# Dick Sargent

Richard Stanford Cox (April 19, 1930 – July 8, 1994), known professionally as Dick Sargent, was an American actor. He is best known for being the second actor to portray Darrin Stephens on ABC's fantasy sitcom Bewitched. He took the name Dick Sargent from a Saturday Evening Post illustrator/artist of the same name.

## Early life

Sargent was born Richard Stanford Cox in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, on April 19, 1930, to Ruth McNaughton and Colonel Elmer Cox. His mother was the daughter of John McNaughton, who founded Los Angeles's famed Union Stockyards. She appeared under the stage name of "Ruth Powell", and had supporting bit roles in such films as The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and Hearts and Trumps with Alla Nazimova. Sargent's father Elmer served in World War I and later became a business manager to Hollywood figures, including Douglas Fairbanks and Erich von Stroheim.
Sargent attended the San Rafael Military Academy in San Rafael, California, before majoring in drama at Stanford University. He appeared in two dozen plays with the Stanford Players Theater.

## Career

Sargent appeared in feature films following his debut in Prisoner of War (1954). He appeared in The Great Locomotive Chase (1956) starring Fess Parker. In the 1957 movie Bernardine, Sargent portrayed Sanford "Fofo" Wilson.
Sargent appeared in the 1959 feature film Operation Petticoat starring Cary Grant, and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken starring Don Knotts in 1966. He was a regular in three short-lived television comedies, One Happy Family in 1961, Broadside in 1964, and The Tammy Grimes Show, a four-episode ABC flop in 1966. For three seasons, from 1969 to 1972, he played Darrin Stephens — a role he had previously turned down — in Bewitched, replacing ailing actor Dick York.
In 1975, Sargent appeared on the television show Tattletales with Fannie Flagg.
His later movies included the crime drama Hardcore (1979) as Jake Van Dorn (George C. Scott)'s strait-laced brother-in-law, Wes DeJong, and as Dr. Jameson in the sci-fi horror film Parts: The Clonus Horror (1979). He also played Sheriff Grady Byrd in two 1979–1980 season episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard.
Sargent continued to work in film. He played Harry in Live a Little, Love a Little (1968) opposite Elvis Presley and Michele Carey, and made guest appearances on television series, including Navy Log, The West Point Story, Medic, Code 3, Ripcord, Gunsmoke, Wagon Train, The Alaskans, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Rat Patrol, I Dream of Jeannie, Hazel, Dr. Kildare, Daniel Boone, Kraft Mystery Theater, Three's Company, The Waltons, Charlie's Angels, Knots Landing, Family Ties, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Adam-12, The Streets of San Francisco, Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law, Ellery Queen, The Tony Randall Show, The Devlin Connection, Baretta, Switch, The Six Million Dollar Man, Marcus Welby, M.D., Trapper John, M.D., Matt Houston, Alice, Taxi, Benson, Vega$, Diff'rent Strokes, Here's Lucy, Love, American Style, The Yellow Rose, The Commish, Finder of Lost Loves, Murder, She Wrote, L.A. Law and Harry and the Hendersons. In 1990, he also portrayed himself in an episode of Columbo. In the mid-1980s he landed the steady role of Richard Preston, the widowed father, in the TBS sitcom Down to Earth. He also appeared in the fantasy comedy Teen Witch (1989).
Throughout the 1980s, he joined actress Sally Struthers as an advocate for Christian Children's Fund, which brought relief to children in developing nations. Sargent also did charitable work for the Special Olympics, World Hunger, AIDS Project Los Angeles and the American Foundation for AIDS Research.

## Personal life

On National Coming Out Day in 1991, Sargent publicly declared his homosexuality and his support of gay rights causes. The high rate of suicide among young gay people was the main reason; he jokingly referred to himself as a "retroactive role model". Sargent recognized that his ill health from prostate cancer may have led people to assume that he suffered from AIDS.
Sargent had a companion, with whom he lived for over 20 years, before the unidentified man died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1979. He later lived with his domestic partner Albert Williams until his death.
In June 1992, Sargent was a Grand Marshal of the Los Angeles Gay Pride parade along with Elizabeth Montgomery.

## Death

Sargent was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1989. Doctors were initially optimistic that it could be treated. However, the disease continued to spread and, by early 1994, he had become seriously ill. Sargent died from the disease on July 8, 1994, aged 64. His body was cremated.
Former Bewitched co-star Elizabeth Montgomery commented, "He was a great friend, and I will miss his love, his sense of humor and his remarkable courage." Montgomery herself died of colon cancer less than a year later.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1954 | Prisoner of War | Lt. Leonard Lee | Uncredited |
| 1955 | The Beast with a Million Eyes | Deputy Larry Brewster | |
| 1956 | The Great Locomotive Chase | Andrews Raider | Uncredited |
| 1956 | Love Me Tender | Confederate Soldier | Uncredited |
| 1957 | Bernardine | Sanford Wilson | |
| 1958 | Mardi Gras | Dick Saglon | |
| 1959 | Operation Petticoat | Ensign Stovall | |
| 1960 | The Great Impostor | Hotchkiss | |
| 1962 | That Touch of Mink | Harry Clark | |
| 1963 | For Love or Money | Harvey Wofford | |
| 1963 | Captain Newman, M.D. | Lt. Belden "Barney" Alderson | |
| 1965 | Fluffy | Tommy | |
| 1965 | Billie | Matt Bullitt | |
| 1966 | The Ghost and Mr. Chicken | George Beckett | |
| 1968 | The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell | Captain Elwood Prohaska | |
| 1968 | The Young Runaways | Freddie | |
| 1968 | Live a Little, Love a Little | Harry | |
| 1979 | Hardcore | Wes DeJong | |
| 1979 | Parts: The Clonus Horror | Dr. Jameson | |
| 1983 | I'm Going to Be Famous | The Director | |
| 1986 | The Eleventh Commandment | Charles Knight | |
| 1989 | Teen Witch | Frank Miller | |
| 1989 | Murder by Numbers | Patrick Crain | |
| 1989 | Rock-A-Die Baby | Adam | |
| 1990 | Twenty Dollar Star | Mr. Brandon | |
| 1991 | Frame Up | Will Curran | |
| 1993 | Acting on Impulse | Mr. Randolph | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1954 | I Married Joan | Party Attendee | Episode: "Bev's Mistaken Marriage" |
| 1956 | Medic | Clyde | Episode: "The Glorious Red Gallagher" |
| 1957 | West Point | Cadet Daniels/Cadet Mike Mullen | 2 episodes |
| 1957 | The Christophers | Michael Phillips | Episode: "Gentle Warrior" |
| 1957 | Navy Log | Seaman | Episode: "Ito of Attu" |
| 1957 | Code 3 | George Pringle | Episode: "The Guilty Ones" |
| 1958 | Playhouse 90 | Michael | Episode: "The Male Animal" |
| 1959 | Black Saddle | Lt. Herndon | Episode: "The Freebooters" |
| 1959 | The Loretta Young Show | Billy Simpson | Episode: "Ten Men and a Girl" |
| 1960 | Wichita Town | Scotty | Episode: "Afternoon in Town" |
| 1960 | The Alaskans | Joey | Episode: "The Seal Skin-Game" |
| 1960 | The Millionaire | Dixon Cooper | Episode: "Millionaire Dixon Cooper" |
| 1961 | One Happy Family | Dick Cooper | 15 episodes |
| 1961 | Death Valley Days | Cliff Streeter | Episode: "Gamble with Death" |
| 1961 | Dr. Kildare | Dr. Paul Willis | Episode: "Holiday Weekend" |
| 1962 | Follow the Sun | Lt. Collins | Episode: "Sergeant Kolchak Fades Away" |
| 1962 | Gunsmoke | Bud | Episode: "Catawomper" |
| 1962 | Kraft Mystery Theatre | Dick Sprague | Episode: "Change of Heart" |
| 1962 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Dave Fulton | Episode: "Don't Look Behind You" |
| 1962 | The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet | George | Episode: "An Old Friend of June's" |
| 1962 | Alcoa Premiere | Haines | Episode: "The Potentate" |
| 1963–1964 | Wagon Train | Tom Reade/Andrew Elliott | 2 episodes |
| 1963 | Hazel | Pete | Episode: "Mr. Griffin Throws a Wedding" |
| 1963 | Ripcord | Frank Webb | Episode: "Picture of Terror" |
| 1964–1965 | Broadside | Lt. Maxwell Trotter | 32 episodes |
| 1966–1967 | Daniel Boone | Reuben Stone/Andrew Cooper | 2 episodes |
| 1966 | Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | Dick O'Hara | Episode: "Brilliant Benjamin Boggs" |
| 1966 | The Tammy Grimes Show | Terence Ward | 6 episodes |
| 1967 | Accidental Family | Ted | Episode: "The Secret Life of Jerry Webster" |
| 1968 | The Rat Patrol | Lt. Kemper | Episode: "The Boomerang Raid" |
| 1969 | I Dream of Jeannie | Norman Cashman | Episode: "Jeannie for the Defense" |
| 1969 | Adam-12 | Sidney Roemer | Episode: "Log 92: Tell Him He Pushed Back a Little Too Hard" |
| 1969 | The Outcasts | Reese Hawley | Episode: "Give Me Tomorrow" |
| 1969–1972 | Bewitched | Darrin Stephens | 84 episodes |
| 1970–1973 | Love, American Style | Ben Cortnoy/Freddy/Peter Bradley/Bill | 4 episodes |
| 1972–1974 | Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law | Neil Vickery/Edgar Hogan | 2 episodes |
| 1972 | Young Dr. Kildare | Sam Barlow | Episode: "The Stranger" |
| 1973 | The Streets of San Francisco | Boyd Caldwell | Episode: "Shattered Image" |
| 1973 | Here's Lucy | Officer Spencer | Episode: "Lucy Plays Cops and Robbers" |
| 1974 | Melvin Purvis: G-Man | Thatcher Covington | Television movie |
| 1974 | Fools, Females and Fun | Roger Morris | Television movie |
| 1976 | McMillan & Wife | Dr. Jim Vale | Episode: "The Deadly Curse" |
| 1976 | Ellery Queen | Tom Calabrese | Episode: "The Adventure of the Wary Witness" |
| 1976 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | Pete Randall | 2 episodes |
| 1976 | Rich Man, Poor Man | Eddie Heath | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
| 1976 | The Six Million Dollar Man | Bob Crandall | Episode: "A Bionic Christmas Carol" |
| 1976–1977 | Rich Man, Poor Man Book II | Eddie Heath | Miniseries; 3 episodes |
| 1976–1979 | Charlie's Angels | Hugh Morris/Marty Cole/Avery | 3 episodes |
| 1977–1982 | Fantasy Island | Charles Hollander/Algernon Pepperhill/Justin Rothwell | 3 episodes |
| 1977 | The Tony Randall Show | Chelsey Howard | Episode: "Case: The Lawndale Report" |
| 1977 | Three's Company | Lloyd Cross | Episode: "Chrissy's Date" |
| 1977 | Baretta | Gil Martin | Episode: "Lyman P. Dokker, Fed" |
| 1977 | The Love Boat | Father Mike | Episode: "Lonely at the Top/Silent Night/Divorce Me, Please" |
| 1978 | Switch | Bill Gambel | Episode: "Formula for Murder" |
| 1979 | The Power Within | Captain Ed Holman | Television movie |
| 1979 | Not Until Today | Father Francis Daley | Television movie |
| 1980 | Vegas | Farley/Phil King | 2 episodes |
| 1980 | The Dukes of Hazzard | Sheriff Grady Byrd | 2 episodes |
| 1980 | The Gossip Columnist | Alan Keyes | Television movie |
| 1980 | The Waltons | Chief Petty Officer | 2 episodes |
| 1981 | Aloha Paradise | Jim | Episode: "Make Me a Match/Treasure Hunt/The Kid Who Would Be a Daddy" |
| 1981 | Trapper John, M.D. | Dr. Philip Montague | Episode: "Hate is Enough" |
| 1982 | Taxi | John Bickers | Episode: "Jim's Inheritance" |
| 1982 | Family Ties | Charlie | Episode: "No Nukes is Good Nukes" |
| 1982 | The Devlin Connection | Robert Hutton | Episode: "Jennifer" |
| 1982 | This is the Life | Reverend Burwick | Episode: "The Visitation" |
| 1983 | Matt Houston | Binky Bradworth | Episode: "The Yacht Club Murders" |
| 1983 | The Yellow Rose | Judge Sam Claymore | 2 episodes |
| 1983 | ABC Afterschool Special | Lew Shorr | Episode: "The Celebrity and the Arcade Kid" |
| 1984 | Alice | Dr. Crystal | Episode: "Jolene is Stuck on Mel" |
| 1984 | Benson | Worth Lakewood | 2 episodes |
| 1984 | Finder of Lost Loves | Dennis Hodges | Episode: "White Lies" |
| 1984 | Diff'rent Strokes | Mr. Stone | 2 episodes |
| 1984–1987 | Down to Earth | Richard Preston | 93 episodes |
| 1985 | Knots Landing | Himself | Episode: "Weighing of Evils" |
| 1987 | Murder, She Wrote | George Selby | Episode: "Simon Says, Color Me Dead" |
| 1988 | L.A. Law | Edmund Bates | Episode: "Leapin' Lizards" |
| 1988 | Square One Television | Wellworth Watching | 2 episodes |
| 1990 | Columbo | Himself | Episode: "Uneasy Lies the Crown" |
| 1991 | P.S. I Luv U | Sam | Episode: "I'd Kill to Direct" |
| 1992 | The Commish | Martin Belzer | Episode: "Sex, Lies and Kreosene" |
| 1992 | Harry and the Hendersons | Earl Powers | Episode: "Selling Out" |