Richard Herd

The face of authority in the shadows

Richard Herd had a boss's look. He was born in Boston in 1932 and spent much of his childhood fighting a bone marrow infection that nearly sidelined him before he even got started. That illness forced him into months of hospital stays and gave him an adult's gaze while he was still a kid.

Theater was his first serious refuge.

He cut his teeth on New York stages before Hollywood came calling. He wasn't the typical square-jawed leading man. His presence projected a natural authority that casting directors recognized early on. Because Herd didn't play ordinary guys. He was the man who gave the orders.

In 1976 he played James McCord in All the President's Men. It was a supporting role, but a crucial one for understanding his career. That Alan J. Pakula film put his face on the industry's map. But the curious thing is that Herd wasn't chasing instant fame. He preferred steady work and the reliable paycheck of high-end character parts.

His big commercial break came with science fiction. In 1983 he put on the uniform of John, the Supreme Commander of the Visitors in the series V. That role made him a cult figure for millions of viewers who watched a lizard-skinned alien who could be as elegant as he was terrifying.

He carried that commanding presence into the Star Trek franchise. For years he played Admiral Owen Paris in Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise. His ability to rattle off space jargon with total ease earned him a permanent spot at fan conventions.

Absurdist comedy and George Costanza's boss

In the mid-nineties his career took an odd turn. Younger audiences discovered him thanks to Seinfeld. He played Mr. Wilhelm, George Costanza's boss at the New York Yankees. His character was an absent-minded man who lived in his own reality.

That change of pace was his smartest move.

He worked on eleven episodes of the series between 1995 and 1998. The chemistry with Jason Alexander worked because Herd kept a perfectly straight face while saying the most ridiculous things. The secret of his comedy was never trying to be funny. He was simply a serious guy in absurd situations.

He appeared in other sitcoms, but none had the impact of his run on NBC. So he got used to people stopping him on the street to ask about the Yankees' latest signings. He always answered with the same professional courtesy he brought to his dramatic work on set.

An ending rooted in genre cinema

Herd never stopped working. Even when the industry tends to forget veteran actors, he found room in high-profile projects. In 2017 he took part in Get Out under the direction of Jordan Peele. He played Roman Armitage in a brief but unsettling role that connected with a new generation of moviegoers.

A year later he appeared in The Mule, directed by Clint Eastwood in 2018. There he shared the screen with other veterans of classic Hollywood. His filmography topped 150 credits across film and television over five decades of nonstop work.

Away from the spotlight, he devoted himself to painting and music. He had a folk band and recorded several albums that he distributed independently. He had no interest in red carpet glitter. He preferred the paintbrush and the quiet of his studio in California.

He died at his home in Los Angeles on May 26, 2020.

The cause of death was complications from colon cancer at the age of 87.