Richard Moll, Night Court Star and Batman TAS Voice Actor, Dies at 80

Richard Moll, a prolific actor known for his work on Night Court, But I'm a Cheerleader, and Batman: The Animated Series, has passed away at the age of 80. The news was confirmed in a statement from Moll's publicist, revealing that his death occurred peacfully on Thursday, October 26th at his home in Big Bear Lake, California. Moll is perhaps best known for playing the fan-favorite bailiff Aristotle Nostradamus "Bull" Shannon on the original Night Court, which ran from 1984 to 1992. He also had a career in voice acting, portraying Harvey Dent / Two-Face in shows like Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures.

Moll was born Charles Richard Moll in Pasadena, California on January 13, 1943. He was known for his tall stature throughout his life, after he reached 6 ft tall by the age of twelve. Moll made his onscreen debut in the 1977 movie Brigham, in which he portrayed Latter Day Saint founder Joseph Smith. His subsequent appearances would include Happy Days, Mork & Mindy, Hard Country, Caveman, and The Sword and the Sorcerer. Moll was cast on Night Court in the mid-1980s, portraying Bull throughout the show's run, as well as in advertisements for Washington's Lottery.

"He's got a menacing exterior that can scare anybody, but you can tell right away that he's just a big, good-hearted guy," Moll said in a 1986 interview with Courier-Post. "Some weeks, I just have a few lines and I try to deliver them well so they mesh with the storyline of that episode. And then there are the weeks when my character is the major part of the whole story. It varies throughout the year but, first and foremost, the six of us realize that we're an ensamble. We have to work together; we have to be a family."

While starring on Night Court, Moll also appeared in the horror movie House, as well as Pulse Pounders, Santa Barbara, 227, The Munsters Today, and Martin. He also portrayed a fictionalized version of himself in a two-episode stint on The Facts of Life. Shortly after Night Court's conclusion, Moll portrayed Two-Face for the first time, as well as Scorpion in the Spider-Man animated series, Java in the Justice League animated series, Abomination in The Incredible Hulk, and Vorn the Unspeakable in Freakazoid!. 

Moll's later work included 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, But I'm a Cheerleader, Scary Movie 2, Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster, and Sorority Party Massacre. He also portrayed Mr. Moore in the Smallvile episode "Nocturne." He also lent his voice to a number of video games, including the original Fallout, Outlaws, The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, and Dante's Inferno.

Moll is posthumously attached to Whispers and Shadows and the upcoming documentary Celluloid Wizards in the Video Wasteland: The Saga of Empire Pictures.

Our thoughts are with Moll's family, friends, and fans at this time.