Richard Edson
Edson in 2006
Born	(1954-01-01)January 1, 1954 (age 71) New Rochelle, New York, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Actor, musician
Years active	1979–present

Richard Edson (born January 1, 1954)^[1] is an American actor and musician.

Edson was born inNew Rochelle, New York to a Jewish family. He has one brother, Steven, who resides in theBoston area, and two sisters, Andrea, who resides inNewton, Massachusetts and Jennifer, who resides in New York City. His father, Arnold (1917–2012), was one of the first Marine officers to land atGuadalcanal in August 1942. After the war, his father became a toy manufacturer.^[2] His mother, Marian, a retired school teacher, resides in New Rochelle.

In 1979, Edson was a founding member of the San Francisco art rock band The Alterboys withSnuky Tate, Tono Rondone, Richard Kelly and JC Garrett, playing both drums and trumpet. From 1981 to 1982, he wasSonic Youth's original drummer and played drums forKonk at the same time. After the release of Sonic Youth'sself-titled debut EP, Edson left the band to play with Konk full-time.^[3] Edson also played trumpet with San Francisco bandThe Offs on the group's eponymous 1984 album.

Following his music career, Edson has worked as an actor, appearing in over 35 movies. His more notable roles include a disreputableparking garage attendant inFerris Bueller's Day Off (1986), man at newspaper stand inDesperately Seeking Susan (1985), Richie inHoward the Duck (1986), Eddie inJim Jarmusch'scult filmStranger Than Paradise (1984), real-life gambler Billy Maharg inEight Men Out (1988), and the title character inJoey Breaker (1993). He also appeared inPlatoon (1986),Good Morning, Vietnam (1987),Tougher Than Leather (1988),Let It Ride (1989), andDo the Right Thing (1989). He starred in the 1993 movieSuper Mario Bros as Spike,King Koopa's cousin. In 1987, Edson performed live a main role in theScott B andJoseph Nechvatal collaboration calledNot a Door: A Spectacle atHallwalls, based on the poetry ofSt. John of the Cross,Flaubert'sTemptation of St. Anthony and works ofJean Genet andGeorges Bataille.^[4]

Edson played the lead role in three films directed byRaphael Nadjari:The Shade (1999),I Am Josh Polonski's Brother (2001)^[5] andApartment #5c (2002). In 2003, he appeared in the music video forCave In's single, "Anchor". Edson played the central character of the video, a depressed man walking down the street with his feet encased in cement blocks. He also appeared in Frankenfish 2004.

His television appearances includeThe Adventures of Pete & Pete; thethird-season finale ofHomicide: Life on the Street; and the 1990–91 seriesShannon's Deal, produced byJohn Sayles. Edson appeared in a 2007 TV commercial for TheTravelers Companies Inc., in which he plays the human personification of risk.^{[citation needed]}

Wikimedia Commons has media related toRichard Edson.

• Richard Edson atIMDb

• 1954 births
• Living people
• Jewish American musicians
• Jewish American male actors
• American male film actors
• American rock drummers
• American male television actors
• Noise rock musicians
• Musicians from New Rochelle, New York
• Male actors from New Rochelle, New York
• Sonic Youth members
• No wave musicians
• 20th-century American drummers
• American male drummers
• Tito & Tarantula members
• Jews from New York (state)
• Drummers from New York (state)

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