Actor. He was best known for playing the character role of waiters, party guests, nightclub patrons, drunks, reporters, butlers, auction bidders, and train passengers, in both silent films and sound films, but some were uncredited. He will be best remembered for playing the role of 'Kendall Vance' in the ten-chapter epic action adventure-romance film, "The Flame Fighter" (1925). The film which was directed and written by Robert Dillon, also starred Herbert Rawlinson, Brenda Lane, and Jerome La Grasse. He was born as Richard Henry Towey in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Sam Towey and his wife Bertha Shulze Towey on June 21, 1893. He was educated locally and during World War I, he served as a volunteer with the Royal Air Force. When he moved to Los Angeles, California, to pursue an acting career in 1918, it was said that he used the strength of his English officers uniform to find work. He made his actual film debut playing the role of 'Hugh Murray' in the short film drama, "The Truth About Husbands" (1920). The film which was directed by Kenneth S. Webb, which was written for the screen by Violet Clark, and based on Arthur Wing Pinero's play "The Profligate," and which also starred Anna Lehr, Holmes Herbert, and Elizabeth Garrison, tells the story of Socialite Leslie Brown, who is a little more than an innocent schoolgirl, she becomes engaged to wealthy playboy Dustan Renshaw who has broken his engagement with Janet Preece in order to marry a woman of breeding. After they are married, the Renshaws live abroad where one day, in her husband's absence, Leslie welcomes her friends the Stonehays as her guests, accompanied by their private secretary, Janet Preece. Janet's sudden illness compels her to remain with Leslie after her employers have departed, and the two women become fast friends. Leslie learns the story of Janet's betrayal by a man known to her only as "D. R.," and is shocked to learn upon Dustan's return that Janet's betrayer was none other than her own husband. Leslie leaves Dustan, but, with the passage of time, husband and wife are reunited at Janet's deathbed when Leslie learns to forgive her husband's past. He is also best remembered for appearing as a scientist, reporter, and an onlooker at customs, in three episodes of the classic action-adventure television series, "Adventures Of Superman" (1952-1953), which also starred George Reeves, Noel Neill, and Jack Larson. Besides, "The Truth About Husbands" (1920), and "The Flame Fighter" (1925), his many other film credits include, "Snowed Under" (1923), "Romance Road" (1925), "Dangerous Fists" (1925), "Phantom Police" (1926), "The Patsy" (1928), "Naughty Baby" (1928), "Synthetic Sin" (1929), "Come Across" (1929), "Words And Music" (1929), "Born Reckless" (1930), "Dancing Sweeties" (1930), "The Naughty Flirt" (1930), "Don't Bet On Women" (1931), "Unfaithful" (1931), "The Gay Diplomat" (1931), "Blonde Crazy" (1931), "Scarface" (1932), "Night After Night" (1932), "The Death Kiss" (1932), "The Devil Is Driving" (1932), "Turn Back The Clock" (1933), "It Happened One Night" (1934), "Sadie McKee" (1934), "Thirty Day Princess" (1934), "The Thin Man" (1934), "Million Dollar Ransom" (1934), "The Richest Girl In The World" (1934), "Imitation Of Life" (1934), "Broadway Bill" (1934), "Folies Bergère de Paris" (1935), "Werewolf In London" (1935), "Love Me Forever" (1935), "King Solomon Of Broadway" (1935), "The Man Who Broke The Bank At Monte Carlo" (1935), "Strike Me Pink" (1936), "The Big Game" (1936), "Theodora Goes Wild" (1936), "Hats Off" (1936), "Nobody's Baby" (1937), "Make Way For Tomorrow" (1937), "Topper" (1937), "Forty Naughty Girls" (1937), "You Can't Have Everything" (1937), "Dangerously Yours" (1937), "Portia On Trial" (1937), "Hollywood Hotel" (1937), "Racket Busters" (1938), "Vacation From Love" (1938), "Sunset Murder Case" (1938), "Birth Of A Baby" (1938), "Nancy Drew...Reporter" (1939), "Risky Business" (1939), "Union Pacific" (1939), "Mr. Moto Takes A Vacation" (1939), "These Glamour Girls" (1939), "At The Circus" (1939), "Ninotchka" (1939), "Another Thin Man" (1939), "Reno" (1939), "Mexican Spitfire" (1940), "City Of Chance" (1940), "Til We Meet Again" (1940), "Waterloo Bridge" (1940), "No Time For Comedy" (1940), "Down Argentine Way" (1940), "Bitter Sweet" (1940), "The Philadelphia Story" (1940), "Michael Shayne: Private Detective" (1940), "Misbehaving Husbands" (1940), "Free And Easy" (1941), "Penny Serenade" (1941), "Blossoms In The Dust" (1941), "Hold That Ghost" (1941), "Lady Be Good" (1941), "Hellzapoppin" (1941), "Bedtime Story" (1941), "All Through The Night" (1942), "Brooklyn Orchid" (1942), "Ship Ahoy" (1942), "Saboteur" (1942), "The Corpse Vanishes" (1942), "Sunday Punch" (1942), "The Falcon Takes Over" (1942), "The Pride Of The Yankees" (1942), "You Were Never Lovelier" (1942), "The Pay Off" (1942), "Pittsburgh" (1942), "Something To Shout About" (1943), "Slightly Dangerous" (1943), "Air Raid Wardens" (1943), "Tahiti Honey" (1943), "The Leopard Man" (1943), "Mr. Lucky" (1943), "Best Foot Forward" (1943), "The Sky's The Limit" (1943), "Hi Diddle Diddle" (1943), "Melody Parade" (1943), "Here Comes Kelly" (1943), "Thank Your Lucky Stars" (1943), "The Mystery Of The 13th Guest" (1943), "Old Acquaintance" (1943), "There's Something About A Soldier" (1943), "Pistol Packin' Mama" (1943), "Higher And Higher" (1943), "Phantom Lady" (1944), "None Shall Escape" (1944), "Lady In The Death House" (1944), "The Whistler" (1944), "Trocadero" (1944), "Once Upon A Time" (1944), "The Mask Of Dimitrios" (1944), "Black Magic" (1944), "Storm Over Lisbon" (1944), "Lost In A Harem" (1944), "Music For Millions" (1944), "Experiment Perilous" (1944), "X Marks The Spot" (1944), "I Love A Mystery" (1945), "What A Blonde" (1945), "Identity Unknown" (1945), "Salome, Where She Danced" (1945), "It's In The Bag!" (1945), "Boston Blackie Booked On Suspicion" (1945), "The Cisco Kid In Old New Mexico" (1945), "Thrill Of A Romance" (1945), "Bedside Manner" (1945), "On Stage Everybody" (1945), "Incendiary Blonde" (1945), "Her Highness And The Bellboy" (1945), "Week-End At The Waldorf" (1945), "The Lost Weekend" (1945), "The Dolly Sisters" (1945), "Because Of Him" (1946), "My Reputation" (1946), "Smooth As Silk" (1946), "Song Of Arizona" (1946), "So Goes My Love" (1946), "A Stolen Life" (1946), "Her Kind Of Man" (1946), "The Walls Came Tumbling Down" (1946), "Don't Gamble With Strangers" (1946), "Easy To Wed" (1946), "Two Guys From Milwaukee" (1946), "The Killers" (1946), "Three Little Girls In Blue" (1946), "Angel On My Shoulder" (1946), "Wife Wanted" (1946), "The Best Years Of Our Lives" (1946), "The Locket" (1946), "It's A Wonderful Life" (1946), "13 Rue Madeleine" (1946), "The Lone Wolf In Mexico" (1947), "Dead Reckoning" (1947), "Johnny O'Clock" (1947), "The Unfaithful" (1947), "Suddenly It's Spring" (1947), "The Other Love" (1947), "Lost Honeymoon" (1947), "Smash-Up: The Story Of A Woman" (1947), "Monsieur Verdoux" (1947), "That's My Gal" (1947), "Dishonored Lady" (1947), "Repeat Performance" (1947), "The Long Night" (1947), "Copacabana" (1947), "So You Want To Be In Pictures" (1947), "Swing The Western Way" (1947), "The Bachelor And The Bobby-Soxer" (1947), "Life With Father" (1947), "The Black Widow" (1947), "Her Husband's Affairs" (1947), "The Voice Of The Turtle" (1947), "A Double Life" (1947), "The Senator Was Indiscreet" (1947), "Killer McCoy" (1947), "If You Knew Susie" (1948), "So You Want To Be A Gambler" (1948), "The Big Clock" (1948), "Mr. Reckless" (1948), "Stage Struck" (1948), "Romance On The High Seas" (1948), "The Velvet Touch" (1948), "The Babe Ruth Story" (1948), "Hollow Triumph" (1948), "One Touch Of Venus" (1948), "The Luck Of The Irish" (1948), "Luxury Liner" (1948), "An Innocent Affair" (1948), "The Untamed Breed" (1948), "Family Honeymoon" (1948), "Let's Live A Little" (1948), "Force Of Evil" (1948), "Ladies Of The Chorus" (1948), "Slightly French" (1949), "The Lone Wolf And His Lady" (1949), "Alias Nick Beal" (1949), "Hideout" (1949), "Impact" (1949), "Tulsa" (1949), "My Dream Is Yours" (1949), "Adventure In Baltimore" (1949), 'Flamingo Road" (1949), "The Younger Brothers" (1949), "The Barkleys Of Broadway" (1949), "The Lady Gambles" (1949), "Any Number Can Play" (1949), "Jolson Sings Again" (1949), "Post Office Investigator" (1949), "Trapped" (1949), "Abandoned" (1949), "All The King's Men" (1949), "The Story Of Molly X" (1949), "East Side, West Side" (1949), "South Sea Sinner" (1950), "Backfire" (1950), "Ma And Pa Kettle Go To Down" (1950), "Bright Leaf" (1950), "Born To Be Bad" (1950), "Murder 880" (1950), "The Breaking Point" (1950), "Blues Busters" (1950), "Frenchie" (1950), "Fingerprints Don't Lie" (1951), "Bud Abbott And Lou Costello Meet The Invisible Man" (1951), "Insurance Investigator" (1951), "Bright Victory" (1951), "I Was A Communist For The F.B.I." (1951), "Rich, Young And Pretty" (1951), "The Mark Of The Renegade" (1951), "St. Benny The Dip" (1951), "Angels In The Outfield" (1951), "Roadblock" (1951), "Come Fill The Cup" (1951), "The Racket" (1951), "The Lady Pays Off" (1951), "Let's Make It Legal" (1951), "Close To My Heart" (1951), "Double Dynamite" (1951), "Boots Malone" (1951), "Scandal Sheet" (1952), "The Las Vegas Story" (1952), "Mutiny" (1952), "Listen, Judge" (1952), "The Marrying Kind" (1952), "Hold That Line" (1952), "Young Man With Ideas" (1952), "Paula" (1952), "Has Anybody Seen My Gal" (1952), "Dreamboat" (1952), "The Merry Widow" (1952), "Somebody Loves Me" (1952), "Night Without Sleep" (1952), "Just For You" (1952), "Springfield Rifle" (1952), "Ma And Pa Kettle On Vacation" (1952), "Something For The Birds" (1952), "Kansas City Confidential" (1952), "Because Of You" (1952), "Abbott And Costello Go To Mars" (1953), "The Band Wagon" (1953), "Let's Do It Again" (1953), "Cruisin' Down The River" (1953), "No Escape" (1953), "The Caddy" (1953), "Latin Lovers" (1953), "Here Come The Girls" (1953), "Forever Female" (1953), "The Eddie Cantor Story" (1953), "The French Line" (1953), "Money From Home" (1953), "It Should Happen To You" (1954), "Knock On Wood" (1954), "Her Twelve Men" (1954), "Sabrina" (1954), "Black Widow" (1954), "Phffft" (1954), "The Last Time I Saw Paris" (1954), "Destry" (1954), "The Atomic Kid" (1954), "3 Ring Circus" (1954), "Hit The Deck" (1955), "Cell 2455, Death Row" (1955), "Hell's Island" (1955), "Love Me Or Leave Me" (1955), "Ain't Misbehavin" (1955), "You're Never Too Young" (1955), "It's Always Fair Weather" (1955), "My Sister Eileen" (1955), "Illegal" (1955), "Never Say Goodbye" (1956), "Meet Me In Las Vegas" (1956), "The Birds And The Bees" (1956), "Over-Exposed" (1956), "Autumn Leaves" (1956), "The Boss" (1956), "Giant" (1956), "Around The World In 80 Days" (1956), "Death Of A Scoundrel" (1956), "The Great American Pastime" (1956), "Kelly And Me" (1956), and "Mister Cory" (1956). Besides, the three episodes of the classic action-adventure television series, "Adventures Of Superman" (1952-1953), his many other television credits include, "The Abbott And Costello Show," "Public Defender," "Four Star Playhouse," "Soldiers Of Fortune," and "The George Burns And Gracie Allen Show." During this time he also appeared on the Broadway stage in New York City, New York, in the stage productions of the plays, as 'Hugh Coler' in "The Sun Field" (December 09, 1942, to December 12, 1942), as 'Dr. Stephen Duryea' in "According To Law" / "A Strange Play" (June 01, 1944, to June 03, 1944), and as 'Jonathan Chase' in "Carousel" (April 19, 1945, to May 24, 1947). His last role was playing the 'Passerby on Street' in the comedy film drama, "I Married A Woman" (1958), which was directed by Hal Kanter, and which also starred George Gobel, Diana Dors, and Adolphe Menjou. He retired from acting shortly thereafter. During his acting career, he also used the names Richard Gordon, Richard H. Gordon, and Richard Henry Gordon. He became a member of the Screen Actors Guild in 1933 and President of the Screen Actors Guild in 1948. He passed away following emergency surgery at the Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in Hollywood, California, on September 20, 1956, at the age of 63. His funeral service was held through Pierce Bros. Hollywood Mortuary and he was cremated at the Chapel of the Pines in Los Angeles, California. He was married to Emily Ann Wellman Gordon until her death in 1946, and to Ada Alice Scruggs Gordon (1898-1969). He had no children.