Council grew up on his family farm in Florida. His heritage includes Choctaw ancestors.^[3]

Early theatre credits include a small part opposite John Wood in Sherlock Holmes in 1974, as well as Harold Pinter's The Caretaker at Long Wharf Theatre. In 1979, he joined the company of Lexington Conservatory Theatre with the world premiere of Grinder's Stand by Oakley Hall III, followed by a starring role in Of Mice and Men a year later, a role that resonated with him. "From my unique vantage as the son of a farmer, doing this play is my golden opportunity to draw on those memories and experiences," he said.^[4] Later, as the company moved to Albany and became Capital Repertory Theatre, he starred in Hall's adaptation of Frankenstein with an "towering performance."^[5][6][7]

His Broadway credits include Conversations with My Father and I'm Not Rappaport, both plays by Herb Gardner; The Royal Family, The Merchant of Venice and The Philadelphia Story, all plays directed by Ellis Rabb.^[8] At the Lincoln Center Theater he performed opposite Stockard Channing in The Little Foxes directed by Jack O'Brien. Off-Broadway he appeared in Nine Armenians by Leslie Ayvazian at the Manhattan Theatre Club, Isn't It Romantic by Wendy Wasserstein at the Lucille Lortel Theatre and Isadora Duncan Sleeps with The Russian Navy by Jeff Wanshel at the American Place Theatre. He played Michael Blake on CBS Television's Love of Life from 1976 to 1978. Notable feature film appearances include Die Hard with a Vengeance, Canadian Bacon, Witness to the Mob, I'm Not Rappaport, and Thirteen Conversations About One Thing.

Film edit

Television edit

• Richard Council at IMDb