Biography for
Richard Kollmar More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

31 December 1910, Ridgewood, New Jersey, USA

Date of Death

7 January 1971, New York City, New York, USA (suicide - overdose)

Birth Name

Richard Tompkins Kollmar

Spouse

Anne Fogarty	(June 1967 - 7 January 1971) (his death)
Dorothy Kilgallen	(6 April 1940 - 8 November 1965) (her death) 3 children

Trivia

Starred as the title character on the syndicated radio show "Boston Blackie" (1945-1949).

Children with Dorothy Kilgallen include Richard "Dickie" Kollmar, Jill Kollmar, and Kerry Kollmar.

In 1959, he owned and operated a nightclub in New York City called The Left Bank. It was located at 309 W. 50th Street. His hobby was collecting models of hands, which were displayed in the restaurant. He also started a small art gallery and displayed many paintings at his supper club.

Opened in a play, 'Plain and Fancy,' on December 13, 1954 in New Haven, Connecticut. Wife Dorothy Kilgallen was unable to attend his opening as she was in Cleveland, Ohio covering the murder trial of Dr. Sam Sheppard.

Later moved into the producer's chair of such stage musicals as "Dream with Music," "Are You With It?" and "Plain and Fancy".

Developed a chronic alcohol problem in later years.

In 1938, the singer/actor made his Broadway debut in "Knickerbocker Holiday," the Maxwell Anderson/Kurt Weill musical play, followed by an appearance in the Rodgers and Hart musical "Too Many Girls" along with fellow cast members Desi Arnaz, Eddie Bracken and Van Johnson. Richard Carlson replaced Dick when the musical was turned into a 1940 film with Arnaz and Lucille Ball.

Well known to radio fans along the Eastern seaboard as the urbane Dick of WOR's "Breakfast with Dorothy and Dick," a morning show which featured his wife, newspaper columnist Dorothy Kilgallen.

Became radio's Boston Blackie for the greatest length of time.