Richard Crenna was born into a modest-income family. His mother managed a small hotel in downtown Los Angeles where Richard and his family resided. When he finished high school he enrolled at the University of Southern California and majored in Theater Arts. He first appeared on network radio while still a teenager as Ougy Pringle in "A Date with Judy" (1946). When that show was canceled he was cast in the role of Walter Denton on "Our Miss Brooks" and stayed in the part when the show moved from radio to television (Our Miss Brooks). The part called for a gangly, awkward, cracked-voice adolescent. Crenna was a tall, graceful man with a rich voice, yet his acting skills were such that he was easily able to fulfill the character's requirements, leading many viewers to believe that he actually was of high school age, when in fact he was 26 years old at the time. When the show was canceled he was cast as "Luke" on The Real McCoys. Richard married shortly after his graduation from USC, but the marriage was short-lived. He met and married his last wife in the late 1950s. He has more than 70 major motion pictures to his credit.


Got his star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. [1988] Richard has three children - Seana, a social worker (b. 1955); Richard Anthony Crenna, an actor (b. 1962); and Maria, a CBS Vice-president (b. 1966). He also has two grandchildren - Emma (b. 1994) and Isabella (b. 1997). Crenna's character, Col. Denton Walters, in Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993), is a tip of the hat to his old character Walter Denton in the radio and television series "Our Miss Brooks" (1952). Attended Belmont High School in Los Angeles. Member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity at the University of Southern California. Crenna had a recurring role on "Judging Amy" (1999) as Jared Duff, the fiancé of Maxine Gray, Tyne Daly's character. His unexpected death prompted the writers of the series to have his character die unexpectedly as well, just before Jared and Maxine were to be married. The 2003 episode, entitled "Requiem," was dedicated to Crenna's memory.