When actor and mime artist Dan Richter arrived in London in the mid 1960’s, he had no idea that within a few years he would be part of the inner circle of one of the most famous and influential figures in the world. The art of mime has been a vital part of storytelling for thousands of years and remains an art form all of its own. Mime is almost universally understood by any audience of any age in any context and remains as relevant today as any moment in history. Performing as part of a theatrical troupe around London offered Richter a glimpse of life in the UK and mixing with the cream of UK showbiz gave an insight into the popular haunts. It was here that Richter was introduced to The Beatles and the first introduction to the man who would play a significant role in the rest of his career. Yet at the time Lennon was very much still a Beatle and it would have been impossible to imagine that in just a few years these two men would share a very close and fruitful relationship.
In the meantime Richter’s acting career flourished; the climax being in 1968 when he secured his defining role as Ape Man in Stanley Kubrick’s seminal film 2001: A Space Odyssey alongside Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood and William Sylvester. This allowed him to witness firsthand the sheer genius of Kubrick and what made him one of the greatest film directors of his generation. Genius is an overused term to describe standout figures within the arts but for Dan, there’s no doubt that Kubrick deserves this title and he remains proud to have worked alongside him.
By the early 1970’s, John Lennon was tiring of his Beatle image in the UK and meeting Yoko Ono had made him realise his own potential to become an artist in his own right. They moved to New York and set about thinking creatively about the future. It was here that Dan became part of the inner circle of John and Yoko and saw John through what proved to be the last chapter of his life. In New York, John and Yoko could be who they wanted to be without living up to his Beatle legacy which he desperately tried to shake off. Now with Yoko’s artistic vision and strong humanitarian ideology, the pair concentrated on raising awareness of the many injustices in the world. Finally he was free!
Becoming one of John’s most trusted and reliable allies and was among just a few individuals to chart the final years of his life from international pop star to global icon. Obviously the 8th December 1980 is a date which has been etched on to the history of popular culture as John Lennon was tragically shot and assassinated in New York, leaving the whole world devastated at the loss of one of the most creative artists to ever walk the earth. For Dan, he had not only lost one of his heroes but a true friend and was now supporting Yoko and the family through this devastating tragedy. In later years, Dan would write a collection of books surrounding his time with Lennon which helped to uncover the man behind the music and his connection with Yoko would continue until her decision to retire from public life almost a decade ago. It was a great pleasure to welcome the legendary Dan Richter to Beyond The Title and there is no doubt that his own story will go down in the annals of popular culture.
Beyond The Title