Benedict, Richard, 1916-1984

Richard Benedict, (born Joseph Sciurba) aka Riccardo Benedetto, came to the United States from his native Sicily when he was 7. He was a prizefighter until he entered the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a movie actor in Hollywood from 1944, often cast as an amiable second lead, though he was sometimes cast as a persuasive heavy. He played the entombed prospector in Billy Wilder's "The Big Carnival" (1951 aka "Ace in the Hole"). His filmography includes 52 films dating from 1944 to 1961. In the 1960s, Richard Benedict began to direct, working on network television series, such as "Hawaiian Eye" and "Charlie's Angels". His directing filmography includes 32 titles, dating from 1965 to 1979. He died in 1984.