Died June 19, 2012. Born February 12, 1936.

Irish American actor best known for portraying villains in films and television. He often known for his roles in science fiction productions, including Battlestar Galactica (as Wolfe) and its sequel series Galactica 1980 (as Commander Xaviar). He also appeared in such shows as Starsky and Hutch, T. J. Hooker, The A-Team, Charmed and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Richard Lynch was born on February 12, 1936 in Brooklyn, New York to an Irish Catholic parents, his brother is actor Barry Lynch. Lynch was trained at The Actors Studio and at the HB Studios. Lynch's distinct scarred appearance has made him a popular nemesis, in over 100 film and TV performances. The scars came from an incident in 1967 in which he set himself on fire while on an LSD trip. He often played a heavy in features, including Scarecrow, which marked his film debut, The Seven-Ups, Bad Dreams, and Little Nikita. In 1982, Lynch won a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the evil King Cromwell in The Sword and the Sorcerer. Although Richard Lynch is best known for playing villains, he was cast as the President of the United States in the 2007 film Mil Mascaras vs. the Aztec Mummy. Lynch starred along side Judson Scott in the 1982 short-lived science fiction TV series The Phoenix.

In addition to acting, Lynch was also a musician and played the saxophone, guitar, piano, and flute. He also enjoyed fishing, poetry, and architecture. He held Irish citizenship through his Irish born parents and was a frequent visitor to Ireland. His brother Barry Lynch is also an actor; the two starred together in the films Nightforce and Total Force. Lynch's wife Lily starred with him in the 1998 film Breaking the Silence and son Christopher Lynch starred with him in the science fiction film Trancers II.

Through the years, Lynch worked with old friend and colleague Don Calfa in the films Necronomicon (1993), Toughguy (1995), Corpses Are Forever (2003), and Lewisburg (2009).

Lynch had married twice — once to Beatrix Lynch, with whom he had son Christopher who died in 2005 from pneumonia, and later to Lily Lynch, with whom he remained until his death. His body was found in his home in Palm Springs, California on June 19th, 2012. Details of his death are currently unknown. He was 76. Lynch is survived by his brother Barry and his wife Lily.