Richard Gautier
| Dick "Richard" Gautier | |
|---|---|
 Gautier as Robin Hood in When Things Were Rotten, 1975. | |
| Born |
Dick Gautier October 30, 1931 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1959–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Barbara Stuart (m. 1967, divorced) |
| Website | |
| http://www.dickgautier.com/ | |
Dick "Richard" Gautier (born October 30, 1931) is an actor, comedian, composer, singer and author. Among his most well-known television roles are for Hymie the Robot in the television series Get Smart,[1] and Robin Hood in the short-lived TV comedy series When Things Were Rotten, a Mel Brooks send-up of the classic legend.[2]
Gautier also has a cult following for his role as Hal, the partner of Stanley Beamish in the short-lived 1967 sitcom series Mister Terrific; and for his various voice roles in the 1986 animated Transformers series (including the voice Rodimus Prime).
Career
Early career
Gautier started his career as a night-club comic and a singer for dance orchestras; he joined ASCAP in 1959 after serving in the United States Navy. In 1960, he portrayed fictional rock 'n roll star Conrad Birdie in the original Broadway theatre production of Bye Bye Birdie, receiving a Tony Award nomination for his performance.[citation needed] He appeared in an Episode of The Patty Duke Show Episode "Anywhere I Hang My Horn Is Home". He also portrayed the clumsy robot "Hymie" on TV's Get Smart. He portrayed a dance instructor in the original TV series, Gidget.
As a game show panelist
During the 1970s and 1980s, Gautier was a frequent game show panelist, appearing on Match Game, Tattletales, Showoffs, You Don't Say!, Liar's Club, Password Plus, Body Language, Super Password, Win, Lose or Draw, and the TV version of Can You Top This?.[citation needed] He also briefly tried his hand at emceeing on the early 1970s celebrity couples game It's Your Bet. [citation needed] In 1985, he appeared with Days of our Lives star Gloria Loring, Shelley Smith, Vicki Lawrence, Mary Cadorette, Dallas star Jenilee Harrison, and Knots Landing star Constance McCashin for the Tournament of Losers with Bert Convy on Super Password.
Batman
In 1972, when Burt Ward and Yvonne Craig reprised their Batman roles (as Robin and Batgirl respectively) for a TV public service announcement about equal pay for women, Adam West (who was trying to distance himself from the Batman role at the time) was absent. Instead, Gautier filled in for West as Batman.
Voice-over roles
Gautier has performed several voice-over roles in animation, including Rodimus Prime in the third season of the Transformers animated series from 1986–1987 (taking over for Judd Nelson, who previously performed the role in the 1986 Transformers movie), as well as Serpentor in the G.I. Joe series, played Spike the Dog in Tom and Jerry Kids, and he was also narrator for Discovery Channel's Search for Adventure.[citation needed]
Caricatures of celebrities
He is known for his caricatures of celebrities, and has written several instructional books on caricature, drawing, and cartooning, including Drawing and Cartooning 1001 Caricatures, Drawing and Cartooning 1001 Figures in Action and Creating Comic Characters.
Appearances
Richard Gautier attended TFcon 2013 as a guest.
Personal life
Gautier has three children from his first marriage. He was divorced from his second wife, actress Barbara Stuart, and is currently married to psychologist Dr. Tess Hightower.
References
- ↑ "Get Smart (1965) – Full cast and crew". IMDb.com, Inc. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
- ↑ "When Things Were Rotten (1975)". IMDb.com, Inc. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Richard Gautier. |
- Official website
- Richard Gautier at the Internet Movie Database
- Richard Gautier at the Internet Broadway Database
- Interview at The Transformers.net
| Preceded by Adam West |
Actors to portray Batman 1972 |
Succeeded by Adam West |
| Preceded by Judd Nelson |
Voice of Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime 1986–1988 |
Succeeded by Paul Dobson |
|