Richard Fiske (born Thomas Ralph Potts, November 20, 1914/1915 – August 10, 1944) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 80 films during a brief but busy career from 1938 to 1942, almost exclusively for Columbia Pictures. He is remembered today for his work in B-movies, westerns, serials, and comedy shorts. Especially his memorable appearances with the Three Stooges … Before his life was cut short during World War II.
Early Life
Richard Fiske was born Thomas Ralph Potts in Shelton, Washington, to Frank Potts and Bernice Fiske. He had a family connection to acting through his aunt, Minnie Fiske, a noted stage and silent-film actress. After graduating from Longview High School, he worked in local radio and briefly attended the University of Washington before pursuing a screen career.
Hollywood Career
In 1938, the tall, handsome young actor signed a contract with Columbia Pictures after a successful screen test. He was initially billed as “Robert Fiske,” but changed to Richard Fiske because another actor already used that name.
Columbia kept him extremely busy in its B-picture unit. He started with juvenile leads and supporting roles, including a notable part as Jackson in the popular serial The Spider’s Web (1938). Richard Fiske followed this with roles in Flying G-Men (1939) as a G-man and Overland with Kit Carson (1939). He also appeared frequently in westerns with stars like Charles Starrett and Bill Elliott, and in series such as Blondie, The Lone Wolf, and Boston Blackie.
Fiske excelled in short subjects, working with comedians like Charley Chase, Andy Clyde, Buster Keaton, and especially the Three Stooges. Modern audiences often recognize him best for his comic foil roles with the Stooges, most famously as the hot-tempered husband who becomes a drill sergeant in Boobs in Arms (1940)—footage later reused in Dizzy Pilots (1945).
His final credited screen role was as Ginger Rogers’ fiancé in Billy Wilder’s comedy The Major and the Minor (1942). He left Columbia around this time and appeared in a couple of outside films, including the RKO western Valley of the Sun (1942).
Military Service and Death
Fiske’s acting career ended when he enlisted in the U.S. Army in May 1942. He was commissioned as a First Lieutenant and served with the 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division.
On August 10, 1944, shortly after the Normandy invasion, he was killed in action near La Croix-Avranchin (also spelled LeCroix or La Croix-Avranchin), France, at the age of 28 or 29. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal, and other honors. He is buried at the Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial in Basse-Normandie, France.
Personal Life
Fiske married Marjorie Jean MacGregor in December 1939. The couple divorced in April 1944, a few months before his death.