Biography

Like Patty Duke and Mickey Rooney, Rick Schroder is one of the few who successfully made the transition from juvenile to adult actor. The blond, former model came to prominence with a heartrending performance in the 1979 remake of "The Champ", holding his own with veteran stars Jon Voight and Faye Dunaway. He went on to TV stardom as rich kid Ricky Stratton, being raised by his toy store magnate father, in the long-running sitcom "Silver Spoons" (NBC, 1982-86; syndicated, 1986-87). Since the early 80s, Schroder has starred in numerous TV-movies and miniseries, probably getting the best notices for his work as the novice Newt Dobbs in the Emmy-winning miniseries "Lonesome Dove" (CBS, 1989) and its 1993 sequel, "Return to Lonesome Dove" and as the vengeful dropout who takes students hostage in "Detention: Siege at Johnson High" (NBC, 1997).
Born and raised on Staten Island, Schroder was first billed as 'Ricky' when he began doing TV commercials before he could talk. The youngster had more than 60 advertisements under his belt by the end of the 70s. "The Champ", in which he sobbed uncontrollably at Jon Voight's death in a multi-hankie performance, was followed by "The Earthling" (1980) with William Holden, before Schroder turned mostly to TV. A transition back to feature films in young adult and adult roles has proven difficult. In "Across the Tracks" (1990), Schroder was the older brother, who returns from reformatory and finds he is better at track and field than younger "good" brother (Brad Pitt). The film was little seen until after Pitt's big screen success, and then only on frequent pay TV runs. Schroder had a supporting role in "Crimson Tide" (1995), and also starred in the little seen "Red Hot" (1996).

The adult Schroder, now handsome and strapping, has found better roles and variety on the small screen. Since his first TV-movie, "Something So Right" (CBS, 1982), he has amassed numerous credits. Schroder played a boy who must forge a relationship with his father after his mother's death in "Two Kinds of Love" (CBS, 1983). In "A Son's Promise" (ABC, 1990), he tells his dying mother that he will keep his seven siblings together. Schroder turned evil with "The Stranger Within" (CBS, 1990), in which he posed as the long-lost son of Kate Jackson. In "My Son Johnny" (CBS, 1991), he was the bad seed son of Michele Lee who was eventually killed by his good brother (Corin Nemec). Schroder played a man who makes sacrifices for his disabled younger brother in "Miles From Nowhere" (CBS, 1992). He played John Thornton in CBS' remake of Jack London's "The Call of the Wild" (1993) and was a passionate young lawyer in "Innocent Victim" (ABC, 1996). In 1998, he was tapped to fill the void left by the departing Jimmy Smits on the popular ABC cop show "NYPD Blue". While some scoffed at the former sitcom child star being cast in such dramatic fare, Schroder proved an adroit choice, quickly establishing himself as a force to be reckonded with and winning over fans and critics.

Filmography

Consequence (2003) .... John Wolfe
Design of Darkness (2003) .... Nick Harper
Inside NYPD Blue: A Decade on the Job (2002) (TV) (uncredited) .... Himself
Poolhall Junkies (2002) .... Brad
8th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2002) (TV) (archive footage) (as Ricky Schroder) .... Himself
Lost Battalion, The (2001) (TV) .... Maj. Charles White Whittlesey
51st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, The (1999) (TV) .... Himself
What We Did That Night (1999) (TV) .... Henry
... aka Murder at Devil's Glenn (1999) (TV) (USA)
"NYPD Blue" (1993) TV Series .... Det. Danny Sorenson (1998-2001)
I Woke Up Early the Day I Died (1998) .... Cruiser Cop #2
... aka Ed Wood's I Woke Up Early the Day I Died (1998)
... aka I Awoke Early the Day I Died (1999) (USA)
Ebenezer (1997) (TV) .... Sam Benson
Heart Full of Rain (1997) (TV) .... Isaiah Dockett
Detention: The Siege at Johnson High (1997) (TV) .... Jason Copeland
... aka Hostage High (2002) (TV) (USA: DVD title)
... aka Target for Rage (1997) (TV)
Too Close to Home (1997) (TV) .... Nick Donahue
Innocent Victims (1996) (TV) .... Billy Richardson
Crimson Tide (1995) .... Lieutenant Paul Hellerman
Texas (1995) (V) .... Otto MacNab
... aka James A. Michener's Texas (1995) (V)
American Revolution, The (1994) (TV) (voice) .... Joseph Plumb Martin
There Goes My Baby (1994) .... Stick
... aka Last Days of Paradise, The (1994) (USA)
To My Daughter with Love (1994) (TV) .... Joey Cutter
"Return to Lonesome Dove" (1993) (mini) TV Series .... Newt Dobbs
Call of the Wild (1993) (TV) .... John Thornton
Miles from Nowhere (1992) (TV) .... Frank Reilly
Across the Tracks (1991) .... Billy Maloney
Lonesome Dove: The Making of an Epic (1991) (TV) .... Himself
My Son Johnny (1991) (TV) .... Johnny
Blood River (1991) (TV) .... Jimmy Pearls
Stranger Within, The (1990) (TV) .... Mark
Son's Promise, A (1990) (TV) .... Terry O'Kelly
Out on the Edge (1989) (TV) .... Danny Evetts
"Lonesome Dove" (1989) (mini) TV Series .... Newt Dobbs
Terror on Highway 91 (1989) (TV) .... Clay Nelson
Too Young the Hero (1988) (TV) .... Calvin Graham
Circus of the Stars #10 (1985) (TV) (as Ricky Schroder) .... Himself/performer
Reason to Live, A (1985) (TV) .... Alex Stewart
Circus of the Stars #9 (1984) (TV) (as Ricky Schroder) .... Himself/performer
Two Kinds of Love (1983) (TV) .... Robbie Farley
Something So Right (1982) (TV) .... Joey Bosnick
Circus of the Stars #7 (1982) (TV) (as Ricky Schroder) .... Performer
Star-Studded Spoof of the New TV Season, G-Rated, with Glamour, Glitter and Gags (1982) (TV) (as Ricky Schroder) .... Himself
... aka Bob Hope's Star-Studded Spoof of the New TV Season - GRated - With Glamour, Glitter and Gags (1982) (TV) (USA: complete title)
"Silver Spoons" (1982) TV Series .... Ricky Stratton
Kraft Salutes Walt Disney World's 10th Anniversary (1982) (TV) .... Son
All-Star Salute to Mother's Day (1981) (TV) (as Ricky Schroder)
Little Lord Fauntleroy (1980) (TV) (as Ricky Schroder) .... Lord Fauntleroy (Ceddie Errol)
Earthling, The (1980) (as Ricky Schroder) .... Shawn Daley
Last Flight of Noah's Ark, The (1980) (as Ricky Schroder) .... Bobby
Champ, The (1979) (as Ricky Schroder) .... T.J. Flynn