# Grant Richards (actor)

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American actor

For the British publisher and writer, see [Grant Richards (publisher)](/source/Grant_Richards_(publisher)). For the British publishing house, see [Grant Richards (publishing house)](/source/Grant_Richards_(publishing_house)).

Grant Richards Richards in Isle of Destiny (1940) Born Irwin Jaffe[1] (1911-12-12)December 12, 1911 Died July 4, 1963(1963-07-04) (aged 51) Los Angeles, California, U.S. Occupation Actor Years active 1936–1963 Spouse(s) Joan Valerie (? – 1943)[1] Jean Stevens (? – 1945)[2]

**Grant Richards** (born **Irwin Jaffe**, December 21, 1911 – July 4, 1963) was an American actor, who appeared mainly in movies in the late 1930s through to the late 1950s.

## Early years

When he was known as Irwin Jaffe, Richards was a student at the [University of Miami](/source/University_of_Miami) for three years. He performed in dramatic productions at the university and in the city's Civic Theater.[3]

## Career

In 1937, he became the first actor in the [Federal Theatre Project](/source/Federal_Theatre_Project) to gain a film contract, signing with the Major Pictures company.[4]

His films include *[On Such a Night](/source/On_Such_a_Night_(1937_film))* (1937) and *[Guns, Girls, and Gangsters](/source/Guns%2C_Girls%2C_and_Gangsters)* (1959). Richards made three guest appearances on *[Perry Mason](/source/Perry_Mason_(1957_TV_series))*: as Jerry Haywood in the 1958 episodes "The Case of the Haunted Husband," and as Captain Kennedy in "The Case of the Sardonic Sargeant"; followed by the role of murder victim George Sherwin in the 1961 episode, "The Case of the Missing Melody". He also appeared in several episodes of [ABC](/source/American_Broadcasting_Company)'s *[The Untouchables](/source/The_Untouchables_(1959_TV_series))*.

In 1958, he played the gunfighter and saloon owner [Luke Short](/source/Luke_Short) in an episode of the [western](/source/Western_(genre)) series, *[The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp](/source/The_Life_and_Legend_of_Wyatt_Earp)*. In 1962 he played Keeler, a crooked gambler, in [The Rifleman](/source/The_Rifleman) episode “Tinhorn”.

## Personal life and death

During the 1940s, Richards was briefly married to actresses [Joan Valerie](/source/Joan_Valerie)–with whom he had one daughter–and [Jean Stevens](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jean_Stevens_(actress)&action=edit&redlink=1), both marriages ending in divorce.[1][2]

On July 4, 1963, Richards died of [leukemia](/source/Leukemia) in Hollywood.[5]

## Filmography

Year Title Role Notes 1936 Hopalong Cassidy Returns Bob Claiborne 1937 Night of Mystery Philo Vance On Such a Night Nicky Last Love on Toast Clark 'Sandy' Sanford 1938 My Old Kentucky Home Larry Blair Under the Big Top Pablo Le Grande 1939 Risky Business Jack Norman Inside Information Charles Bixby 1940 Isle of Destiny Lt. George Allerton 1942 Just Off Broadway John F. McGonagle - Asst. District Attorney 1959 Guns Girls and Gangsters Joe Darren Inside the Mafia Johnny Lucero The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake Police Lt. Jeff Rowan 1960 Oklahoma Territory Bigelow Twelve Hours to Kill Detective Lt. Jim Carnevan The Music Box Kid Chesty Miller 1961 You Have to Run Fast 'Big Jim' Craven Secret of Deep Harbor Rick Correll

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-JVGSD_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-JVGSD_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-JVGSD_1-2) ["Joan Valerie Gets Second Divorce"](https://www.newspapers.com/image/11951352/?clipping_id=122721671). *The Rhinelander Daily News*. February 6, 1943. p. 2. Retrieved June 4, 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-RSP=AWD_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-RSP=AWD_2-1) ["Actress Wins Divorce As Result of Surprise Party"](https://www.newspapers.com/image/533987098/?clipping_id=125851466). *The Scranton Times*. October 22, 1945. p. 9. Retrieved June 4, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Cohen, Eddie (20 March 1937). ["For Your Amusement"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news/196915303/). *Miami Daily News*. p. 5. Retrieved 5 May 2026 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Federal Actor Signed"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16606739/grant_richards/). *Lincoln Journal Star*. Nebraska, Lincoln. United Press. 20 January 1937. p. 2. Retrieved 16 January 2018 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** "Obituaries: Grant Richards". *Variety*. 10 July 1963. p. 79. [ProQuest](/source/ProQuest) [1017103368](https://www.proquest.com/docview/1017103368). Grant Richards, 47, radio-tv-film-legit actor, died of leukemia July 4 in Hollywood.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Grant Richards (actor)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Grant_Richards_(actor)).

- [Biography portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Biography)
- [New York City portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:New_York_City)
- [Film portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Film)
- [Television portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Television)

- [Grant Richards](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0724111/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

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