Richard Moll

Richard Moll
Moll in 1987
Born
Charles Richard Moll

(1943-01-13)January 13, 1943
DiedOctober 26, 2023(2023-10-26) (aged 80)
Other namesCharles Moll
Alma materUniversity of California, Berkeley (BA)
OccupationActor
Years active1965–2018
Height6 ft 8 in (203 cm)
Spouses
Laura Class
(m. 1989; div. 1992)
Susan Brown
(m. 1993; div. 2005)
Children2

Charles Richard Moll (January 13, 1943 – October 26, 2023) was an American actor known for playing Aristotle Nostradamus "Bull" Shannon, a bailiff on the NBC sitcom Night Court from 1984 to 1992[1] and voicing Harvey Dent/Two-Face in the DC Animated Universe series Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures.

Early life

Charles Richard Moll was born in Pasadena, California, the son of Violet Anita (née Grill), a nurse, and Harry Findley Moll, a lawyer.[2] He was tall early in his life, reaching 6 feet (1.83 m) by age 12. He kept growing until he was about 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) tall. As a child, he and his family would often visit Jackson Hole, Wyoming.[3][1] He attended the University of California, Berkeley, and was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity. During his time at UC Berkeley, Moll performed in works of William Shakespeare.[4]

Career

In the 1977 film Brigham, Moll (credited as Charles Moll) appeared as Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Moll would go on to often portray hulking or imposing characters due to his height and deep voice. In 1979, Moll played the part of Eugene, a gangster on the television series Happy Days in the episode "Fonzie's Funeral". In 1981, Moll co-starred with Jan-Michael Vincent and Kim Basinger in the film Hard Country, and he also played the abominable snowman in the comedy feature film Caveman. The same year, he had a small part in the Mork & Mindy episode "Alienation", where he appeared with future fellow Night Court cast member John Larroquette.[5] In 1982, he played the sorcerer Xusia in The Sword and the Sorcerer.[1]

In 1983, Moll shaved his head for the role of Hurok in the science fiction B movie Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn.[1] The producers of the TV sitcom Night Court liked the look so much in his audition that they asked him to keep it.[6] He played bailiff Aristotle Nostradamus "Bull" Shannon on Night Court from 1984 to 1992.[7] He also used the Bull persona in commercials for the Washington Lottery.[8]

Moll played the role of Big Ben in the 1985 horror film House. He earned a Saturn Award nomination for the role. Moll made an appearance in the first episode of Highlander: The Series as Slan Quince, the villain who reunites Connor MacLeod with his kinsman and the show's protagonist, Duncan MacLeod. Moll made a guest appearance on Babylon 5 in the episode "Hunter, Prey" as a lurker criminal who was holding a VIP hostage, and as a gangster on Married... with Children. Moll made another guest appearance in the TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, playing the cyclops in episode two, "Eye of the Beholder".

Moll at the 39th Emmy Awards in 1987

In Super Password, Moll appeared with Judy Norton Taylor, Nancy Lane, Markie Post, Gloria Loring, Florence Halop, Debra Maffett, Elaine Joyce, and Kim Morgan Greene, with Bert Convy as the game show's host from 1984 to 1987.[citation needed]

Moll played himself in The Facts of Life (Season 9, episodes 1 and 2: "Down and Out in Malibu").

Moll appeared in The Flintstones and Casper Meets Wendy, both TV spin-offs. In 1999's But I'm a Cheerleader, Moll played a gay man who, with his partner (Wesley Mann), helps gay teenagers escape from a nearby camp where parents send their teenage offspring for conversion therapy. He played the drifter on the Nickelodeon show 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd.

In 2001, he played Hugh Kane, the ghost haunting a mansion in Scary Movie 2. In 2007, he played (along with M. Steven Felty) Kolchak Jefferson Stillwall in the Anthony C. Ferrante horror film Headless Horseman. In 2014, Moll appeared as a security guard on an episode of Anger Management with Charlie Sheen.

Voiceover work

Moll can be heard in many animated productions, often as a villain with a deep, growling voice. He voiced Two-Face in Batman: The Animated Series,[1] Scorpion in later episodes of Spider-Man (who was originally voiced by Martin Landau) and the Abomination in The Incredible Hulk (who was originally voiced by Kevin Schon).

Moll also provided voice work in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "Chill of the Night!" voicing Lew Moxon as well as briefly reprising Two-Face (who was mainly voiced by James Remar). His first role in an animated film was as a beat poet in Ralph Bakshi's American Pop.[1] He starred as Norman in the animated series Mighty Max. He also voiced Vorn the Unspeakable, a Cthulhu-like character in the Freakazoid! episode "Statuesque".

Moll voiced the Devil Hulk in the 2005 video game Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction. In the 2010 video game Dante's Inferno, he voiced Death (which he shared with Dee Bradley Baker) and King Minos.

Personal life and death

Moll was married twice: he was married to Laura Class from 1989 to 1992 and Susan Brown from 1993 to 2005. He had two children with Brown as well as stepchildren.[9]

Moll was an avid bird watcher who spent his retirement in Big Bear Lake, California.[3]

Moll died at his home in Big Bear Lake on October 26, 2023, at the age of 80.[6]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1977 Brigham Joseph Smith Film debut, credited as Charles Moll
1980 Cataclysm James Hanson Credited as Charles Moll
1981 American Pop Beat poet
1981 Hard Country Top Gun
1981 Caveman Abominable Snowman
1981 Evilspeak Father Esteban
1982 Liar's Moon Detective Roy Logan
1982 The Sword and the Sorcerer Xusia
1983 Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn Hurok
1983 Under Arrest Patrino
1984 The Dungeonmaster Mestema
1985 Night Train to Terror Otto, James Hansen
1985 House Big Ben Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor
1987 Survivor Kragg
1988 Pulse Pounders Mestema
1989 Wicked Stepmother Nathan Pringle
1989 Think Big Thornton
1989 Murphy's Laws of Golf Golf Police Short film
1991 Driving Me Crazy Buzz
1992 Sidekicks Horn
1992 Marilyn Alive and Behind Bars Otto
1992 Let's Kill All the Lawyers The Centurian
1993 Loaded Weapon 1 Prison attendant
1994 The Flintstones Hoagie
1994 No Dessert, Dad, Till You Mow the Lawn Boot Camp Sergeant
1994 Beanstalk Richard Leech
1995 Galaxis Kyla
1996 Storybook Woody
1996 The Secret Agent Club Wrecks
1996 The Glass Cage Ian Dexter
1996 Jingle All the Way Dementor
1996 The Lawyer Centurion
1996 The Elevator Man Nun
1997 Living in Peril Fritz
1997 Snide and Prejudice General von Ludendorf
1997 Little Cobras: Operation Dalmatian Leader
1997 Farticus Hades
1997 Casper: A Spirited Beginning Principal Rabie Direct-to-video
1998 The Survivor Kyla
1998 Casper Meets Wendy Jules Direct-to-video
1998 Route 66 Unknown
1998 Monkey Business Leader
1999 Foreign Correspondents Man in Bookstore
1999 But I'm a Cheerleader Larry
2000 Shadow Hours Homeless man
2000 Boltneck Mr. O'Reilly
2000 That Summer in LA Hotel Manager
2000 Flamingo Dreams Deke
2001 Spiders II: Breeding Ground Dr. Grbac
2001 Evolution Fire Training Inspector
2001 Scary Movie 2 Hell House Ghost
2002 Angel Blade Carl Shank
2002 No Place Like Home Deputy 'Dead Ned' Nussbaun
2002 The Biggest Fan Harold Worden
2003 Dumb Luck Special Agent Osborne
2003 The Work and the Story Oliver Wendelle
2003 Cast and Mice Cortez
2004 Uh Oh! Diablo
2005 Diamond Zero Detective Jackson
2005 Angels with Angles Robert the bartender
2006 Nightmare Man Captain McCormack
2007 Headless Horseman Kolchak Jefferson Stillwall
2008 A Four Cent Carol The Ghost of Hollywood Future Short film
2008 The Kitty Landers Show Old Man MacGruder Short film
2008 Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage Big Jim
2009 Love at First Hiccup Store owner
2011 Hazelwood Dr. Vulkovich Short film
2011 Assassins' Code Ernest Altman
2012 DisOrientation Mr. Mackenzie
2012 Hemingway The lawyer
2012 Sorority Party Massacre Kreeger
2013 Jurassic: Stone Age Judge Holt
2014 BFFs Ken
2014 Satan's Pigs & Severed Heads: Making Evilspeak Himself Documentary short
2015 Kids vs Monsters Butler
2016 High Noon at the End of the Universe: The Making of Metalstorm Himself Video documentary short
2017 Razor Jon Creadon
2017 For Play Morty Short film
2017 Circus Kane Pale man
2018 Slay Belles Officer Green
TBA Whispers and Shadows Simon Blake Post-production
TBA Celluloid Wizards in the Video Wasteland: The Saga of Empire Pictures Himself Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1978 Welcome Back, Kotter Big Thug Episode: "Beau's Jest"
1978 The Rockford Files Ludes Episode: "Three Day Affair with a Thirty Day Escrow"
1979 How the West Was Won Mose Episode: "The Enemy"
1979 Happy Days Eugene 2 episodes
1979 The Jericho Mile Joker Gibb Television film
1979 Bigfoot and Wildboy Lohr-Khan One Episode: "The Secret Invasion"
1979 B.J. and the Bear Willie Episode: "Run for the Money"
1979 The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo Biker Leader Willie, Rufus 3 episodes
1979 Mark Twain: Beneath the Laughter Stranger Television film
1980 Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Yarat Episode: "Space Rockers"
1980 The Bad News Bears Rust Episode: "Lights Out"
1981 The Archer: Fugitive from the Empire The Bovum Ferryman Television film
1981 Best of the West Prisoner Episode: "The Prisoner"
1981 Here's Boomer Harold, the Monster Episode: "Camityville's Boomer"
1981 Laverne & Shirley Louis Armstrong, Biker 2 episodes
1981 Bret Maverick Sloate 2 episodes
1981 Mork & Mindy Baba Gentle Episode: "Alienation"
1981 The Time Crystal Mayhu Television film
1981 The Fall Guy Ethan Episode: "The Human Torch"
1982 T.J. Hooker Mauler Mort Episode: "Hooker's War"
1983 Savage Journey Joseph Smith Television film, credited as Charles Moll
1983 Remington Steele Pimp Episode: "Steele in the News"
1983 Fantasy Island Omo Episode: "Love Island/The Sisters"
1983 Alice Hank Episode: "Sweet Erasable Mel"
1983 Just Our Luck Currently Unknown Episode: "Uncle Harry"
1983 The Dukes of Hazzard Milo Beaudry 2 episodes
1984 The A-Team Churlisco 2 episodes
1984 Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour Himself - Panelist Recurring role, 10 episodes
1984–1985 Body Language Himself Recurring role, 13 episodes
1984–1987 Super Password Himself Recurring role, 35 episodes
1984–1992 Night Court Aristotle Nostradamus "Bull" Shannon Main role – 193 episodes
1985 Santa Barbara Morgan Malone 2 episodes
1985 The $25,000 Pyramid Himself - Celebrity Contestant 5 episodes
1985 The $10,000 Pyramid Himself - Celebrity Contestant 5 episodes
1985 The NBC All Star Hour Himself Television special
1986 Alvin Goes Back to School Mr. Conroy Television film
1986 Combat Academy Col. Felix Long Sr. Television film
1987 If It's Tuesday, It Still Must Be Belgium Currently Unknown Television film
1987 The Facts of Life Richard Moll 2 episodes
1987 Sledge Hammer! Dr. Arthur Deco Episode: "Hammeroid"
1988–1992 An Evening at the Improv Himself - Host 2 episodes
1989 My Two Dads Nostradamus "Bull" Shannon Episode: "Playing with Fire"
1989 Dream Date The Man in the Theater Television film
1989 Class Cruise Saunders Television film
1989 Monsters Arturus Episode: "The Demons"
1989 Murphy's Laws of Golf Golf Police Short film
1989–1990 Out of This World Skull Basher, Driver License Examiner 2 episodes
1990 227 Burnie Episode: "Where Do We Go from Here?"
1990 The American Film Institute Presents: TV or Not TV? Brain on Drugs Breakfast Guy Television film
1990 The Munsters Today Gengas Khan Episode: "It's My Party and I'll Die If I Want To"
1991 The Last Halloween Hans Television short
1992 Highlander Slan Quince Episode: "The Gathering"
1992 Making of "Highlander: The Series" Himself - Slan Quince Television film documentary
1992 Martin Officer Warren Episode: "The Great Payne Robbery"
1992 CBS Schoolbreak Special Coach Hillman Episode: "Words Up!"
1992–1994 Batman: The Animated Series Harvey Dent / Two-Face, Batcomputer Voice, 12 episodes[10]
1993–1994 Mighty Max Norman Voice, recurring role
1993–1994 Getting By Boo 5 episodes
1994 Summertime Switch Jimmy Television film
1994 Due South Zaleb Carney Episode: "They Eat Horses, Don't They?"
1994–1997 Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman John 4 episodes
1995 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys The Cyclops Episode: "Eye of the Beholder"
1995 Babylon 5 Max Episode: "Hunter, Prey"
1995 Baywatch Trapper Episode: "Home Is Where the Heat Is"
1995 The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat Additional voices Episode: "Wet Paint/News Blues/Copy Cat"
1996 Adventures of Smoke Bellew Currently Unknown Miniseries, 6 episodes
1996 Weird Science Frankestein's Monster Episode: "Searching for Boris Karloff"
1996 Married...with Children Gino 2 episodes
1996 7th Heaven Mike 'The Mutant' Mitchell Episode: "Halloween"
1996 Superman: The Animated Series Emperor Spooj Voice, episode: "The Main Man"[10]
1996 Freakazoid! Vorn the Unspeakable Voice, episode: "Statuesque"[10]
1996 Aaahh!!! Real Monsters Big Bunny, Gangster #1 2 episodes[10]
1996–1997 The Incredible Hulk Abomination, Homeless Man Voice, recurring role[10]
1997 The Legend of Calamity Jane Additional voices 13 episodes
1997 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Dinky Voice, episode: "The Pied Piper"
1997 Sabrina, the Teenage Witch Sergeant Slater Episode: "Sabrina Gets her License (Part 2)"
1997 Spider-Man Mac Gargan/Scorpion Voice, recurring role
1997–1998 The New Batman Adventures Harvey Dent / Two-Face Voice, 2 episodes[10]
1998 Cow and Chicken TV Anchor, Chef Voice, episode: "Sumo Cow/Comet!"[10]
1998 Oh Yeah! Cartoons Kenny, Driver Episode: "Protecto 5000"[10]
1998 The Ransom of Red Chief Filthy McNasty Television film
1999 The Parent 'Hood Sam Bates Episode: "Front Window"
1999–2002 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd Drifter Recurring role, 25 episodes
1999 The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald Org's Dad Voice, episode: "The Visitors from Outer Space"[10]
2000 Double Dare 2000 Himself - Contestant Episode: "100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd vs. The Amanda Show"
2001 Call Me Claus Brooding Claus Television film
2001 The Defectors Al Television film
2002 The Zeta Project Rodin Krick Voice, episode: "Lost and Found"[10]
2002 Justice League Java Voice, episode: "Metamorphosis"[10]
2002 Smallville Mr. Moore Episode: "Nocturne"
2005 Game Show Moments Gone Bananas Himself 1 episode
2007 The Fantastic Two Duane Torn Television Miniseries
2008 Whatever Happened To? Himself Episode: "TV Giants"
2010 Cold Case Chuck "French" Jaworski '10 Episode: "The Runaway Bunny"
2010 Batman: The Brave and the Bold Harvey Dent / Two-Face, Lew Moxon Voice, episode: "Chill of the Night!"
2010 The 8th Annual TV Land Awards Himself Television special
2010 Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster Elmer Uggins Television film
2012 Lake Effects Old Vic Television film
2013 Anger Management Carlos Episode: "Charlie and the Airport Sext"
2013 Ghost Shark Finch Television film
2015 Kirby Buckets Mr. Bostwick Episode: "The Rise and Fall of 4th Period"
2016 Pub Quiz Berwick Television film

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
1996 The Adventures of Batman & Robin Activity Center Two-Face Voice
1997 Fallout: A Post-Nuclear Role-Playing Game Cabbot Voice[10]
1997 Outlaws 'Gentleman' Bob Graham Voice[10]
2005 The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction Devil Hulk Voice[10]
2010 Dante's Inferno Death / King Minos Voice[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Erickson, Hal (2016). "Richard Moll". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2016-02-13.
  2. ^ "Richard Moll Biography (1943-)". Film Reference.
  3. ^ a b Haring, Bruce (October 27, 2023). "Richard Moll Dies: 'Night Court' Bailiff and Voice/Character Actor Was 80". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  4. ^ Bucksbaum, Sydney (October 27, 2023). "Richard Moll, Night Court's Bull the bailiff, dies at 80". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  5. ^ "Mork and Mindy, season 4, episode 9". IMDb.
  6. ^ a b Barnes, Mike (October 27, 2023). "Richard Moll, Bull the Bailiff on 'Night Court,' Dies at 80". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  7. ^ "Richard Moll, who played towering bailiff on 'Night Court,' dies at 80". NBC News. October 28, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  8. ^ "Washington Lottery Quicksilver 80s Commercial (1988)". YouTube. April 21, 2018.
  9. ^ "Richard moll: Richard Moll's Ex-Wives and Cherished Family: Here is a Closer Look". The Economic Times. October 28, 2023. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Richard Moll (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved October 6, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.