Richard Thomas Correll, widely recognized as Rich Correll, is an American television actor, director, writer, and producer who started as a child performer in classic 1960s shows and later became one of the most prolific directors in family-oriented sitcoms.
He remains best known for his recurring role as Richard Rickover, Beaver’s best friend, during the final three seasons of the iconic series Leave It to Beaver (1960–1963), and for directing hundreds of episodes across hits like Family Matters, Full House, That’s So Raven, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Hannah Montana (which he co-created), Jessie, Fuller House, and Raven’s Home.
Early Life and Education
Richard Thomas Correll was born on May 14, 1948, in Los Angeles County, California. He grew up in a show business family influenced by his father Charles Correll, the radio star known as “Andy” from Amos ‘n’ Andy. Alyce McLaughlin helped raise him along with siblings Charles Correll Jr., Barbara Correll, Dottie Correll, and a baby girl who passed away young.
Correll entered acting at age eight and appeared in over 100 TV episodes as a child. He graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Cinema Arts, where he completed a teaching internship in Vintage Comedy.
As a teenager, he befriended silent film legend Harold Lloyd and assisted in archiving his films. He is of American ethnicity, while his religion is not publicly known.
Career
Rich Correll began his career as a child actor at age eight, quickly landing guest spots in shows like The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Lassie, National Velvet, and The Danny Thomas Show.
He gained initial recognition with his recurring role as Richard Rickover in the last three seasons of Leave It to Beaver (1960–1963), appearing in 39 episodes and becoming a memorable part of the classic sitcom.
This early exposure to comedy legends through his father’s connections shaped his lifelong focus on humorous storytelling.
He also made brief returns to acting later, including cameos in The New Leave It to Beaver and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.
Rich Correll transitioned behind the camera in the 1980s, starting as a producer on Laverne & Shirley, Police Squad!, and Happy Days, before moving into directing with episodes of The Hogan Family.
He made his feature directorial debut with Ski Patrol (1990) and achieved a milestone in 1990 by directing three network shows on the same night.
In the 1990s, he directed extensively for ABC family sitcoms like Family Matters (91 episodes), Step by Step (56 episodes), Full House, and Perfect Strangers.
He co-created Hannah Montana (2006–2011) and directed key episodes across Disney Channel series such as That’s So Raven (52 episodes), The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (58 episodes), and Hannah Montana (34 episodes).
Rich Correll built an enduring legacy as a specialist in family programming, directing over 700 episodes by 2018 and contributing to more than 1,000 total episodic projects through producing and directing.
He directed The Girl Who Believes in Miracles (2021) and continued with Fuller House (34 episodes) and Raven’s Home.
His work on Disney Channel originals in the 2000s helped define modern kids’ comedy, earning him a reputation for reliable, heartfelt multi-camera direction that appeals across generations.
Personal Life
Rich Correll married Beth Correll on April 24, 2004, and the couple has maintained a long-term partnership focused on their shared work in television. He has no children.
Correll keeps his personal life private but shares a deep interest in film history, owning a large collection of science-fiction, fantasy, and horror artifacts displayed in his Icons of Darkness exhibit.
Filmography
Leave It to Beaver (1960)
Ski Patrol (1990)
Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009)
The Girl Who Believes in Miracles (2021)
Net Worth
Rich Correll has an estimated net worth of $5 million. His main sources of income come from decades of directing high-volume sitcom episodes on major networks and Disney Channel, producing credits on long-running shows, co-creating successful series like Hannah Montana, and residuals from family comedy staples.
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