Richard Beymer
Encyclopedia
George Richard Beymer, Jr. (born February 21, 1939) is an American actor known for playing Tony in the 1961 film version of West Side Story
and Ben Horne
on the 1990 television series Twin Peaks
.
, the son of Eunice (née Goss) and George Richard Beymer, a printer. Beymer and his family moved to Los Angeles, California
in 1940 where he began his acting career in 1949 in television
. In the 1950s, he began appearing in films and achieved success in So Big
(1953), Johnny Tremain
(1957), The Diary of Anne Frank (1959), and West Side Story
(1961) before sharing a 1962 Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year - Actor
with Bobby Darin
and Warren Beatty
.
In 1957 Beymer appeared on the syndicated
American Civil War
drama Gray Ghost
in the episode "An Eye for an Eye". In 1961, Beymer began a brief relationship with Sharon Tate
, who was working as an extra
on his film, Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man
. Beymer encouraged Tate to pursue an acting career, and after she was introduced to his agent, Tate signed a contract with Filmways
.
Beymer achieved a notable success in the film The Longest Day
(1962). In 1964, he became involved in Freedom Summer
in Mississippi. During this time, he filmed the award-winning documentary A Regular Bouquet: Mississippi Summer, documenting the efforts of volunteers registering African Americans to vote. He directed the avant-garde film The Innerview in 1974. He had a featured role in the television series Twin Peaks
in 1990, playing Ben Horne
.
In addition to his work in films, Beymer has frequently appeared in guest roles in television series. These include three appearances on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
as Li Nalas in the episodes "The Homecoming
", "The Circle
," and "The Siege
". Beymer also appeared as Dr. Matthew Sheridan with Yasmine Bleeth
in 1996 in the made-for-TV
movie
The Face, which was also known as A Face to Die For.
In 2007, Beymer completed his first book. The self-published novel Impostor: Or Whatever Happened to Richard Beymer? is a semi-autobiographical account of a young actor's struggle to find himself amidst murder, mystery and mayhem.
Beymer's photographs of Twin Peaks cast and crew were featured in the gallery of behind the scenes photos on the Twin Peaks Definitive Gold Box Edition that was released on October 30, 2007.
Beymer, who practices the Transcendental Meditation technique
, currently resides in Fairfield
, Iowa, where he continues to make movies, write, take photographs and paint.
West Side Story (film)
West Side Story is a 1961 musical film directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. The film is an adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was adapted from William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. It stars Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno,...
and Ben Horne
Ben Horne
Benjamin Joseph Horne is a character from the television series Twin Peaks, created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, portrayed by Richard Beymer. His last name is based on real life department store owner Joseph Horne founder of Horne's in Pittsburgh where Mark Frost is from, while his and his...
on the 1990 television series Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks is an American television serial drama created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. The series follows the investigation headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper , of the murder of a popular teenager and homecoming queen, Laura Palmer...
.
Life and career
Beymer was born in Avoca, IowaAvoca, Iowa
Avoca is a city in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,610 at the 2000 census.-History:Avoca was founded in 1869 in connection with the construction of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad through the area. It quickly developed as a regional service center for...
, the son of Eunice (née Goss) and George Richard Beymer, a printer. Beymer and his family moved to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in 1940 where he began his acting career in 1949 in television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
. In the 1950s, he began appearing in films and achieved success in So Big
So Big (1953 film)
So Big is a 1953 American drama film directed by Robert Wise. The screenplay by John Twist is based on the 1924 novel by Edna Ferber. It is the third adaptation of the book, following a 1924 silent film with Colleen Moore and So Big! with Barbara Stanwyck, released in 1932.-Plot:In the late 1890s,...
(1953), Johnny Tremain
Johnny Tremain (film)
Johnny Tremain is a 1957 film made by Walt Disney Productions, based on the 1944 Newbery Medal-winning children's novel of the same name by Esther Forbes, retelling the story of the years in Boston, Massachusetts prior to the outbreak of the American Revolution. The movie was directed by Robert...
(1957), The Diary of Anne Frank (1959), and West Side Story
West Side Story (film)
West Side Story is a 1961 musical film directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. The film is an adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was adapted from William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. It stars Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno,...
(1961) before sharing a 1962 Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year - Actor
Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year - Actor
The Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor originated in 1948. Between 1954 and 1965, multiple winners were announced. The category was discontinued following the 1983 ceremonies.-Winners:*1948: Richard Widmark*1950: Richard Todd, Gene Nelson...
with Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin , born Walden Robert Cassotto, was an American singer, actor and musician.Darin performed in a range of music genres, including pop, rock, jazz, folk and country...
and Warren Beatty
Warren Beatty
Warren Beatty born March 30, 1937) is an American actor, producer, screenwriter and director. He has received a total of fourteen Academy Award nominations, winning one for Best Director in 1982. He has also won four Golden Globe Awards including the Cecil B. DeMille Award.-Early life and...
.
In 1957 Beymer appeared on the syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
drama Gray Ghost
Gray Ghost (TV series)
The Gray Ghost is an American historical series which aired in syndication from October 10, 1957, to July 3, 1958. It depicts the true story of Major John Singleton Mosby, a Virginia officer in the Confederate Army, whose cunning and stealth earned him the nickname "Gray Ghost".-Synopsis:The Gray...
in the episode "An Eye for an Eye". In 1961, Beymer began a brief relationship with Sharon Tate
Sharon Tate
Sharon Marie Tate was an American actress. During the 1960s she played small television roles before appearing in several films. After receiving positive reviews for her comedic performances, she was hailed as one of Hollywood's promising newcomers and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for...
, who was working as an extra
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
on his film, Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man
Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man
Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man is a 1962 drama film directed by Martin Ritt based on the Nick Adams stories by Ernest Hemingway, and featuring Richard Beymer as Adams.-Cast:*Richard Beymer as Nick Adams*Diane Baker as Carolyn...
. Beymer encouraged Tate to pursue an acting career, and after she was introduced to his agent, Tate signed a contract with Filmways
Filmways
Filmways, Inc. was a television and film production company founded by American film executive Martin Ransohoff in 1958...
.
Beymer achieved a notable success in the film The Longest Day
The Longest Day (film)
The Longest Day is a 1962 war film based on the 1959 history book The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan, about "D-Day", the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II....
(1962). In 1964, he became involved in Freedom Summer
Freedom Summer
Freedom Summer was a campaign in the United States launched in June 1964 to attempt to register as many African American voters as possible in Mississippi which had historically excluded most blacks from voting...
in Mississippi. During this time, he filmed the award-winning documentary A Regular Bouquet: Mississippi Summer, documenting the efforts of volunteers registering African Americans to vote. He directed the avant-garde film The Innerview in 1974. He had a featured role in the television series Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks is an American television serial drama created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. The series follows the investigation headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper , of the murder of a popular teenager and homecoming queen, Laura Palmer...
in 1990, playing Ben Horne
Ben Horne
Benjamin Joseph Horne is a character from the television series Twin Peaks, created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, portrayed by Richard Beymer. His last name is based on real life department store owner Joseph Horne founder of Horne's in Pittsburgh where Mark Frost is from, while his and his...
.
In addition to his work in films, Beymer has frequently appeared in guest roles in television series. These include three appearances on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
as Li Nalas in the episodes "The Homecoming
The Homecoming (DS9 episode)
"The Homecoming" is the 21st episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It is the first episode in a three-part story arc.-Overview:...
", "The Circle
The Circle (DS9 episode)
"The Circle" is the 22nd episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It is also the second episode in a three-part story arc.-Plot:...
," and "The Siege
The Siege (DS9 episode)
"The Siege" is the 23rd episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It is also the third episode in a three-part story arc.-Overview:...
". Beymer also appeared as Dr. Matthew Sheridan with Yasmine Bleeth
Yasmine Bleeth
Yasmine Amanda Bleeth is an American actress. Her television roles include Caroline Holden in the long-running series Baywatch.-Early life and career:...
in 1996 in the made-for-TV
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
The Face, which was also known as A Face to Die For.
In 2007, Beymer completed his first book. The self-published novel Impostor: Or Whatever Happened to Richard Beymer? is a semi-autobiographical account of a young actor's struggle to find himself amidst murder, mystery and mayhem.
Beymer's photographs of Twin Peaks cast and crew were featured in the gallery of behind the scenes photos on the Twin Peaks Definitive Gold Box Edition that was released on October 30, 2007.
Beymer, who practices the Transcendental Meditation technique
Transcendental Meditation technique
The Transcendental Meditation technique is a specific form of mantra meditation often referred to as Transcendental Meditation. It was introduced in India in 1955 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi...
, currently resides in Fairfield
Fairfield, Iowa
Fairfield is a city and the county seat of Jefferson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,464 in the 2010 census, a decline from 9,509 in the 2000 census. - History :...
, Iowa, where he continues to make movies, write, take photographs and paint.