Rick Springfield | |
|---|---|
 Springfield in 2025 on tour withRichard_Marx | |
| Born | Richard Lewis Springthorpe (1949-08-23)23 August 1949 (age 76) Guildford, New South Wales, Australia |
| Citizenship | Australia (1949–present) United States (2006–present) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1962–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments |
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| Labels | |
| Formerly of | Zoot,The Morris Springfield Project,The Red Locusts,Sound City Players |
| Website | rickspringfield |
Musical artist | |
Richard Lewis Springthorpe (born 23 August 1949), known professionally asRick Springfield, is an Australian-American musician and actor. He was a member of thepop rock groupZoot from 1969 to 1971, then started his solo career with his debut single, "Speak to the Sky", which reached the top 10 in Australia in mid-1972. When he moved to the United States, he had a No. 1 hit with "Jessie's Girl" in 1981 in both Australia and the US, for which he received theGrammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. He followed with four more top 10 US hits: "I've Done Everything for You", "Don't Talk to Strangers", "Affair of the Heart" and "Love Somebody". Springfield's two US top 10 albums areWorking Class Dog (1981) andSuccess Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet (1982).
As an actor, Springfield starred in the filmHard to Hold in 1984 and the television seriesHigh Tide from 1994 to 1997. He appeared in supporting roles inRicki and the Flash andTrue Detective (both 2015). He portrayedNoah Drake on the daytime dramaGeneral Hospital (1981–83, 2005–08, 2012), returning in 2013 for the show's 50th anniversary with his son, actor Liam Springthorpe. He played a depraved version of himself inCalifornication (2009). He has also appeared in episodes ofSupernatural,Hot in Cleveland, andAmerican Horror Story. In 2010, Springfield published his autobiography,Late, Late at Night: A Memoir.
Rick Springfield was born Richard Lewis Springthorpe on 23 August 1949 inGuildford,[1] a western suburb ofSydney.[2][3] He is the son of Eileen Louise (Evennett) and Norman James Springthorpe, an Australian Army career officer.[2][4] His maternal grandparents were English.[5] When he was young, he lived at the army camp with his family inBroadmeadows, Victoria, Australia. At 14, he sawthe Beatles perform atFestival Hall inMelbourne.[6]
Springfield was 13 when he learned guitar. He joined various bands in England, where his father was stationed from 1958 to 1963, and several more after returning to Australia.[2] In 1968, he was approached by bass guitarist Pete Watson to join his group Rockhouse.[7] Later that year, Watson changed the band's name toMPD Ltd and, in October when Springfield was 19 years old, they touredSouth Vietnam to entertain Australian troops. Another member of MPD Ltd was Danny Finley (drummer). Upon returning to Australia, they formed Wickedy Wak.[7] They were joined by Phil Blackmore on keyboards and Dick Howard.[7]Go-Set journalistMolly Meldrum produced Wickedy Wak's single, "Billie's Bikie Boys", withBeeb Birtles of pop rock groupZoot as a backing vocalist.[8]
In September 1969, Springfield replacedRoger Hicks as lead guitarist and vocalist in Zoot, with Birtles on bass guitar and vocals,Darryl Cotton on lead vocals and guitar, and Rick Brewer on drums.[9] Upon joining Zoot, Springfield adopted the "Think Pink – Think Zoot" theme that had the band members dressed head to toe in pink satin.[8][10] The publicity gimmick brought attention to the group and attracted numerous teenage girl fans, but caused problems in establishing their credibility as serious rock musicians.[8][10] Zoot's fifth single, "Hey Pinky", was written by Springfield.[11] The group attempted to shake off their teeny-bopper image.[8][10] They followed with a hard rock cover version ofThe Beatles' hit "Eleanor Rigby", which peaked at No. 4 onGo-Set's Top 40 in March 1971.[12] Despite another hit single with "Freak" in April,[13] which was written by Springfield,[14] the band broke up in May.[10][15][16]
Springfield signed withSparmac Records and issued his debut solo single, "Speak to the Sky", in October, which peaked at No. 5 on theGo-Set singles chart.[17] Sparmac label owner,Robie Porter, was also producer and manager for Springfield.[8] After recording his debut album,Beginnings, in London, Springfield moved to the United States in mid-1972.[10] Springfield provided all the songwriting, lead vocals, guitar, keyboard and banjo for the album.[9] In August 1972, "Speak to the Sky" was issued in the U.S. byCapitol Records and peaked at No. 14 on theBillboard Hot 100 in September.[9][18]Beginnings was the first of seven top 40 Springfield albums on the relatedBillboard 200.[19] However, follow-up success was hampered by rumours that Capitol Records paid people to purchase Springfield's albums, which led to some radio stations boycotting his music.[20]
In 1973, Springfield signed toColumbia Records and recorded his second album,Comic Book Heroes, which was also produced by Porter.[9] In Australia, released on Porter's new label, Wizard Records, the album and its two singles failed to chart.[9] Springfield was promoted as a teen pop idol similar toDavid Cassidy andDonny Osmond.[9] Springfield spoke of theteenybopper image inCircus Magazine[21] in 1973. He said he was not sure how it happened. "Someone saw my photo and that was it."[21] He went on to say that someone asked to take a photo of him in a white suit and thought that it was "a bit dull", so he took some crayons and "scrawled an R with a lightning bolt going through it ... which became myemblem."[21] From September to December 1973, Springfield starred as "himself" in the ABC-TV Saturday morning cartoon seriesMission: Magic!, for which he usually wrote and performed an original song in each episode. In 1974, he issued an Australia-only album,Mission: Magic!, which was "full of infectious bubblegum pop songs".[9] His single, "Take a Hand", reached the U.S. top 50 in 1976. The single was taken from the albumWait for Night, which was issued by his new label, Chelsea Records. Soon after its release, the record company folded.[9][18] During the late 1970s, he concentrated more on his acting career, guest-starring in several primetime TV dramas.[2][9]
Springfield continued to write and record and, in 1981, released his next album,Working Class Dog. The album spawned the single "Jessie's Girl", a worldwide hit which peaked at No. 1 for two weeks in the U.S. on the Hot 100 and the AustralianKent Music Report singles chart.[18][22] Springfield won the 1981Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.[23][24]Working Class Dog reached No.7 on theBillboard 200.[19] Another top 10 single from the album was theSammy Hagar-penned "I've Done Everything for You".[9][18] He had further success with the follow-up albumsSuccess Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet (1982) andLiving in Oz (1983). Springfield was frustrated with people in interviews mistaking him forBruce Springsteen, expressed in the track "Bruce" on the albumBeautiful Feelings (1984). In 1984, Springfield starred in his own film,Hard to Hold, and recorded the majority of the material on theaccompanying soundtrack. The soundtrack included a top-ten hit, "Love Somebody", as well as several moderately successful follow-up singles. However, the film itself was not successful, and the soundtrack's success, though higher than that of the film, paled in comparison to Springfield's previous albums. Nonetheless, Springfield released his next albumTao in 1985, scoring several modest hits from this release, including "State of the Heart" and "Celebrate Youth". That same year, Springfield was one of several performers who participated in theLive Aid charity concert.[25] Around this time, he took a brief hiatus from recording.
Between 1985 (After TAO) & 2020, Springfield still recorded and released nine studio albums.
Springfield returned in 2020 via a one-off featured performance in theCoheed and Cambria single "Jessie's Girl 2",[26] a sequel to the 1981 Springfield single "Jessie's Girl".
In 2021, Springfield started hosting a weekly radio show onSirius XM's "80s on 8" Channel called 'Working Class DJ with Rick Springfield', the musician spins eight songs around a theme.[citation needed]
In 2021, Springfield joinedRussell Morris and formedThe Morris Springfield Project. The Morris Springfield Project releasedJack Chrome and the Darkness Waltz in October 2021 which debuted at number 34 on the ARIA Charts.[27]
Springfield made his acting debut onThe Six Million Dollar Man on 30 October 1977, in an episode entitled "Rollback". In December, he appeared onThe Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, portraying Ned Nickerson. On 20 January 1978, Springfield guest-starred on an episode ofWonder Woman titled "Screaming Javelin". The character he portrayed was Tom, the concerned fiancé of an Olympic gymnast who had been kidnapped by a megalomaniac. Later in 1978, Springfield played the character ofZac inSaga of a Star World, which was, with some differences, the pilot episode of theoriginalBattlestar Galactica TV series. He also co-starred as Keith Stewart in episode 17 of season 4 ("Dwarf in a Helium Hat") onThe Rockford Files and as Tommy Archer in episode 4 ("Murder on the Flip Side") ofThe Eddie Capra Mysteries in 1978. In 1979, he guest-starred on an episode of "The Incredible Hulk" entitled "The Disciple" as Michael Roark, aSan Francisco police officer who must decide whether to avenge the death of his father who was also a police officer, or simply provide justice and capture the alleged criminal. In 1981, he became a soap opera star onGeneral Hospital. He had signed a contract withRCA Records and already recorded the albumWorking Class Dog, which neither he nor his agent had expected would do very well, which is why Springfield took the soap role. But the song "Jessie's Girl" went to No. 1 and Springfield ended up both playing the role ofDr. Noah Drake from 1981 to 1983, while simultaneously going on tour with his band. The success of the song boosted the ratings of the show which, according to Springfield, "became the biggest show on TV for that summer". The fame from the show also boosted the sale of the song.[28]In 1984, Springfield made a full-length feature film titledHard to Hold. In 1998, he played in the filmLegion. He also wrote the soundtrack forHard to Hold. In 1992, he played the title role in the short-lived ABC seriesHuman Target, based on theDC Comics character of the same name.[29] In 1989, he starred in the filmNick Knight, in which he played an 800-year-old vampire seeking a cure for his condition. The film was later remade as the first two episodes of the seriesForever Knight. In 1991, he appeared in the television filmDying to Dance. In 1994, he starred in the seriesRobin's Hoods. From 1994 to 1997, he starred in the television seriesHigh Tide that ran for 69 episodes.[30]
In addition to the roles on television and in film, Springfield also acted in musical theatre. In 1995, he was a member of the original Broadway cast of the musicalSmokey Joe's Cafe.[31] ThisTony Award-nominated musical featured the songs of rock & roll songwritersJerry Leiber andMike Stoller. From February 2000 to December 2002, Springfield performed inEFX Alive![32] at theMGM Grand inLas Vegas,Nevada. Springfield starred in several episodes of the third season ofShowtime'sCalifornication. His first appearance was in episode 3 on 11 October 2009, in which he plays a "twisted version of himself"; a "hedonistic Rick Springfield" from the past.[33] Springfield starred in "Ho'ohuli Na'au", an episode ofHawaii Five-0. He played the role of photographer Renny Sinclair.[34]
In December 2005, Springfield was asked by theGeneral Hospital producers to return to the show in his role as Dr. Noah Drake after a 23-year absence.[35][36] His run was subsequently extended as a recurring guest star and not a full contract cast member until 2008.[37] Springfield returned toGeneral Hospital as Dr. Noah Drake in April 2013.[38] Springfield also starred in "Everything Goes Better With Vampires", an episode ofHot in Cleveland. He played the role of a toll booth worker who pretended to be the famous singer/musician Rick Springfield in an attempt to impress women.[39] Springfield had a recurring role onTrue Detective as Dr. Irving Pitlor, a psychiatrist.[40][41] In 2015, Springfield appeared as Greg alongsideMeryl Streep in the filmRicki and the Flash. In 2016, Springfield was cast in thetwelfth season ofThe CW seriesSupernatural where he played rocker Vince Vincente andLucifer. In July 2016, Springfield appeared on ABC'sGreatest Hits.[42] In October 2017, Springfield appeared as Pastor Charles on FX'sAmerican Horror Story: Cult. In July 2018, Rick played himself on Episode 4 of theYouTube original seriesSideswiped.
When Springfield was 17, he attempted suicide by hanging himself.[43] "I hang suspended for fifteen or twenty seconds and am just sliding into unconsciousness when the knot tying the rope to the beam somehow unravels. I'm slammed hard to the concrete floor, rather the worse for wear."[44] Springfield has been dealing withdepression for several decades. "I want them to have hope ... and know that the moment will pass," Springfield said in an exclusive interview withABC News'Paula Faris. "I'm an example of the moment passing, because I've been there a couple of times, and haven't ... for want of a better phrase, pulled the trigger."[45]
From late 1974 to early 1976, Springfield was in a romantic relationship with actressLinda Blair, beginning when she was 15 and he was 25.[44]
On 24 April 1981, his father, Norman James Springthorpe, died.[46]
In October 1984, Springfield married his girlfriend, Barbara Porter, at his family's church in Australia.[47] They had met several years earlier when Springfield was recordingWorking Class Dog and she was working as the recording studio receptionist. They have two sons, Liam (born 1985) and Joshua (born 1989).[2] In 1985, when his first son was born and after the release of hisTao album, Springfield took a break from his musical career to spend more time with his family and to deal with the depression that had affected him since his adolescence.[48][49]
At a concert at theHouse of Blues in Orlando, Florida, on 2 March 2006, Springfield announced he had become aUS citizen.[50]
In January 2018, Springfield stated in an interview that he contemplated suicide in 2017. "Last year I was close to it, really close to it," explained Springfield on how he considered killing himself. "WhenRobin Williams andChester (Bennington) andChris Cornell and those guys... I didn't go, 'Oh that's terrible.' I went, 'I get it.' I get being that lost and dark."[43]
He practicesTranscendental Meditation.[51] Springfield is apescetarian.[52]
Springfield's autobiographyLate, Late at Night: A Memoir (ISBN 978-1-4391-9115-6) was released in 2010. In October, it peaked at No. 13 onThe New York Times Best Seller list.[53] In May 2014, Springfield publishedMagnificent Vibration: a novel, which also madeThe New York Times Best Seller list.
In August 2012,Late, Late at Night was named No. 23 of "The 25 Great Rock Memoirs of All Time" byRolling Stone.[54]
In 1985,Jimmy Hart recorded the song "Eat Your Heart Out Rick Springfield", featured onThe Wrestling Album.[55][56][57] The premise of the song is that the object of Hart's affection seems to idolise Springfield to the point that Hart feels rivalled by him, prompting Hart to pick up singing as well in order to compete for his girl's affection. The song makes references to "Dr Noah Drake" as well as to "Jessie's Girl". In a 2014 interview, Springfield said that although he had heard the title and was aware of the song's existence and had met with Jimmy Hart in person, he had never actually heard the song.[58]
Jonathan Coulton recorded the song "Je Suis Rick Springfield" about an American man trying to impress a French girl he just met in France by pretending to be Springfield. It was recorded in 2011 and appeared on the albumArtificial Heart.[59]
| Year | Title | Role(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Hard to Hold | James Roberts | |
| 2015 | Ricki and the Flash | Greg | |
| 2021 | Traces | Carl |
| Year | Title | Role(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | The Six Million Dollar Man | Niles | Episode: "Rollback" |
| The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries | Ned Nickerson | Episode: "Will the Real Santa Claus...?" | |
| 1978 | The Rockford Files | Keith Stuart | Episode: "Dwarf in a Helium Hat" |
| Battlestar Galactica | Lieutenant Zac | Episode: "Saga of a Star World" | |
| The Eddie Capra Mysteries | Tommy Archer | Episode: "Murder on the Flip Side" | |
| Wonder Woman | Tom | Episode: "Screaming Javelins" | |
| 1979 | Turnabout | Rick | Episode: "Till Dad Do Us Part" |
| The Incredible Hulk | Mike Roark | Episode: "The Disciple" | |
| California Fever | Adam | Episode: "Portrait of Laurie" | |
| Wonder Woman | Anton | Episode "Amazon Hot Wax" | |
| CHiPs | Guy at Accident Scene | Episode: "Second Chance" | |
| 1981–1983; 2005–2013 | General Hospital | Noah Drake | Series regular |
| 1989 | Nick Knight | Det. Nick Knight | Television film |
| 1990 | Dead Reckoning | Kyle Rath | Television film |
| 1992 | Human Target | Christopher Chance | Lead role |
| 1993 | In the Shadows, Someone's Watching | Paul Merritt | Television film |
| 1994 | A Change of Place | Philip | Television film |
| 1994–1997 | High Tide | Mick Barrett | Lead role |
| 1995 | Robin's Hoods | Nick Collins | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
| 1997 | Johnny Bravo | Andy (voice) | Episode: "Beach Blanket Bravo" |
| 1998 | Loyal Opposition: Terror in the White House | Senator Barklay | Television film |
| Legion | Ryan | Television film | |
| 1999 | Suddenly Susan | Zach Hayword | 2 episodes |
| Martial Law | Special Agent Stockwell | Episode: "Friendly Skies" | |
| 2001 | Dying to Dance | Dave Lennox | Television film |
| 2007–2008 | General Hospital | Eli Love | Recurring role |
| 2009 | Californication | Himself | 4 episodes |
| 2011 | Hawaii Five-0 | Renny Sinclair | Episode: "Ho'ohuli Na'au (Close to Heart)" |
| 2012 | Hot in Cleveland | Tom | Episode: "Everything Goes Better with Vampires" |
| 2014 | Drop Dead Diva | Liam Matthews | Episode: "First Date" |
| Family Guy | Himself (voice) | Episode: "Chap Stewie" | |
| 2015 | True Detective | Dr. Irving Pitlor | 3 episodes |
| 2016 | Supernatural | Lucifer / Vince Vincente | 3 episodes |
| 2017 | American Horror Story: Cult | Pastor Charles | Episode: "Winter of Our Discontent" |
| 2018 | Sideswiped | Himself | Episode: "The Rock Star" |
| The Goldbergs | Gary | Episode: "RAD!" | |
| 2020 | Duncanville | Bobby Bastille (voice) | Episode: "Jack's Pipe Dream" |
TheGo-Set pop poll was coordinated by teen-oriented pop music paperGo-Set. The paper was established in February 1966 and conducted an annual poll from 1966 to 1972 to determine the most popular personalities.[60][61]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Ricky Springfield | Best Guitarist | 2nd |
| Best Composer | 5th | ||
| 1971 | himself | Best Guitarist | Won |
| Best Songwriter/Composer | 4th | ||
| 1972 | himself | Best Male | 3rd |
| Best Newcomer | 4th | ||
| Best Songwriter/Composer | 2nd | ||
| Best Album | Beginnings | 2nd | |
| Best Single | "Hooky Jo" | 10th |
TheKing of Pop Awards were voted by the readers ofTV Week. The award started in 1967 and ran through to 1978.[60]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | himself | Best Lead Guitarist | Won |
| 1972 | himself | Most Popular Australian Musician | Won |
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Best Rock Vocal Male Performance | "Jessie's Girl" | Won |
| 1983 | "I Get Excited" | Nominated[62] | |
| 1983 | Best Pop Vocal Performance Male | "Don't Talk to Strangers" | Nominated[63] |
| 1984 | Best Rock Vocal Male Performance | "Affair of the Heart" | Nominated[64] |
On 9 May 2014, Springfield was honoured with a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to music.[65]
