Virgil J. Richardson

Richardson was born on December 14, 1916 in Center Point, Arkansas and was later raised in Texarkana, Texas.^[1] He graduated from Dunbar High School and went on to Wiley College where he was encouraged to go into acting.^[2]

Richardson moved to New York in 1937 where he pursued acting.^[3] He studied at the New Theatre School and was a student of Doris Sorrell.^[4] His first job was as an understudy for Canada Lee in Big White Fog.^[3] Richardson became involved with the American Negro Theatre (ANT) as a founding member^[3][5][6] He played in the ANT production of On Stravers Row and in 1940, took over Lee's part in Big White Fog.^[7] ANT also had a radio show on WNEW where Richardson played several roles.^[8][4]

Richardson was drafted into the United States Army in 1941.^[1] In 1942, he was part of the largest-to-date class to graduate from the Tuskegee Army Air Field.^[9] In 1944, Richardson was awarded an Air Medal.^[10] He flew 63 combat missions during his tour of duty and was discharged from the military in 1945.^[11][1] He shortly returned to New York to pursue acting again.^[1]

After the ANT disbanded in 1949, Richardson continued to work in radio.^[12] In the summer of 1950, he first came to Mexico, arriving in Acapulco first and moving to Mexico City.^[11] In Mexico, he found a refreshingly different take on racial relations, compared to the United States.^[13]

He had roles in Tarzan and Sheena films that were shot in Mexico City.^[11] In 1966, he had a speaking role in Su Execlencia.^[11]

Richardson returned to the United States in 1997, settling in West Columbia, Texas.^[14][1] He died on May 15, 2004.^[1]

• Shulman, Max (2016). "Tuning the Black Voice: Colour-Deafness and the American Negro Theatre's Radio Dramas". Modern Drama. 59 (4): 456–477 – via Project MUSE.
• Vinson III, Ben (2004). Flight: The Story of Virgil Richardson, a Tuskegee Airman in Mexico. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 1403966184 – via Internet Archive.