Hollywood Faces Dossier
107 Archival Vault Holdings
📍 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Richard Deacon
1922 – 1984
Richard Lewis Deacon (May 14, 1922 – August 8, 1984) was an American actor, best known for playing supporting roles in television shows on The Dick Van Dyke Show (as milksop producer Mel Cooley) and Leave It to Beaver (as Lumpy's self-aggrandizing father Fred Rutherford). He also had minor roles in films such as Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963).
Mike Jones's Video Boneyard archive currently preserves 107 physical recordings spanning 66 productions featuring Richard Deacon.
Archival Holdings in The Video Boneyard
The following 66 canonical motion pictures and broadcast master recordings featuring Richard Deacon are preserved in the studio archives:
| Year | Production Title | Character / Role | Director / Studio | The Video Boneyard | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Invaders from Mars 2 Copies | Featured Cast | William Cameron Menzies / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1955 | This Island Earth 2 Copies | Featured Cast | Joseph M. Newman / Universal Pictures | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1956 | Invasion of the Body Snatchers | Featured Cast | Don Siegel / Monogram Pictures | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1957 | Leave It to Beaver: S01E03 - The Black Eye | Fred Rutherford | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1957 | The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour: S01E02 - The Celebrity Next Door | Winslow (uncredited) | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1958 | Leave It to Beaver: S02E05 - The Lost Watch | Fred Rutherford | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1958 | Lumpy Rutherford | Fred Rutherford | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1958 | Tenting Tonight | Fred Rutherford | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1960 | My Three Sons: S01E06 - Adjust or Bust | Leading Role | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1960 | The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis: S01E26 - That's Show Biz 2 Copies | Cecil Ellingboe | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1961 | Jealousy! | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1961 | The Dick Van Dyke Show 39 Copies | Co-Star | Alan Rafkin / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1961 | The Meershatz Pipe | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1961 | The Sick Boy and the Sitter | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1961 | Washington vs. the Bunny | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1962 | A Man's Teeth Are Not His Own | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1962 | Hustling the Hustler | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1962 | Like a Sister | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1962 | My Husband Is Not a Drunk | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1962 | Never Name a Duck | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1962 | The Sleeping Brother | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1962 | What's in a Middle Name? | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1963 | A Surprise Surprise Is a Surprise | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1963 | I Was a Teenage Head Writer | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1963 | I'm No Henry Walden! | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1963 | It May Look Like a Walnut | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1963 | It's a Shame She Married Me | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1963 | Jilting the Jilter | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1963 | Racy Tracy Rattigan | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1963 | That's My Boy?? | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1963 | The Alan Brady Show Presents | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1963 | The Foul Weather Girl | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1963 | The Sam Pomerantz Scandals | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1963 | The Square Triangle | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1963 | Too Many Stars | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1963 | Very Old Shoes, Very Old Rice | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1963 | When a Bowling Pin Talks, Listen | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1963 | Who and Where Was Antonio Stradivarius? | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1964 | 4 1/2 | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1964 | A Vigilante Ripped My Sports Coat | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1964 | How to Spank a Star | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1964 | I'd Rather Be Bald Than Have No Head at All | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1964 | My Husband Is the Best One | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1964 | October Eve | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1964 | Pike's Pique | Borden T. Pike | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1964 | Romance, Roses and Rye Bread | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1964 | Scratch My Car and Die | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1964 | The Dick Van Dyke Show: S04E13 - My Two Show-Offs and Me | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1964 | The Ghost of A. Chantz | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1964 | The Life and Love of Joe Coogan | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1964 | The Pen Is Mightier Than the Mouth | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1964 | The Return of Edwin Carp | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1964 | The Third One From the Left | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1964 | Three Letters from One Wife | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1965 | Baby Fat | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1965 | Coast to Coast Big Mouth | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1965 | One Hundred Terrible Hours | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1965 | The Ugliest Dog in the World | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1966 | A Day in the Life of Alan Brady | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1966 | Talk to the Snail | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1966 | The Bottom of Mel Cooley's Heart | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1966 | The Dick Van Dyke Show: S05E26 - Obnoxious, Offensive, Egomaniac, Etc. | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1966 | The Gunslinger | Mel Cooley | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1967 | Who Are You Calling a Jeannie? | Harley Z. Poof | Hal Cooper / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1971 | Green Acres: S06E26 - The Ex-Secretary | Mr. Oglethorpe | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1973 | Night Gallery: S03E15 - Hatred unto Death / How to Cure the Common Vampire | Man with Mallet (segment "How to Cure the Common Vampire") | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
Complete Career & Landmark Filmography
Major theatrical features, landmark television appearances, and key credited roles across Richard Deacon's historic screen career:
| Year | Production Title | Character / Role | Department / Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Ford Theatre | Actor | Actor (Television) |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatre | Sheldon | Actor (Television) |
| 1950 | The Bob Hope Show | Self | Actor (Television) |
| 1950 | The Jack Benny Program | Shirt Salesman | Actor (Television) |
| 1951 | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | Dr. Thomas Gregory | Actor (Television) |
| 1952 | The Ford Television Theatre | Planter O'Toole | Actor (Television) |
| 1953 | Invaders from Mars | MP | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1953 | The Danny Thomas Show | John Savich | Actor (Television) |
| 1953 | The Life Of Riley | Chauffeur | Actor (Television) |
| 1954 | Cry Vengeance | Bartender at The Cameo Room | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1954 | December Bride | James, Desi Arnaz's Butler | Actor (Television) |
| 1954 | Désirée | Etienne Clary | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1954 | Private Hell 36 | Mr. Mace (uncredited) | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1954 | Public Defender | Truant Officer | Actor (Television) |
| 1954 | Shield for Murder | The Professor | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1954 | Them! | Bald Reporter at L.A. News Conference | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1955 | Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy | Semu | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1955 | Blackboard Jungle | Mr. Stanley (uncredited) | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1955 | Good Morning, Miss Dove | Mr. Spivvy (uncredited) | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke | Botkin | Actor (Television) |
| 1955 | Lay That Rifle Down | Glover Speckleton | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1955 | My Sister Eileen | Baker's Receptionist (uncredited) | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1955 | Navy Log | Actor | Actor (Television) |
| 1955 | Prince of Players | Theatre Manager | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1955 | Screen Director's Playhouse | Hotel Clerk (uncredited) | Actor (Television) |
| 1955 | The 20th Century Fox Hour | Paul Erickson | Actor (Television) |
| 1955 | The Bob Cummings Show | District Attorney | Actor (Television) |
| 1955 | The Great Gildersleeve | Actor | Actor (Television) |
| 1955 | The Millionaire | Jeweler | Actor (Television) |
| 1955 | This Island Earth | Pilot (uncredited) | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1956 | Hot Blood | Mr. Swift (uncredited) | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1956 | Invasion of the Body Snatchers | Emergency Room Doctor (uncredited) | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1956 | The Kettles in the Ozarks | Big Trout | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1956 | The Power and the Prize | Howard Carruthers | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1956 | The Proud Ones | Barber (uncredited) | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1956 | The Solid Gold Cadillac | Williams (uncredited) | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1957 | Affair in Reno | H.L. Denham | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1957 | Annette | Uncle Archie McCleod | Actor (Television) |
| 1957 | Date with the Angels | Actor | Actor (Television) |
| 1957 | Decision at Sundown | Reverend Zaron | Actor (Feature Film) |
⚖️ Archival Preservation & Scholarship:
All film excerpts, technical specifications, and character credits cataloged in this dossier are curated for film scholarship, legal public domain verification, and historical media education under 17 U.S.C. § 107.