Russell E.
Richards, CEO
Russell Richards is founder and CEO
of Historical Entertainment, LLC. He founded Historical Extras, LLC
three years ago to respond to the growing demand for more
professionalism in providing reenactors as background artists for
film and television. Under his leadership, the company has built a
strong reputation for providing top quality, highly trained and
authenticity-oriented specialist living historians for a wide variety
of productions. Since it's foundation, the company has expanded to
cover a wider range of history-related services and has changed its
name to Historical Entertainment LLC to reflect this as the
Historical Extras division continues to grow and add to its credits
list.
Russ has handled casting and/or
provided living historian background artists for numerous film and TV
projects, including "Gods and Generals" and the History Channel's
"History vs Hollywood episode on the film, Cold Mountain (opening
credits) and A&E's documentary on the making of Cold Mountain,
and a new feature film called "Strike the Tent" starring Mickey
Rooney, Lee Majors and Amy Redford.
He has a long association with
Civil War history specialists Greystone Communications, producers of
the History Channel's popular "Civil War Combat" series and has
handled casting and provided principals and background artists for
thirteen episodes.
Historical Extras acted as
Associate Producers of the History Channel's documentary "April 1865
- The Month that Saved a Nation", with Russ as project leader working
under producers Triage Entertainment. He was production manager and
casting director , providing both the casting and most of the crew -
makeup, wardrobe, props, location scouts , horse wranglers, stuntmen
and production assistants.
Other productions on which he's
handled casting and/or provided background artists from H.E.'s
extensive roster include: Gettysburg - Monumental Stories of Courage"
( Documentary, National Park Service and Comcast Cable in the
Classroom), "High Tech History - Pickett's Charge" ( Discovery
Channel Documentary, Termite Art Productions), "Time Elevator" (City
Light Productions), "Moments in Time" ( Discovery Channel
Revolutionary War Documentary -Terra Nova Productions), "Legends"
(WHAG-TV Documentary), "Creepy Healers" (National Geographic Film
& Television Documentary), "Beyond the Movie: The Lord of the
Rings-Return of the King" (National Geographic Film &Television),
and a number of films for national, state and local battlefield
parks, including four films for the National Park Service produced by
Media Magic/Historical Films Inc : "Antietam", "Chancellorsville",
"Fredericksburg", and a film currently in production on the impact of
the Battle of Fredericksburg on the civilian population, black and
white
He also has an extensive background
in organizing Civil War reenactments and living histories and serves
as President of the Western Maryland Heritage Foundation.
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