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Richard Edson

  • Actor
  • Writer
  • Camera and Electrical Department
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Richard Edson
Trailer for Do the Right Thing
Play trailer2:07
Do the Right Thing (1989)
12 Videos
80 Photos
The great character actor Richard Edson's first feature film role came in Jim Jarmusch's 1983 cult hit, Stranger Than Paradise (1984), where he played "Eddie", one of the main characters. Edson then had small, but memorable, roles in other big hits such as Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), John Hughes' Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), Oliver Stone's great Vietnam-movie Platoon (1986), Barry Levinson's Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) and, in 1989, Edson starred in Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing (1989). In 1993, he played "Spike", one of the evil King Koopa's henchmen, in Super Mario Bros. (1993) and, in 1995, he had a part in the engaging sci-fi thriller, Strange Days (1995). More recently, he has appeared in the remake of Starsky & Hutch (2004), the dubious horror-flick, Frankenfish (2004) and is currently starring with Tom Arnold in The Kid & I (2005).

In addition to his film success, Edson has had a fascinating career in music, being the original drummer in the New York post-punk band, Sonic Youth, and spending three years as drummer for the rhythmic dance band, Konk. (Actually, he was a trumpet player in Konk, not the drummer) It was his involvement in Konk and the New York art scene that caught Jim Jarmusch's eye and led to his being cast in Stranger Than Paradise (1984).

Edson currently lives in Los Angeles where, in addition to acting, he is very active in music, writing and photography.
BornJanuary 1
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornJanuary 1
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Photos80

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    Known for

    Spike Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, John Turturro, Ruby Dee, Giancarlo Esposito, and Bill Nunn in Do the Right Thing (1989)
    Do the Right Thing
    8.0
    • Vito
    • 1989
    Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
    Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    7.8
    • Garage Attendant
    • 1986
    Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, John C. McGinley, and Kevin Eshelman in Platoon (1986)
    Platoon
    8.1
    • Sal
    • 1986
    Madonna and Rosanna Arquette in Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
    Desperately Seeking Susan
    6.1
    • Man with Newspapers
    • 1985

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Actor



    • The Code (2024)
      The Code
      6.8
      • Jay's Dad
      • 2024
    • Somewhere Between Expectation and Reality (2023)
      Somewhere Between Expectation and Reality
      Short
      • Russel
      • 2023
    • Kyle Schmid, Goran Visnjic, Lucas Till, and Sonja Kinski in Seeing Red (2022)
      Seeing Red
      • 2022
    • Richard Edson in Window (2021)
      Window
      Short
      • Old man
      • 2021
    • The Christmas Book (2020)
      The Christmas Book
      Video
      • Dad
      • 2020
    • Love, Hunger, Betrayal, Forgiveness (Not Necessarily in That Order)
      • Clem
      • 2020
    • 3 from Hell (2019)
      3 from Hell
      5.4
      • Carlos Perro
      • 2019
    • Thomas Giles: Incomplet (2019)
      Thomas Giles: Incomplet
      Music Video
      • Giles
      • 2019
    • Burning Shadow (2018)
      Burning Shadow
      4.6
      • Ronald
      • 2018
    • Belladonna in Dream Murder Machine (2018)
      Dream Murder Machine
      5.8
      Short
      • Terrance
      • 2018
    • New York Nocturne (2017)
      New York Nocturne
      Short
      • Mr. Smith
      • 2017
    • Dutch Book (2015)
      Dutch Book
      6.4
      • Billy Santiago
      • 2015
    • Richard Edson, James Wilder, Joaquim de Almeida, and Rudolf Martin in 3 Holes and a Smoking Gun (2014)
      3 Holes and a Smoking Gun
      4.6
      • Sam Dunkim
      • 2014
    • Counting Crows: Palisades Park
      9.1
      Music Video
      • Ed
      • 2014
    • Kyle Schmid, Lucas Till, and Sonja Kinski in Dark Hearts (2014)
      Dark Hearts
      4.4
      • Ravetti
      • 2014

    Writer



    • Richard Edson in Window (2021)
      Window
      Short
      • story by
      • 2021
    • New York Nocturne (2017)
      New York Nocturne
      Short
      • writer
      • 2017
    • Double Date
      Short
      • Writer
      • 1997

    Camera and Electrical Department



    • The Christmas Book (2020)
      The Christmas Book
      Video
      • lighting artist
      • 2020
    • Artbound (2012)
      Artbound
      8.3
      TV Series
      • camera operator
      • 2013–2014

    Videos12

    Good Morning, Vietnam: 25th Anniversary Edition
    Clip 1:32
    Good Morning, Vietnam: 25th Anniversary Edition
    Good Morning, Vietnam: 25th Anniversary Edition
    Clip 0:50
    Good Morning, Vietnam: 25th Anniversary Edition
    Good Morning, Vietnam: 25th Anniversary Edition
    Clip 0:50
    Good Morning, Vietnam: 25th Anniversary Edition
    Trailer
    Trailer 1:59
    Trailer
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:43
    Official Trailer
    Land of Plenty
    Trailer 2:16
    Land of Plenty
    Happiness Runs
    Trailer 2:05
    Happiness Runs

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Official sites
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
    • Alternative name
      • Richie Edson
    • Height
      • 5′ 11½″ (1.82 m)
    • Born
      • January 1
      • New Rochelle, New York, USA
    • Parents
        Marian Edson
    • Relatives
        Jennifer Edson(Sibling)
    • Other works
      Former drummer of Sonic Youth.

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Richard Edson was the original drummer for the New York City post-punk rock band, Sonic Youth.

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