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Dick Sargent : Biography, Pictures, Photos, Trivia, Address, Filmography (Bewitched)

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Dick Sargent

Jean Pierre (FR), Darren Stephens (US) in Bewitched

Photos Dick Sargent Birth name: Richard Cox
Birth date: 1930/04/19
Date of death : 1994/07/08 (64 years old)
Birth place : Carmel, Californie

French Traduire

Biography for Dick Sargent

Congenial, mild-mannered Dick Sargent was a reliably bemused foil on film and TV for nearly four decades. He was born Richard Cox on April 19, 1930 in Carmel, California. His mother, Ruth McNaughton, was a minor actress who went by the stage name of Ruth Powell; his father, Colonel Elmer Cox, served in WWI and later became a business manager to such Hollywood alumni as Douglas Fairbanks and Erich Von Stroheim. Dick attended the San Rafael Military Academy in Menlo Park, California before majoring in drama at Stanford University. He finally got things rolling debuting in an uncredited role in the movie Prisoner of War (1954) starring Ronald Reagan. Using the stage moniker Richard Sargent, he would build up a reliable resume over the years on TV both in drama and comedy including work on "Gunsmoke, "Wagon Train," "I Dream of Jeannie" and "Adam-12." Regular co-starring roles in the series "One Happy Family" (1961) and "Broadside" (1964) kept him temporarily busy if not memorable. Now known as "Dick Sargent," the actor was a friendly but rather bland performer. On occasion he found redeeming support work in such hit movie comedies as Operation Petticoat (1959) and That Touch of Mink (1962) both with Cary Grant, but mixed in were mostly bottom-of-the-barrel "comedies" such as Fluffy (1965) with Tony Randall, Billie (1966) with Patty Duke, the Don Knotts vehicle The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966), the Elvis Presley starrer Live a Little, Love a Little (1968), and The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell with Bob Hope and Phyllis Diller. Most of his films ranged from fair to abysmal and Dick never advanced into the upper echelon of top players. A big chance for stardom dissolved after being paired with Tammy Grimes on her failed TV show in 1966. It lasted four weeks. It wasn't until 1969 when Dick, who was the original choice to play Darrin Stephens on the hit show "Bewitched," was given a second chance to play the bemused mortal husband of Elizabeth Montgomery after an ailing Dick York had to be replaced. The switch was done without any explanation. Dick's three seasons on the show (1969-1972) made him a household face, if not a household name. He continued on TV throughout the 70s and 80s with guest parts on "Taxi," "Alice, "Fantasy Island" and "Three's Company" without much fanfare. A better role came to him in George C. Scott's film Hardcore (1979) about pornography in which he played a not-so-reputable character. He also played a role in another witch-themed story line called Teen Witch (1990). In between he did voice work for commercials and performed occasionally on stage. In 1989, 'the second Darrin" was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He later revealed to the world he was homosexual after tabloid papers began to refer to his illness as AIDS-related. Sargent died in 1994, having lived out his last few years openly and contentedly.

is mainly known for his role as Jean-Pierre (number 2) in the MA series beloved (Bewitched), a role he held from 1969 to 1972 to replace Dick York. After admitting his homosexuality and, being supported by her friend actress Elizabeth Montgomery, he spent the last years of her life fighting suicide among young American gays by giving lectures on the subject. He visits schools and universities and participated in many press points, and scrolls alongside Elizabeth Montgomery at the Gay Pride in Los Angeles in 1992, as a guest of honor.

Dick Sargent was an American actor known for his role as Darrin Stephens in the television series "Bewitched" (beloved witch in French). He replaced the original actor of the role, Darren McGavin, from season 5 of the series in 1969 and played the character until the end of the series in 1972.

Sargent was born Richard Cox in 1930 in Carmel-by-the-Sea in California. He started his acting career in Hollywood in the 1950s and played in several movies and television series during his career. In addition to his role in "Bewitched", he also played in television series such as "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis", "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" and "The Partridge Family".

Apart from his acting career, Sargent was also an activist for the rights of homosexuals and was one of the first public actors to leave the closet in 1991. He died in 1994 at the age of 64 prostate cancer.

In summary, Dick Sargent was an American actor known for his role as Darrin Stephens in the television series "Bewitched" and for his commitment to homosexual rights. He died in 1994 at the age of 64.

Photos

Photos Dick Sargent n_5 Photos Dick Sargent n_5 Photos Dick Sargent n_5 Photos Dick Sargent n_5 Photos Dick Sargent n_5

Filmography

Title Role
Acting on Impulse (1993) (TV) Mr. Randolph
Harry and the Hendersons Earl Powers (1 episode, 1992)
P.S.I. Luv U Sam (1 episode, 1991)
Frame Up (1991) Will Curran
Twenty Dollar Star (1991) Mr. Brandon
Murder by Numbers (1990) Patrick Crain
Teen Witch (1989) Frank Miller
Rock-A-Die Baby (1989) Dad
Square One TV Wellworth Watching / ... (2 episodes, 1988)
L.A. Law Edmund Bates (1 episode, 1988)
Mathnet Vicious Vinnie Vermin / ... (1 episode, 1988)
Murder, She Wrote George Selby (1 episode, 1987)
Body Count (1987/I) Charles Knight
Down to Earth Richard Preston (8 episodes, 1984-1986)
Diff'rent Strokes Mr. Stone (2 episodes, 1984)
Finder of Lost Loves Dennis Hodges (1 episode, 1984)
Benson (1 episode, 1984)
Alice Dr. Crystal (1 episode, 1984)
ABC Afterschool Specials Lew Shorr (1 episode, 1983)
The Yellow Rose Judge Sam Claymore / ... (2 episodes, 1983)
Matt Houston Binky Brabworth (1 episode, 1983) Episode
I'm Going to Be Famous (1983) The Director
Family Ties Charlie Douglas (1 episode, 1982)
Taxi Attorney John Bickers (1 episode, 1982)
Fantasy Island Algernon Pepperhill / ... (2 episodes, 1979-1982)
Trapper John, M.D. Dr. Montague (1 episode, 1981)
The Waltons Chief Petty Officer (2 episodes, 1980)
Vega$ Farley / ... (2 episodes, 1980)
The Gossip Columnist (1980) (TV) Alan Keyes
The Dukes of Hazzard Sheriff Grady Byrd (2 episodes, 1980)
Charlie's Angels Avery / ... (3 episodes, 1976-1979)
The Clonus Horror (1979) Dr. Jameson
Not Until Today (1979) (TV) Father Francis Dacey
The Power Within (1979) (TV) (as Richard Sargent) Capt. Ed Holman
Hardcore (1979) Wes DeJong
Switch (1 episode, 1978)
The Love Boat Father Mike (1 episode, 1977)
Baretta Gil Martin (1 episode, 1977)
Three's Company Lloyd Cross (1 episode, 1977)
Fantasy Island (1977) (TV) Charles Hollander
The Six Million Dollar Man Bob Crandall (1 episode, 1976)
Rich Man, Poor Man (1976) (mini) TV Series Richards
Marcus Welby, M.D. (2 episodes, 1976)
Ellery Queen D.A. Tom Calabrese (1 episode, 1976)
McMillan & Wife Dr. Jim Vale (1 episode, 1976)
Rich Man, Poor Man - Book II Eddie Heath (1 episode, 1976)
Sin, American Style (1974) (TV) Roger Morris
Melvin Purvis G-MAN (1974) (TV) Thatcher Covington
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law Edgar Hogan (2 episodes, 1972-1974)
Here's Lucy Officer Spencer (1 episode, 1973)
The Streets of San Francisco Boyd Caldwell (1 episode, 1973)
Love, American Style (segment Love and Lover's Lane) / ... (4 episodes, 1970-1973)
Bewitched Darrin Stephens (84 episodes, 1969-1972)
The Outcasts Reece (1 episode, 1969)
Adam-12 Sidney Roemer (1 episode, 1969)
I Dream of Jeannie Norman Cashman (1 episode, 1969)
Live a Little, Love a Little (1968) Harry Baby
The Young Runaways (1968) Freddy 'Sage'
The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell (1968) Capt. Elwood Prohaska
The Rat Patrol Kemper (1 episode, 1968)
Accidental Family Ted (1 episode, 1967)
Daniel Boone Andrew Cooper / ... (2 episodes, 1966-1967)
The Tammy Grimes Show (1966) TV Series Terrence Ward (unknown episodes)
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Dick O'Hara (1 episode, 1966)
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) George Beckett
Billie (1965) Matt Bullitt
Fluffy (1965) Tommy
Broadside (1964) TV Series Lt. Maxwell Trotter (unknown episodes)
Wagon Train Andrew Elliott / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1964)
Captain Newman, M.D. (1963) Lt. Belden 'Barney' Alderson
For Love or Money (1963) (as Richard Sargent) Harvey Wofford
Alcoa Premiere Haines (1 episode, 1962)
The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet George (1 episode, 1962)
Ripcord Frank Webb (1 episode)
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Dave Fulton (1 episode, 1962)
Kraft Mystery Theater (1 episode, 1962)
That Touch of Mink (1962) (as Richard Sargent) Young Man (Harry Clark)
Gunsmoke Bud Bones (1 episode, 1962)
Dr. Kildare Paul Willis MD (1 episode, 1961)
Death Valley Days Cliff Streeter (1 episode, 1961)
The Great Impostor (1961) (as Richard Sargent) Hotchkiss (Medical Assistant 2nd Class in HMCS Cayuga)
One Happy Family (1961) TV Series Dick Cooper (unknown episodes)
The Millionaire Dixon Cooper (1 episode, 1960)
The Alaskans Joey (1 episode, 1960)
Wichita Town Scotty (1 episode, 1960)
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1 episode, 1960)
Operation Petticoat (1959) (as Richard Sargent) Ens. Stovall
Letter to Loretta Billy Simpson (1 episode, 1959)
Black Saddle (1 episode, 1959)
Mardi Gras (1958) (as Richard Sargent) Dick Saglon
Playhouse 90 Michael (1 episode, 1958)
Bernardine (1957) (as Richard Sargent) Sanford Wilson
West Point Cadet Daniels / ... (2 episodes, 1957)
Love Me Tender (1956) (uncredited) Confederate soldier
The Great Locomotive Chase (1956) (uncredited) Union soldier
Medic Clyde (1 episode, 1956)

Trivia

Dick appeared on the game show "Tattletales" (1974) with Fannie Flagg in the 1970s. Apparently they were dating at the time.

His father, Elmer Cox, was a World War I hero and a Hollywood business manager. His mother, Ruth McNaughton, was a film actress.

Sargent's companion from 1989-1994 was writer/producer Albert Williams.

His role on "Bewitched" (1964) was first offered to him in 1964, but he was under a contract with Universal Studios, so Dick York was hired instead. By the time an illness caused York to discontinue the role, Sargent was free enough to take over.

He was never married, but had a long-time companion whom he was with for 20 years before the man's death from a cerebral hemorrhage in 1979. He had "manufactured" a wife to the press in the early productive days, to protect his career.

His grandfather, John McNaughton, founded Los Angeles's Union Stockyards.

Lived in Mexico and ran and import/export business in his early years. His love for Mexican art and culture stayed with him for the rest of his life.

Coincidentally, Sargent and Tammy Grimes were said to have been original choices for the roles of Darrin and Samantha Stephens during the initial casting of the pilot episode of "Bewitched" (1964) in 1964. Sargent bowed out due to a contractual commitment to Universal. Grimes also had contractual problems. Later, Sargent went on to play Tammy's brother on her short-lived series "The Tammy Grimes Show" (1966) in 1966. Grimes' lead character's name happened to be Tamantha.

By chance became a "retroactive role model" for gays when he outed himself in 1991, after decades of keeping his personal life hidden. Suffering from prostate cancer, Sargent was compelled by a tabloid article indicating he had AIDS to "come out" and set the record straight, for which he received considerable public support. In 1992, his old friend and ex-TV wife, Elizabeth Montgomery, joined him as a co-Grand Marshall of the Los Angeles Gay Pride Parade. It was their last appearance together.

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  • Creation date: 01/07/2003 by doudoune

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