How a shaved head and a towering frame defined Richard Moll's acting career
In short: Standing at six feet nine inches, Richard Moll became an iconic figure in American television. While he started his career performing Shakespeare at UC Berkeley, a last-minute decision to shave his head for a B-movie role transformed him into the beloved, hulking bailiff Bull Shannon on the hit sitcom Night Court.
Born in Pasadena in 1943, Richard Moll was physically imposing from a young age, reaching over six feet by the time he was twelve. His eventual height of approximately six feet nine inches naturally steered him toward roles that required a formidable presence. Before achieving mainstream fame, he navigated a diverse range of projects, including playing the historical figure Joseph Smith in the 1977 film Brigham and appearing in episodes of Happy Days and Mork & Mindy. His career path shifted significantly in 1983 when he shaved his head for the science fiction film Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn. The producers of Night Court were so impressed by this look during his audition that they insisted he maintain the aesthetic for his role as Aristotle Nostradamus Shannon.
Moll portrayed the gentle giant Bull Shannon from 1984 to 1992, a role that became his signature. Beyond live-action comedy, his deep, resonant voice made him a staple in animation. He is perhaps best remembered by fans of the DC Animated Universe for his portrayal of Harvey Dent and the villainous Two-Face in Batman: The Animated Series. His vocal work extended to other projects, including the series Mighty Max and the film American Pop, where he voiced a beat poet. He even returned to the Batman universe years later to voice the character Lew Moxon.
In his personal life, Moll was a dedicated bird watcher who eventually retired to Big Bear Lake, California. He was married twice, first to Laura Class and later to Susan Brown, with whom he had two children. Moll passed away at his home in 2023 at the age of 80. His legacy remains tied to his ability to leverage his unique physical stature and vocal range to create memorable characters, transitioning seamlessly from the courtroom comedy of the 1980s to the dark, stylized world of Gotham City.
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