Richard Coogan

In his two-hour-and-forty-five-minute interview, Richard Coogan (1914-2014) discusses discovering his love of performing at an early age, doing stage plays with his high school friend. He talks about his days as a radio announcer and being on television as early as 1945, where he worked as an all-around announcer and news anchor in the final days of World War II. He recalls being cast as "Captain Video" in Captain Video and His Video Rangers, speaks of the show's rapid and astonishing success with both children and adults, and describes the challenges of doing a daily live television program on a shoestring budget. Coogan recounts his time at the famed Actors Studio in New York City, his busy Broadway stage career, and his decision to turn down a lucrative contract with 20th Century Fox. He chronicles his six-year run on the daytime drama Love of Life, as well as his stint in the primetime Western The Californians, and touches on various primetime guest-starring roles. He concludes by talking about the craft and profession of acting, his career highlights and regrets, and his great pride in his charity work involving children. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview on October 1, 2003 in Sherman Oaks, CA.