concentration camp run by a sadistic doctor named Erika (Lea Krugher using her "Lea Lander" pseudonym). The usual atrocities ensue, punched up by occasional stock footage from other Batzella war films and a cast including familiar exploitation faces like Richard Harrison, Gordon Mitchell, and Isarco Ravaioli. It's a mess, too sick for most war film fans and not sick enough for fans of the Nazi S&M subgenre, but Batzella remedied that situation with his next foray, the appalling La Bestia in Calore, which jettisoned action elements to focus on sexual atrocities. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- 1975
This spaghetti western spoof originally travelled under the cumbersome title Jesse and Lester, Two Brothers in a Place Called Trinity (Due Fratelli in un Posto Chiamato Trinita). Jesse is played by former sword-and-sandal habitue Richard Harrison, who also served as coproducer. Lester is portrayed by Donald O'Brien, evidently a newcomer. Choosing different paths in life, Jesse prefers spending time in the local brothel, while Lester opts for the Mormon church. Putting their differences aside, Jesse and Lester fight shoulder to shoulder when the bad guys come calling. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Zinneman, Donal O'Brien, (more)
- 1975
In this martial arts movie, Marco Polo (Richard Harrison) has already had his famous encounter with Kublai Khan, the Mongol ruler of China, and has been appointed the governor of Yangchow. When some men loyal to the previous Chinese dynasty attack the new emperor, Marco and his aide Li Hsiung-feng (Alexander Fu Sheng) track them down. Kung-fu fighting follows. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alexander Fu-Sheng, Chi Kuan-Chun, (more)
- 1973
In this spaghetti Western, Richard Harrison stars as a mercenary who hunts down the gunrunners who raped his wife (Anne Puskin) and killed his brother. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Two opposite brothers are the focus of this western where one brother heads to a whorehouse and the other brother goes to a Mormon church. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1971
Before there was "Club Med," there were already vacation resorts of all kinds which featured rustic settings, games, and parties designed for short-term romance. In this French-language crime comedy, a thief returns to the place where he buried some stolen jewels, only to discover that the site he chose was one of those hectic, heavily populated vacation resorts. Now he must deal with the resort's parties and romantic situations while searching for his booty. At the same time, he is pursued by a former associate of his, also an ex-con, the police, and his ex-girlfriend. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1970
- PG
This uneven comedy finds Fred (Ian McShane) as a writer living off his royalties in Italy. Married to the long-suffering Millie (Ann Calder-Marshall), Fred revels in a series of affairs with a bevy of Italian beauties. Millie soon grows tired of being alone and takes up with two Italian Don Juans (Sammy Pavel and Marino Mase). When she meets Grant Granite (John Gavin), the two immediately fall for each other and are unable to contain their animalistic passion. Joyce Van Patten also appears in this effort that barely scratches the surface of comedy outside of a few running gags. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ian McShane, Anna Calder-Marshall, (more)
- 1970
Nazis are threatening, and only a squad of British commandos can stop them. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1968
A company specializing in international espionage turns a young man into a super hero and offers his services to the United Nations. For a hefty fee, the creation will supposedly become an international policeman who will fight crime and make the world safe from the machination of evil. When the super hero sees an old girlfriend, the lengthy brain operation that gave him is powers is rendered ineffective in this science fiction feature. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Harrison, Judi West, (more)
- 1968
A bunch of anxious men attempt to track down the treasure stolen from a Texan church, and few are left standing. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
