
Richard Crenna
ActingAbout Richard Crenna
Richard Donald Crenna (November 30, 1926 – January 17, 2003) was an American motion picture, television, and radio actor and occasional television director. He starred in such motion pictures as The Sand Pebbles, Wait Until Dark, Body Heat, the first three Rambo movies, Hot Shots! Part Deux, and The Flamingo Kid. Crenna played "Walter Denton" in the CBS radio and CBS-TV network series Our Miss Brooks, and "Luke McCoy" in ABC's TV comedy series, The Real McCoys, (1957–63), which moved to CBS-TV in September 1962. Crenna was in one of the few TV political dramatic series Slattery's People on CBS. Crenna played "Colonel Trautman" in the first three Rambo movies. He also played "Frank Skimmerhorn" in the critically acclaimed mini-series Centennial.
Richard Crenna Movies & Career Overview
The filmography of Richard Crenna reflects a strong mix of popular and critically appreciated roles. Across 50 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.
Dominant Genre
A large portion of Richard Crenna's work falls within the Drama genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.
Success Ratio
Approximately 52% of Richard Crenna's films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.
One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains Kids Like These, which stands out as a key performance.
Best Richard Crenna Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Richard Crenna's career based on audience ratings.
Full Filmography
Every movie Richard Crenna has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Rambo | Col. Samuel Trautman (archive footage) (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2003 | Out of the Ashes | Jake Smith | Average | Similar → |
| 2001 | The Day Reagan Was Shot | Ronald Reagan | Average | Similar → |
| 2000 | Murder, She Wrote: A Story to Die For | Warren Pierce | Hit | Similar → |
| 1999 | To Serve and Protect | Howard Carr | Hit | Similar → |
| 1998 | Wrongfully Accused | Fergus Falls | Average | Similar → |
| 1997 | 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea | Professor Aronnax | Average | Similar → |
| 1996 | Race Against Time: The Search for Sarah | John Porter | Average | Similar → |
| 1995 | Sabrina | Patrick Tyson | Average | Similar → |
| 1995 | In the Name of Love: A Texas Tragedy | Luke Constable Sr. | Hit | Similar → |
| 1993 | Hot Shots! Part Deux | Col. Denton Walters | Hit | Similar → |
| 1991 | And the Sea Will Tell | Vincent Bugliosi | Average | Similar → |
| 1990 | Montana | Hoyce Guthrie | Average | Similar → |
| 1989 | The Case of the Hillside Stranglers | Sgt. Bob Grogan | Average | Similar → |
| 1989 | Leviathan | Dr. Glen 'Doc' Thompson | Average | Similar → |
| 1988 | Internal Affairs | Frank Janek | Hit | Similar → |
| 1988 | Rambo III | Trautman | Average | Similar → |
| 1987 | Plaza Suite | Roy Hubley | Average | Similar → |
| 1987 | Kids Like These | Bob Goodman | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1986 | The High Price of Passion | Williams Douglas | Average | Similar → |
| 1985 | Summer Rental | Al Pellet | Average | Similar → |
| 1985 | The Rape of Richard Beck | Richard Beck | Hit | Similar → |
| 1985 | Rambo: First Blood Part II | Col. Samuel Trautman | Hit | Similar → |
| 1984 | The Flamingo Kid | Phil Brody | Average | Similar → |
| 1984 | Passions | Richard Kennerly | Average | Similar → |
| 1982 | First Blood | Col. Samuel Trautman | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1981 | Daniel Boone | Daniel Boone | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1981 | Body Heat | Edmund Walker | Hit | Similar → |
| 1981 | Musical Comedy Tonight II | Self | Hit | Similar → |
| 1979 | Mayflower: The Pilgrims' Adventure | William Brewster | Hit | Similar → |
| 1979 | Stone Cold Dead | Sgt. Boyd | Average | Similar → |
| 1978 | Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell | Mike Barry | Average | Similar → |
| 1978 | The Evil | C.J. Arnold | Average | Similar → |
| 1975 | Breakheart Pass | Gov. Richard Fairchild | Hit | Similar → |
| 1974 | Nightmare | Howard Faloon | Hit | Similar → |
| 1973 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Father (voice) | Average | Similar → |
| 1973 | The Man Called Noon | Noon | Average | Similar → |
| 1972 | Footsteps | Paddy | Average | Similar → |
| 1972 | A Cop | Simon | Hit | Similar → |
| 1971 | Thief | Neal Wilkinson | Hit | Similar → |
| 1971 | Red Sky at Morning | Frank Arnold | Hit | Similar → |
| 1970 | The Deserter | Major Wade Brown | Average | Similar → |
| 1969 | Marooned | Jim Pruett | Average | Similar → |
| 1968 | Star! | Richard Aldrich | Hit | Similar → |
| 1967 | Wait Until Dark | Mike Talman | Hit | Similar → |
| 1966 | The Sand Pebbles | Captain Collins | Hit | Similar → |
| 1959 | Disneyland '59 | Self | Hit | Similar → |
| 1956 | Our Miss Brooks | Walter Denton | Hit | Similar → |
| 1952 | It Grows on Trees | Ralph Bowen | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1952 | The Pride of St. Louis | Paul Dean | Hit | Similar → |
Richard Crenna - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Richard Crenna?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Richard Crenna is "Kids Like These" with a rating of 10.0/10.
How many movies has Richard Crenna acted in?
Richard Crenna has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Richard Crenna?
Other notable films include "It Grows on Trees", "Daniel Boone", and "First Blood".




