According to THR character actor Richard Venture – who starred in three films that were nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award – passed away a few weeks ago at the age of 94. Venture was born on November 11, 1923 in New Jersey. Before he began working as an actor, Venture was a soldier in the United States Navy, serving aboard three aircraft carriers during World War II.
Starting in the 1950s, Venture began appearing on several TV shows, including General Hospital. He made his film debut in 1965 with a small role in the period mystery Dark Intruder. It was seven years before he was seen in another film, The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds directed by Paul Newman. Venture’s role in the movie was significant, since the same-titled play the film is based on has only female characters, Venture and the other male actors in the movie had to create characters who are only discussed and never seen in the original source material. Venture’s performance was strong enough to give his career a bit of a boost throughout the 70s.
After appearing in a few more TV series and movies, as well as a role in the made-for-TV movie Helter Skelter, Venture landed a role as one of the employees at The Washington Post in All the President’s Men, based on the true story of the reporters who covered the Watergate Scandal and the first of Venture’s movies to be nominated for Best Picture. He then made appearances in episodes of Barney Miller and The Rockford Files and had roles in the movies Airport ’77, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and The Betsy. He was one of several stars of the miniseries remake From Here to Eternity.
Venture continued acting throughout the 80s, with roles in multiple episodes of Knot’s Landing, Family Ties, Falcon Crest, Newhart, and Street Hawk during the first half of the decade. He also appeared in numerous movies during the decade, including the Oscar-nominated Missing. His third movie to be nominated for Best Picture was Scent of a Woman in 1992; he played one of the aggravated relatives of Al Pacino’s character.
The former Navy man often played soldiers and was seen in movies with military themes, including Navy Seals and Courage Under Fire. He was seen in several episodes of Law & Order and made his final film in 2001. Venture died on December 19 2017. He is survived by four children and nine grandchildren.
Rest in Peace Richard Venture: November 11, 1923 – December 19 2017
Source: THR