Richard Crenna: Colonel Trautman of the Rambo Films Dies at 76

Richard Crenna was an American actor and director, best known as Colonel Sam Trautman in the Rambo films. Born on November 30, 1926, in Los Angeles, he began on radio as a teenager.

Crenna starred in the radio and TV comedy Our Miss Brooks and then played Luke McCoy on The Real McCoys from 1957 to 1963. His films include The Sand Pebbles (1966), Wait Until Dark (1967), Body Heat (1981) and The Flamingo Kid (1984). He won an Emmy for The Rape of Richard Beck in 1985.

Crenna played Trautman in three Rambo movies after Kirk Douglas left the first film. He also directed eight episodes of The Andy Griffith Show. He was married to Penni Sweeney from 1959 and had three children. He died in Los Angeles on January 17, 2003, at age 76, of heart failure; he also had pancreatic cancer.

Achievements: Colonel Trautman in Rambo (1982-1988), The Real McCoys (1957-1963), Emmy Award (1985).

Birth: November 30, 1926 - Los Angeles, California.

Profession: Actor and director.

Interesting Facts: He directed episodes of The Andy Griffith Show under the name Dick Crenna.