Richard Dix was a major leading man at RKO Radio Pictures from 1929 through 1943. He was born Ernest Carlton Brimmer July 18, 1893, in St. Paul, Minnesota. There he was educated, and at the desires of his father, studied to be a surgeon. His obvious acting talent in his school dramatic club led him to leading roles in most of the school plays. At 6 0 and 180 pounds, Dix excelled in sports, especially football and baseball. These skills would serve him well in the vigorous film roles he would go on to play. After a year at the University of Minnesota he took a position at a bank, spending his evenings training for the stage. His professional start was with a local stock company, and this led to similar work in New York. The death of his father left him with a mother and sister to support. He went to Los Angeles, became leading man for the Morosco Stock Company and his success there got him a contract with Paramount Pictures. His rugged good looks and dark features made him a popular player in westerns. His athletic ability led to his starring role in Paramounts Warming Up (1928), a baseball story and also the studios first feature with synchronized score and sound effects. His deep voice and commanding presence were perfectly suited for the talkies, and he was signed by RKO Radio Pictures in 1929, scoring an early triumph in the all-talking mystery drama, Seven Keys to Baldpate (1929). In 1931 he was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his masterful performance in Cimarron (1931), winner of the Best Picture Oscar that year. Throughout the 1930s Dix would be a big box-office draw at RKO, appearing in mystery thrillers, potboilers, westerns and programmers. He appeared in the Whistler series of mystery films at Columbia in the mid-40s. He retired from films in 1947. He first married Winifred Coe on October 20, 1931, had a daughter, Martha Mary Ellen, then divorced in 1933. He then married Virginia Webster on June 29, 1934. They had twin boys, Richard Jr. and Robert Dix and an adopted daughter, Sara Sue. Richard Dix the actor, died at age 56 on September 20, 1949.
Dan Taylor
Film 1942
John McTavish
Film 1923
Steve Reynolds
Film 1947
Capt. Will Stone
Film 1943
Earl C. Conrad
Film 1944
Richard 'Mack' McAllan
Film 1935
Ralph Harrison
Film 1946
William Everest
Film 1945
Lee Selfridge Nugent
Film 1944
John Sinclair / John Carter
Film 1945
Yancey Cravat
Film 1931
Parrish
Film 1922
John Colby
Film 1921
Tommy Frazer
Film 1922
Bill Bear
Film 1922
Billy Grant
Film 1922
Lt. Bill
Film 1923
Robby Smith
Film 1923
Richard Templar
Film 1923
Bob Howard
Film 1926
Steve Porter
Film 1927
Tom Roberts
Film 1927
Jim Bucklin
Film 1927
Dr. Gerald Summer
Film 1929
Joaquin Murrieta
Film 1927
Richard Shelby
Film 1928
Frank 'Duke' Ellis
Film 1932
Capt. 'Gibby' Gibson
Film 1932
Bill Fenwick
Film 1936
Nick Green
Film 1939
Paul Dover
Film 1938
Police Chief Richard Bryan
Film 1942
Phil Mercedes
Film 1940
Capt. W.R. 'Stag' Cahill
Film 1938
Rex 'Rocky' Thorne
Film 1933
William Magee
Film 1929
Stephen Brent
Film 1943
Nophaie
Film 1925
Wing Foot
Film 1929
Robert Bennett
Film 1929
Tim Bart
Film 1937
John Day
Film 1933
Bill Dana
Film 1925
Clay Tallant
Film 1935
Lewis Dumont
Film 1931
Self
Film 1929
Phillip
Film 1934
Peter
Film 1930
Roger Standish / Roger Lennox
Film 1932
William Shayne
Film 1939
Duke Allen
Film 1939
Carson
Film 1932
Larry Sheldon / Ted Walters
Film 1930
Will Prescott
Film 1925
Ben Jordan
Film 1924
John Storm
Film 1923
Robert Parker
Film 1928
Paul Driscoll
Film 1937
Bob Culpepper
Film 1936
Frank Claymore
Film 1923
Jasper Horn
Film 1933
Paul Redmond
Film 1936
Bruce Foster
Film 1933
Steve Payson
Film 1941
Wyatt Earp
Film 1942
Richard Dix
Film 1931
Jack Stone
Film 1926
Richard Gaylord, Jr.
Film 1925
Randy Farnum
Film 1925
Richard Dix
Film 1926
Billy Dexter
Film 1926
Bert Tulliver
Film 1928
Larry Darrant
Film 1924
Jim Donovan
Film 1931
Glenn Kilbourne
Film 1923
Jean Isbel
Film 1923
Randall Lee Savage
Film 1925
Michael Moran
Film 1928
Dundee 'Knockout' Reilly
Film 1927
Geoffrey Farnell
Film 1925
Lee Marvin
Film 1922
Capt. Leslie Yeullet
Film 1929
Walt Breen
Film 1922
Douglas Albright
Film 1924
Alan Croft
Film 1924
James Lowery - Butler
Film 1917
Paul / Arthur Ellison (twins)
Film 1921
Bobby Cameron
Film 1921
Harley Jones
Film 1921
Peter Minuit
Film 1924