# Richard Benedict

Richard "Pepe" Benedict (born Riccardo Benedetto, January 8, 1920 – April 29, 1984) was an Italian-American television and film actor and director. He was born in Palermo, Italy.

## Career

He appeared in dozens of television programs and movies from the 1940s to the 1960s, most notably Ace in the Hole (1951), directed by Billy Wilder. Benedict appeared with Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack in the 1960 movie Ocean's 11 as one of the 11 men who rob five Las Vegas casinos on the same night. He also played the commander of the Mars rescue ship in the 1958 B sci-fi movie It! The Terror from Beyond Space.
Benedict's television appearances included Adventures of Superman, The Lone Ranger, Perry Mason, Zorro, Dragnet, Peter Gunn and Hawaii Five-O. His directing credits included Impasse, an adventure film starring Burt Reynolds.

## Death

He died of a heart attack at Studio City, Los Angeles, on April 29, 1984, and was interred in Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills Cemetery, in the Churchyard section. He was the father of three children, including actor Nick Benedict.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1944 | Winged Victory | Drunken Seaman | Uncredited |
| 1945 | See My Lawyer | Joe Wilson | |
| 1945 | A Walk in the Sun | Private Tranella | |
| 1946 | O.S.S. | Bernay | |
| 1946 | Somewhere in the Night | Marine Desk Sergeant | Uncredited |
| 1946 | Till the End of Time | The Boy From Idaho | |
| 1946 | Blue Skies | Shirtless Soldier at White Christmas Camp Show | Uncredited |
| 1947 | Backlash | Detective Sergeant Tom Carey | |
| 1947 | The Guilt of Janet Ames | Joe Burton | |
| 1947 | Seven Were Saved | Sergeant | Uncredited |
| 1947 | Crossfire | Bill | |
| 1948 | The Arizona Ranger | Ranger Gills | |
| 1948 | Race Street | Sam | |
| 1948 | Smart Girls Don't Talk | Cliff Saunders | |
| 1949 | Shockproof | "Kid", Knife Wielder | Uncredited |
| 1949 | Homicide | Nick Foster | |
| 1949 | City Across the River | Gaggsy Steens | |
| 1949 | Streets of San Francisco | Henry Walker | |
| 1949 | The Window | Drunken Seaman | Uncredited |
| 1949 | Omoo-Omoo, the Shark God | Mate Richards | |
| 1949 | Scene of the Crime | Turk Kingby | |
| 1949 | Post Office Investigator | Louis Reese | |
| 1949 | Angels in Disguise | Miami | |
| 1950 | Destination Big House | Joe Bruno | |
| 1950 | State Penitentiary | Mike Gavin | |
| 1950 | Triple Trouble | Skeets O'Neil | |
| 1950 | Rookie Fireman | Al Greco | |
| 1951 | Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison | Tom McCain | Uncredited |
| 1951 | Ace in the Hole | Leo Minosa | |
| 1952 | Okinawa | Delgado | |
| 1952 | Hoodlum Empire | Silky Tanner | |
| 1952 | Breakdown | Harry "Punchy" Adams | |
| 1952 | Woman in the Dark | Gino Morello | |
| 1953 | Jalopy | Tony Lango | |
| 1953 | The Juggler | Police Officer Kogan | |
| 1953 | Run for the Hills | "Happy" Day | |
| 1953 | Murder Without Tears | "Candy Markwell" Martola | |
| 1953 | Act of Love | Pete | |
| 1955 | The Big Tip Off | Hood #1 | |
| 1955 | The Shrike | Gregory, Male Nurse | |
| 1955 | Spy Chasers | Boris | |
| 1955 | Wiretapper | Romato | |
| 1956 | He Laughed Last | Big Dan's Hood | Uncredited |
| 1956 | The Man Is Armed | Lew 'Mitch' Mitchell | |
| 1956 | The Great Man | Cab Driver | Uncredited |
| 1957 | Spring Reunion | Jim | Uncredited |
| 1957 | Monkey on My Back | Art Winch | |
| 1957 | Beginning of the End | Corporal Mathias | |
| 1957 | The Midnight Story | Pool Player | Uncredited |
| 1957 | The Walter Winchell File | Keeger | Episode: The Decision |
| 1958 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Mike | Season 4 Episode 3: "The Jokester" |
| 1958 | It! The Terror from Beyond Space | Bob Finelli | |
| 1960 | I'll Give My Life | Corporal Burr | |
| 1960 | Ocean's 11 | "Curly" Steffans | |
| 1961 | Ada | Alabama Man | Uncredited |
| 1964 | Mike and the Mermaid | | |
| 1965 | A Swingin' Summer | Tom | |
| 1965 | Winter A-Go-Go | | Director |
| 1969 | Impasse | Owner / Bartender of Ugly American | Uncredited |
| 1972 | Bloody Trail | | |
| 1983 | Disconnected | Store Customer | (final film role) |