Terry Richards Biography: Wife, Age, Children, Height, Net Worth, Parents, Movies & TV Shows, Death

David Terence Richards, known professionally as Terry Richards, was a British actor and stuntman celebrated for his iconic role as the Arabian Swordsman in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), where his character was famously shot by Indiana Jones in a memorable scene.

With a career spanning over five decades, Richards appeared in more than 100 film and television productions, including nine James Bond films, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and The Princess Bride (1987).

Profile

• Full Name: David Terence Richards
• Stage Name: Terry Richards
• Born: 2, November 1932
• Date of Death: 14, June 2014 (Aged: 81 years old)
• Birthplace: South London, England
• Nationality: British
• Occupation: Actor, and Stuntman
• Height: 1.96m
• Parents: George Richards, Catherine Richards
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: Adele Damon (m. 1969–divorced)
• Children: Terry Richards Jr., Suki Richards
• Relationship: Divorced
• Net Worth: $1 million

Early Life and Education

David Terence Richards was born on November 2, 1932, in South London, England, to George Richards, a former Welsh Guard and City of London Police officer, and Catherine Richards, of Irish descent. Details about his siblings are not publicly available.

During World War II, he was evacuated to live with his grandmother in Wales. After leaving school, Richards briefly apprenticed in the printing industry and worked on building sites before serving as a Sergeant Major in the Welsh Guards during his National Service.

He later spent six years as a steward in the Merchant Navy. His formal education was minimal, and he pursued no further studies, focusing instead on his military and early career experiences. His ethnicity was British with Welsh and Irish heritage, and his religious beliefs are not publicly disclosed.

Career

Terry Richards began his career in 1957 after a friend from the Welsh Guards informed him of a film needing extras with military training. His first stunt job involved falling off scaffolding in a riot scene, marking the start of his prolific career.

In 1958, he worked as a fighting extra alongside Kirk Douglas in The Vikings, and in 1960, he co-founded The Stunt Register, a UK directory for accredited stunt performers. His early roles included fight sequences in Zulu (1964), The Dirty Dozen (1967), and Where Eagles Dare (1968), establishing him as a reliable stuntman for high-intensity action scenes.

Richards’ most famous role came in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), where he played the Arabian Swordsman in a scene filmed in Kairouan, Tunisia. After weeks of practicing with a heavy Arab sword for a choreographed fight with Indiana Jones’ whip, the scene was shortened to a single gunshot due to Harrison Ford’s dysentery, creating an iconic moment voted No. 5 on Playboy magazine’s list of best all-time scenes.

Richards worked on nine James Bond films, including From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), doubling for actors like Gert Fröbe and Ronald Rich. He also performed stunts in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) as a Wampa (though his scenes were cut from the theatrical release) and appeared in The Princess Bride (1987), executing a record-breaking high stunt fall at the time.

Richards’ versatility extended to dramatic roles, notably in Red Sonja (1985), where director Richard Fleischer praised his performance as Djart, despite Richards’ initial stage fright. He also taught Ray Winstone sword-fighting for Robin of Sherwood (1984–1986) and performed in Total Recall (1990) with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Beyond film, Richards toured globally as the Black Knight in jousting shows and performed for over a decade in a medieval sword-fighting show at the Beefeater restaurant near the Tower of London. He retired in 1999 after The World Is Not Enough, leaving a legacy as a stuntman who brought authenticity and physicality to action cinema, respected for his professionalism and storytelling charm.

Social Media

Terry Richards does not have a social media account.

Personal Life

Terry Richards married Adele Damon in 1969, and together they had two children, a son and a daughter named Terry Richards Jr. and Suki Richards. Their marriage eventually ended in divorce, though the exact date of their separation has not been publicly disclosed.

Following their divorce, there are no publicly documented records or reports of Terry Richards entering into any other romantic relationships.

Filmography

• The Vikings (1958)
• From Russia with Love (1963)
• Goldfinger (1964)
• Zulu (1964)
• Casino Royale (1967)
• The Dirty Dozen (1967)
• Where Eagles Dare (1968)
• On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
• The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)
• The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
• Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
• Red Sonja (1985)
• The Princess Bride (1987)
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
• Total Recall (1990)
• Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
• The World Is Not Enough (1999)

Net Worth

Terry Richards had an estimated net worth of $1 million at the time of his death in 2014. His wealth was primarily earned through his extensive career as a stuntman and actor in over 100 film and television productions, including high-profile projects like Raiders of the Lost Ark, nine James Bond films, and The Princess Bride.