Virgil J. Richardson
Virgil J. Richardson (December 14, 1916 - May 15, 2004) was a Tuskegee Airman and an actor working in both the United States and Mexico. He was a founding member of the American Negro Theatre.
Biography
Richardson was born on December 14, 1916 in Center Point, Arkansas and was later raised in Texarkana, Texas.[1] He graduated from Dunbar High School and went on to Wiley College where he was encouraged to go into acting.[2]
Richardson moved to New York in 1937 where he pursued acting.[3] He studied at the New Theatre School and was a student of Doris Sorrell.[4] His first job was as an understudy for Canada Lee in Big White Fog.[3] Richardson became involved with the American Negro Theatre (ANT) as a founding member[3][5][6] He played in the ANT production of On Stravers Row and in 1940, took over Lee's part in Big White Fog.[7] ANT also had a radio show on WNEW where Richardson played several roles.[8][4]
Richardson was drafted into the United States Army in 1941.[1] In 1942, he was part of the largest-to-date class to graduate from the Tuskegee Army Air Field.[9] In 1944, Richardson was awarded an Air Medal.[10] He flew 63 combat missions during his tour of duty and was discharged from the military in 1945.[11][1] He shortly returned to New York to pursue acting again.[1]
After the ANT disbanded in 1949, Richardson continued to work in radio.[12] In the summer of 1950, he first came to Mexico, arriving in Acapulco first and moving to Mexico City.[11] In Mexico, he found a refreshingly different take on racial relations, compared to the United States.[13]
He had roles in Tarzan and Sheena films that were shot in Mexico City.[11] In 1966, he had a speaking role in Su Execlencia.[11]
Richardson returned to the United States in 1997, settling in West Columbia, Texas.[14][1] He died on May 15, 2004.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Gupton, Tracy (2024-02-26). "Tuskegee Pilot's Career Highlighted at Museum". Columbia Historical Museum. Retrieved 2025-11-11.
- ^ Perry, Ken (1985-03-02). "Texas Native Hopes Tide is Changing for Blacks in Theater Arts". Corpus Christi Caller-Times. p. 34. Retrieved 2025-11-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Actor-Pilot Spreads Wings". The Black Dispatch. 1945-12-01. p. 9. Retrieved 2025-11-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Shulman 2016, p. 465.
- ^ Chapin, Dwight (1981-01-20). "Expatriate Playwright". The San Francisco Examiner. p. 29. Retrieved 2025-11-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Meldon, John (1940-10-05). "American Negro Theatre". The Phoenix Index. p. 7. Retrieved 2025-11-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Virgil Richardson, who has been". Daily News. 1940-11-30. p. 149. Retrieved 2025-11-10 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Radio Spotlight". The New York Age. 1946-11-09. p. 10. Retrieved 2025-11-10 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "24 Cadets Receive Wings at Tuskegee". Baltimore Afro-American. 1943-07-10. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-11-10 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Awarded Air Medal:". The New York Age. 1944-09-02. p. 5. Retrieved 2025-11-10 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d Vinson III 2004, p. 2.
- ^ Shulman 2016, p. 473.
- ^ Vinson III 2004, p. 5.
- ^ Vinson III 2004, p. 4.
Sources
- Shulman, Max (2016). "Tuning the Black Voice: Colour-Deafness and the American Negro Theatre's Radio Dramas". Modern Drama. 59 (4): 456–477 – via Project MUSE.
- Vinson III, Ben (2004). Flight: The Story of Virgil Richardson, a Tuskegee Airman in Mexico. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 1403966184 – via Internet Archive.