Richard Lynch joined the United States Marine Corps in 1958. He served for four years, made Corporal, and did a tour of the Middle East with the Sixth Fleet. After his discharge, he returned to New York and was later involved in an incident that would change his life forever. In 1967 in New York's Central Park while under the influence of drugs, he set himself on fire, burning more than 70% of his body. He spent a year in recovery, gave up drug use and ultimately began training at The Actors Studio. He appeared in numerous on and off Broadway productions and was perpetually cast as a villain, due to his scarred facial appearance. He had appearances in over 170 films and television programs. His film credits include Scarecrow, The Seven-Ups, The Happy Hooker and the Halloween reboot. His television credits include Beretta, The Bionic Woman, Starsky And Hutch, Charlie's Angels, The A Team, Baywatch and Star Trek: The Next Generation, and many, many others.