Editing Richard Basehart (section)

{{Short description|American actor (1914–1984)}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name         = Richard Basehart
| image        = Richard Basehart 1969.JPG
| caption      = Basehart in 1969
| birth_name   = John Richard Basehart
| birth_date   = {{Birth date|1914|8|31|mf=yes}}
| birth_place  = [[Zanesville, Ohio]], U.S.
| death_date   = {{Death date and age|1984|9|17|1914|8|31|mf=yes}}
| death_place  = [[Los Angeles]], California, U.S.
| burial_place = [[Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery]]
| occupation   = Actor
| years_active = 1947–1984
| spouse       = {{Plainlist|
* {{marriage|Stephanie Klein|1940|1950|end=her death}}
* {{marriage|[[Valentina Cortese]]|1951|1960|end=div}}
* {{marriage|Diana Lotery|1962}}}}
| children     = 3, including [[Jackie Basehart|Jackie]]
}}

'''John Richard Basehart<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Chad |date=2019-10-25 |title=Richard Basehart |url=https://walkoffame.com/richard-basehart/ |access-date=2024-01-18 |website=Hollywood Walk of Fame |language=en-US}}</ref>''' (August 31, 1914 – September 17, 1984) was an American actor. Known for his "deep, resonant baritone voice and craggy good looks,"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Krebs |first=Albin |date=1984-09-19 |title=RICHARD BASEHART, STAGE AND SCREEN STAR, DIES |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/19/obituaries/richard-basehart-stage-and-screen-star-dies.html |access-date=2025-01-15 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> he was active in film, theatre and television from 1947 until 1983. He won two [[National Board of Review Awards]], for his performances in ''[[Fourteen Hours]]'' (1951) and ''[[Moby Dick (1956 film)|Moby Dick]]'' (1956), and was nominated for a [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role|BAFTA Award]] for ''[[Time Limit (film)|Time Limit]]'' (1957).

Basehart was known to television viewers for starring as Admiral [[Harriman Nelson]] on the television [[science-fiction]] drama ''[[Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (TV series)|Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea]]'' (1964–68). He also portrayed [[Wilton Knight]] in the pilot episode of the TV series ''[[Knight Rider (1982 TV series)|Knight Rider]]'' (1982), and provided the narration that was heard during the opening credits throughout the entire series. He appeared in a number of British and Italian films in the mid-1950s, including [[Federico Fellini]]'s ''[[La Strada]]'' and ''[[Il Bidone]]''. He also narrated a wide range of television and film projects.

In 1960, Basehart received a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] for his contributions to the motion picture industry.<ref name=":1" />