Theater News

Actor-Singer Richard (Dickinson) Eastham Dies at 89

New York City
Richard (Dickinson) Eastham, who succeeded Ezio Pinza in the role of Emile DeBecque and played opposite Mary Martin in the original Broadway production of South Pacific before going on to a career in film and television, died on July 10 in Pacific Palisades, California. He was 89.

Born Dickinson Swift Eastham on June 22, 1916 in Opalousas, Louisiana, he began singing with the St. Louis Grand Opera while studying at Washington University. Eastham spent four years in the army during World War II, stationed in Paris for a time; upon his return, he studied acting at the American Theatre Wing in New York.

He made his television debut in 1949 on The Ed Sullivan Show on CBS. From 1957 to 1959, he hosted ABC’s Tombstone Territory. In later years, he was featured as Gen. Phil Blankenship on Wonder Woman, which aired on ABC and then on CBS from 1976 to 1979. His final TV role was that of Dr. Howell in the CBS series Falcon Crest. Eastham’s film credits include There’s No Business Like Show Business (1954), Toby Tyler (1960), That Darn Cat! (1965), Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973), and McQ (1974).

Eastham was married to his wife Betty Jean from 1942 until her death in 2002. According to his nephew, the actor is survived by 13 other nieces and nephews who live across the country. Private funeral services were planned.