Kim Richards
American actress (born 1964)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kim Erica Richards[1] (born September 19, 1964)[2] is an American former child actress and television personality. Richards began her career as a child actress and rose to prominence from her roles as Prudence Everett in Nanny and the Professor (1970–1971), Olga in Little House on the Prairie (1974), Tia Malone in Escape to Witch Mountain (1975), and its sequel Return from Witch Mountain (1977). In 2010, Richards would begin appearing in the reality series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alongside her sister Kyle Richards. She was a part of the show's principal cast for the first five seasons and has made guest appearances in the subsequent seasons.[3]
September 19, 1964
- Actress
- television personality
Kim Richards | |
|---|---|
Richards in 2010 | |
| Born | Kim Erica Richards September 19, 1964 Mineola, New York, U.S. |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1970–1990; 2002–2015 (acting) |
| Notable credit(s) | Nanny and the Professor Escape to Witch Mountain Return from Witch Mountain The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills |
| Spouses | G. Monty Brinson
(m. 1985; div. 1988)Gregg Davis
(m. 1988; div. 1991) |
| Partner(s) | John Jackson (1992–1996) Wynn Katz (2012–2018) |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Kyle Richards (sister) Kathy Hilton (half-sister) Paris Hilton (niece) Nicky Hilton Rothschild (niece) |
Early life
Richards was born September 19, 1964, in Mineola, New York,[4] the daughter of Kathleen Mary (née Dugan) and her second husband, Kenneth Edwin Richards. They separated in 1972 and her mother later remarried.[2][5][6] Her younger sister is actress, socialite, and television personality Kyle Richards. Her half-sister is socialite Kathy Hilton, from her mother's prior marriage to Larry Avanzino; making her the aunt of Nicky and Paris Hilton. Richards is of Welsh and Irish ancestry.[7][8] Kim and Kathy were raised in Lloyd Harbor, New York before their father moved them to Los Angeles, where Kyle was born.[4]
Career
Richards' career began when she was months old and appeared in a TV commercial for Firth Carpet.[4] From 1970 to 1971, she starred as Prudence Everett in the television series Nanny and the Professor. She also starred in several Disney films, including Escape to Witch Mountain, No Deposit, No Return, and Return from Witch Mountain.[9][10]
In 1974 and 1976, Richards appeared in Disney's Whiz Kid Capers series (The Whiz Kid and the Mystery at Riverton and The Whiz Kid and the Carnival Caper), two television movies that aired as part of The Wonderful World of Disney anthology series.[citation needed]
Richards and her sister Kyle played sisters in the thriller film The Car (1977). She teamed up once again with Witch Mountain co-star Ike Eisenmann in the made-for-television movie Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell (1978). In the 1976 film Assault on Precinct 13, she played a young girl who was brutally murdered when a gang member fired a round into her chest. She later starred in the short-lived television series Hello, Larry (1979–80) and appeared as a guest on numerous episodes of American television shows, including Emergency!, Diff'rent Strokes, Alice, Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, CHiPs, Magnum, P.I., James at 16, The Dukes of Hazzard, The Rockford Files, and Little House on the Prairie as Olga Nordstrom.[11][12][13]
As a young adult, she appeared in Meatballs Part II (1984) and Tuff Turf (1985). in 1990, she co-produced the film Escape, along with then-husband G. Monty Brinson.[14] Richards appeared in a supporting role as Christina Ricci's estranged mother in the drama film Black Snake Moan (2006). She made a cameo appearance in Race to Witch Mountain (2009), playing a waitress named Tina, a minor variation from the character Tia she played in the franchise's 1975 and 1978 films.[9][10][15]
In 2010, Richards began appearing as a regular cast member of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, alongside her sister Kyle. After five seasons, Kim was let go as a full-time cast member following her personal struggles.[16][17] She returned as a guest star, though, in the show's sixth, seventh, ninth, tenth and thirteenth seasons.[18] On April 10, 2023, in honor of National Sibling Day, Richards and half-sister Kathy Hilton appeared together on Entertainment Tonight's "Spill the ETea" segment discussing their relationship, their children and being grandparents.[19][20]
Personal life
In 1985, Richards married Monty Brinson, a supermarket-franchise heir who later became a professional poker player. They have one daughter together, Brooke Ashley (born February 21, 1986).[21]
Brinson and Richards divorced amicably in 1988.[22] Later that year, she married Gregg Davis, the son of petroleum mogul Marvin Davis and his wife Barbara Davis.[21] They have two children together: a daughter, Whitney Nicole Davis (born March 16, 1990) and a son, Chad Austin Davis (born May 26, 1991).[21] Richards and Davis divorced in 1991.[23]
Following her separation from Davis, Richards dated commodities salesman John J. Collett, a central figure in a criminal scheme involving 8,000 elderly investors and nearly US$150 million (equivalent to $355 million in 2025) in losses. On October 28, 1991, Collett was murdered outside Brent's Deli in Northridge. He was shot twice in the head at point-blank range by a hit man who had been paid US$30,000 (equivalent to $71,000 in 2025).[24] He was speaking with Kim on the phone when the shooting occurred.[25] Richards spoke about Collett's murder on an episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.[26]
After Collett's death, Richards was in a relationship with aircraft-parts supplier John Jackson from 1992 to 1996. She gave birth to their daughter, Kimberly Collette Jackson, on August 23, 1995.[21]
From 2012 to 2018, she was in a relationship with businessman Wynn Katz. They appeared together on WE TV's Marriage Boot Camp in 2018, and split after their appearance on the show.[27][28]
On April 15, 2015, Richards was arrested and charged with trespassing, public intoxication, resisting an officer, and battery on a police officer at the Beverly Hills Hotel.[29][30] She spent the night in Los Angeles County Jail and was released the next morning on bail of US$20,000 (equivalent to $27,000 in 2025).[29]
Four months later, on August 2, 2015, Richards was again arrested for allegedly shoplifting at a San Fernando Valley Target department store. She was booked into the Van Nuys jail, being released the next day, on August 3, after posting bail of US$5,000 (equivalent to $7,000 in 2025).[31]
Richards remained close friends with first husband Brinson and helped care for him during his struggle with lung cancer, which eventually caused his death on January 25, 2016, at age 58.[23]
Richards has two grandsons and a granddaughter through her oldest daughter Brooke and husband Thayer Wiederhorn.[32][33]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Little House on the Prairie | Olga Nordstrom | |
| 1974 | The New Temperatures Rising Show | Little Girl | |
| 1975 | Escape to Witch Mountain | Tia Malone | |
| 1976 | No Deposit, No Return | Tracy | |
| Special Delivery | Juliette | ||
| Assault on Precinct 13 | Kathy Lawson | ||
| 1977 | The Car | Lynne Marie Parent | |
| Return from Witch Mountain | Tia Malone | ||
| 1983 | Lottery! | Valerie | |
| 1984 | Meatballs Part II | Cheryl | |
| 1985 | Tuff Turf | Frankie Croyden | |
| 1990 | Escape | Brooke Howser | Also producer |
| 2006 | Black Snake Moan | Sandy Doole | |
| 2009 | Race to Witch Mountain | Tina | |
| 2015 | Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! | Babs Jensen |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970–71 | Nanny and the Professor | Prudence Everett | 54 episodes |
| 1971 | The Strange Monster of Strawberry Cove | Girl | TV movie, uncredited |
| 1971–76 | The Wonderful World of Disney | Girl, Daphne 'Daffy' Fernald, Sara, Leroy | 5 episodes |
| 1972 | The F.B.I. | Barbie Ghormley | Episode: "Dark Christmas" |
| Nanny and the Professor | Prudence Everett | Animated TV-movie | |
| 1973 | Nanny and the Professor and the Phantom of the Circus | ||
| The Picture of Dorian Gray | Beatrice (as a child) | TV movie | |
| Here We Go Again | Jan Standish | 13 episodes | |
| Alvin the Magnificent | TV movie | ||
| 1973–77 | ABC Afterschool Specials | Missey, Minnow | 2 episodes |
| 1974, 1977 | Police Story | Melanie/Kerry McGuire | |
| 1974 | Little House on the Prairie | Olga Nordstrom | Episode: "Town Party-Country Party" |
| Benjamin Franklin | Episode: "The Whirlwind" | ||
| Return of the Big Cat | Amy McClaren | TV movie | |
| Emergency! | Melissa | Episode: "How Green Was My Thumb?" | |
| 1975 | The Streets of San Francisco | Julie Todd | Episode: "River of Fear" |
| Medical Story | Episode: "Million Dollar Baby" | ||
| 1976 | Sara | Maude | Episode: "Code of the West" |
| The Rockford Files | Marin Rose Gaily | Episode: "The Family Hour" | |
| Medical Center | Penny | Episode: "If Wishes Were Horses" | |
| Family | Laura Richardson | Episode: "Monday is Forever" | |
| 1977 | Raid on Entebbe | Alice | TV movie |
| 1977–78 | James at 15/16 | Sandy Hunter | 21 episodes |
| 1978 | Project UFO | Amy Forman | |
| Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell | Bonnie Barry | TV movie | |
| 1979 | $weepstake$ | Episode: "Lynn and Grover and Joey" | |
| Hizzonner | Jamie | Episode: "Mizzonner" | |
| Diff'rent Strokes | Ruthie Alder | 3 episodes | |
| 1979–80 | Hello, Larry | Ruthie Alder | 35 episodes |
| 1980 | Kraft Salutes Disneyland's 25th Anniversary | Herself | TV special |
| 1981 | Why Us? | Holly Sanborn | TV short |
| 1982 | The Love Boat | Gail, Lilian Gerbert | Episode: "Command Performance/Hyde and Seek/Sketchy Love" |
| CHiPs | Sheila | Episode: "Tight Fit" | |
| Alice | Lisa | 2 episodes | |
| Magnum P.I. | Carrie Reardon | Episode: "Mixed Doubles" | |
| 1983 | The Dukes of Hazzard | Nancylou Nelson | Episode: "Cooter's Girl" |
| 1984 | The Mississippi | Episode: "Informed Consent" | |
| 2002 | The Blair Witch Mountain Project | Tia Malone | TV short |
| 2004, 2007 | The Simple Life | Herself | 2 episodes |
| 2010–2020, 2023–24 | The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills | Series regular (Seasons 1–5); Guest star (Seasons 6–7, 9–10, 13) | |
| 2013 | Stars in Danger | TV special | |
| Vanderpump Rules | Episode: "Tooth or Consequences" | ||
| 2015 | Revenge | Stephanie | Episode: "Kindred" |
| Dr. Phil | Herself | Episode: "Real Housewife's Exclusive: Kim Richards Tells All About Drunken Arrest" | |
| 2016 | The Mother/Daughter Experiment: Celebrity Edition | Episodes: "Housewife vs. Bad Girl", "The Hot Seat" | |
| 2018 | Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars | Season 13; 11 episodes |