Richard Masur

Richard Masur
Name	Richard Masur
Birth date	20 November 1948
Birth place	New York City, New York, United States
Occupation	Actor, autobiographer, former Screen Actors Guild president
Years active	1972–present

Richard Masur is an American character actor and former labor leader known for extensive work in film, television, and theatre spanning the 1970s to the present. He has appeared in major studio films, independent productions, and network series, and served in leadership roles within performers' unions and arts organizations. Masur's career intersects with prominent filmmakers, actors, and institutions across Hollywood, Broadway, and television networks.

Early life and education

Masur was born in New York City and raised in a Jewish family with roots in Germany. He attended Queens College and studied drama at institutions associated with New York University and regional theatre programs that have trained actors for Lincoln Center and Broadway. Early influences included repertory companies linked to the American Conservatory Theater, the Professional Children's School, and workshops led by alumni of the Juilliard School and Actors Studio.

Acting career

Masur's acting career began in the early 1970s with roles in films connected to directors and production companies active in the New Hollywood era. He collaborated with filmmakers associated with Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, and independent producers tied to festivals such as the Sundance Film Festival and the Cannes Film Festival. On television, he worked on series produced by NBC, CBS, ABC, and cable networks like HBO and AMC. His stage work included productions mounted by companies such as the Roundabout Theatre Company, the Manhattan Theatre Club, and regional theatres affiliated with the Stratford Festival model.

Masur is noted for character roles bringing credibility to ensemble casts, frequently cast alongside actors from The Godfather casts, performers linked to the Actors Studio tradition, and co-stars who appeared in films by directors like Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman, and Brian De Palma. He maintained a steady presence across media during periods shaped by events such as the rise of cable television, the consolidation of major studios, and the growth of independent cinema in the 1980s and 1990s.

Filmography

Masur's screen credits encompass a range of studio and independent pictures released by companies such as Columbia Pictures, 20th Century Fox, and Warner Bros. Pictures. He appeared in character parts in movies alongside actors from franchises like Star Wars, dramas associated with the Sundance Film Festival, and comedies distributed by major exhibitors. His feature films include collaborations with directors who worked with casts featuring alumni of The Actors Studio, veterans of Broadway, and screen performers who received Academy Award nominations.

Television work

On television, Masur guest-starred and held recurring roles on series broadcast by NBC, CBS, and ABC, and on basic and premium cable networks like HBO and Showtime. He appeared in anthology episodes reminiscent of programming from Masterpiece Theatre, crime procedurals in the tradition of Law & Order, and sitcoms linked to writers with credits on Seinfeld and The Golden Girls. Masur's TV roles placed him in episodes directed by alumni of the American Film Institute and in teleplays penned by writers who contributed to series developed at Paramount Television and 20th Century Fox Television.

Theatre and stage credits

Masur's theatre work includes Broadway and off-Broadway productions staged by institutions such as Lincoln Center Theater, the Roundabout Theatre Company, and the Manhattan Theatre Club. He performed in plays that toured regional circuits associated with the Shakespeare Theatre Company and festivals patterned after the Stratford Festival and the Williamstown Theatre Festival. His stage collaborators included directors and designers who also worked at The Old Vic and with ensembles affiliated with the National Theatre.

Awards and recognitions

Masur received recognition from performers' organizations and arts institutions, including nominations and awards presented by bodies such as the Screen Actors Guild, the New York Film Critics Circle, and regional critics' circles like the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. His peers acknowledged his service with honors from unions comparable to the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and civic arts awards given by municipal cultural councils and nonprofit foundations active in supporting performing arts.

Personal life and activism

Masur has been active in union leadership and advocacy, including positions with the Screen Actors Guild where he engaged with labor negotiations involving studios like Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, and agencies represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. He has supported arts education initiatives tied to colleges such as Queens College and public arts programs administered by municipal cultural agencies. Masur's philanthropic and civic involvement connected him with organizations supporting refugees, civil liberties groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, and cultural institutions in New York City.

Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:Actors from New York City Category:1948 births Category:Living people