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Richard Compton, a writer, director, and producer, was born on March 2, 1938, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He launched his career in the early 1960s by creating government propaganda films for the United States Information Agency. His first feature film, "The French Way," was never released in the United States. Compton followed it with the notable biker movie Angels Die Hard (1970), which marked the first release from Roger Corman's New World Pictures. He then directed the highly regarded yet underappreciated exploitation film Welcome Home Soldier Boys (1971), centered on troubled Vietnam veterans.
His most successful work was the cult classic Macon County Line (1974), a surprising box-office hit that inspired a series of similar Southern-themed drive-in films, including Jackson County Jail (1976), A Small Town in Texas (1976), and Nightmare in Badham County (1976). The lukewarm semi-sequel Return to Macon County (1975), featuring then-unknown actors Nick Nolte and Don Johnson, and the mediocre post-apocalyptic sci-fi survival film Ravagers (1979) failed to match his earlier success. However, The Ransom (1977) was a solid and compelling thriller.
In the early 1980s, Compton shifted his focus to television, directing numerous made-for-TV movies and episodes of various series such as Peacemakers (2003), JAG (1995), The Lone Gunmen (2001), Charmed (1998), Sliders (1995), Profiler (1996), Babylon 5 (1993), L.A. Law (1986), The Commish (1991), Home Improvement (1991), Baywatch (1989), Miami Vice (1984), Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), The Equalizer (1985), Hill Street Blues (1981), Hotel (1983), and T.J. Hooker (1982).
Compton also acted during the 1960s and 1970s, appearing in guest roles on two episodes of the original Star Trek (1966) TV series and in the cult film The Sadistic Hypnotist (1969). He was married to actress Veronica Cartwright. Richard Compton passed away on August 11, 2007, at the age of 69.
