Entering films straight out of high school, Richard Long's good looks served him well and got him a contract at Universal Pictures. Making his debut as Claudette Colbert's son in Tomorrow Is Forever (1946), Long played juvenile leads in many Universal productions (he was one of the sons in the "Ma and Pa Kettle" series), and gradually worked his way into leading parts in second features. His most successful efforts were in television, however, where he became best known for his roles in the western series The Big Valley (1965) and the comedy Nanny and the Professor (1970).