Richard Jordan, born Robert Anson Jordan Jr., was an American actor active from the early 1960s until his death in 1993. He was a significant presence in both stage and screen productions, with a career spanning Broadway, Off-Broadway, and numerous film and television roles. Jordan was a member of the New York Shakespeare Festival and performed in various productions with Joseph Papp's Public Theater.

His acting career included roles in notable films such as 'Logan's Run', 'Raise the Titanic', 'The Hunt for Red October', and 'Gettysburg', where he portrayed Brig. Gen. Lewis "Lo" Armistead. On television, he appeared in series like 'The Defenders' and 'The Equalizer', and a television production of 'The Bunker'. Jordan also received critical acclaim for his stage work, earning awards for his performances and directing.

Born in New York City, Jordan was the grandson of respected jurist Learned Hand. His personal life included relationships with actresses Kathleen Widdoes and Blair Brown, with whom he had children, and he was with actress Marcia Cross at the time of his death. Jordan passed away in 1993 at the age of 56 after being diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Robert Anson Jordan Jr. was born in New York City. His father, Robert Anson Jordan Sr., hailed from Boston, while his mother, Constance (née Hand), was a New Yorker. Jordan's maternal grandfather was Learned Hand, a highly regarded judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Following his parents' divorce when he was five, his mother married Newbold Morris, who later became president of the New York City Council. Jordan received his education at the Hotchkiss School in Connecticut and went on to graduate from Harvard University in 1958. He continued his studies in theater at the Universite du Theatre des Nations in Paris.

Jordan adopted the professional name Richard Jordan to distinguish himself from another actor named Robert Jordan, though close friends continued to call him Bob. He began his acting career in the early 1960s, appearing on Broadway in 'Take Her, She's Mine' alongside Art Carney and Elizabeth Ashley. Simultaneously, he started working in television, making appearances in shows such as 'The Defenders' and 'Naked City'. A dedicated stage actor, Jordan was a long-time member of the New York Shakespeare Festival and performed in several Shakespearean plays with Joseph Papp's Public Theater, including 'The Tempest' and 'The Merchant of Venice'. He returned to Broadway in 1966, featuring in 'Generation' with Henry Fonda.

Jordan made his film debut in the early 1970s with roles in 'Lawman' and 'Valdez Is Coming'. He had notable collaborations with Robert Mitchum, appearing as a U.S. Treasury agent in 'The Friends of Eddie Coyle' and as a bodyguard in 'The Yakuza'. His filmography includes a range of genres, from science fiction in 'Logan's Run' to drama in Woody Allen's 'Interiors'. He played a variety of characters, often portraying villains or complex anti-heroes. Jordan also starred in 'Old Boyfriends', playing the father of his own daughter, Nina. He received a Golden Globe award for his performance in the television miniseries 'Captains and the Kings'.

Throughout the 1980s, Jordan continued to be active in film, appearing in 'Raise the Titanic', 'Dune', and 'The Secret of My Success'. He also took on a significant role in the acclaimed television production 'The Bunker', portraying Albert Speer. For a period, he took the lead role in 'The Equalizer' while the series star recovered from illness. Jordan's commitment to theater remained strong; he won an Obie award for his performance in 'A Private View' and an L.A. Drama Critics' Award for directing 'Largo Desolato', both by Václav Havel. His final film role was Brig. Gen. Lewis "Lo" Armistead in 'Gettysburg', released shortly after his death.