The second of five children, his father, Homer, was an insurance salesman, and his mother was Doris. Richard started early as a musician, playing a number of instruments in high school and writing music for high school productions. He graduated from North Syracuse Central High School in 1967, and won a gymnastics scholarship to the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, where he majored in philosophy. He left college after two years to pursue acting, landing a lead role in the London production of the rock musical "Grease" in 1973.
He began acting in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and a starring role in Days of Heaven. He came to prominence in 1980 for his role in the film American Gigolo, which established him as a leading man and a sex symbol. He went on to star in several hit films including An Officer and a Gentleman, Pretty Woman,Primal Fear, and Chicago, for which he won a Golden Globe Award as Best Actor, as well as a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the Best Cast.
Gere first worked professionally at the Provincetown Playhouse on Cape Cod in 1971 where he starred in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. His first major acting role was in the original London stage version of Grease in 1973. He began appearing in Hollywood films in the mid 1970s, co-starring in the thriller Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977) and playing the leading role in director Terrence Malick's well-reviewed 1978 film, Days of Heaven.In 1980, Gere appeared in the Broadway production of Bent. He became a major star that year with the film American Gigolo, followed by the romantic drama An Officer and a Gentleman, which grossed almost $130 million in 1982.
Experiencing several box office failures since 1982, Gere's career strengthened with the releases of Internal Affairs and Pretty Woman in 1990. Gere's status as a leading man solidified and he went on to star in several successful films throughout the 1990s.
Filmography:
"Looking for Mr. Goodbar" (1977),
"Days of Heaven" (1978),
"American Gigolo" (1980),
"An Officer and a Gentleman" (1982),
"Pretty Woman" (1990),
"Sommersby" (1993),
"Primal Fear" (1996),
"Runaway Bride" (1999),
"Dr. T and the Women" (2000),
"Unfaithful" (2002),
"Chicago" (2002),
"The Hoax" (2006),
"I'm Not There" (2007), and
"Amelia" (2009).
His latest film is the financial thriller "Arbitrage" (2012).
Awards&Nominations
Golden Globe Awards: Win - Best Musical/Comedy Actor ("Chicago," 2002)
Best Drama Actor nomination:
- "An Officer and a Gentleman" (1982); lost to Ben Kingsley ("Gandhi")
- "An Officer and a Gentleman" (1982); lost to Ben Kingsley ("Gandhi")
Best Musical/Comedy Actor nomination:
- "Pretty Woman" (1990); lost to Gerard Depardieu ("Green Card")
- "Pretty Woman" (1990); lost to Gerard Depardieu ("Green Card")
Primetime Emmy Awards:
Best Movie/Mini Supporting Actor nomination:
- "And the Band Played On" (1994); lost to Michael A. Goorjian ("David's Mother")
- "And the Band Played On" (1994); lost to Michael A. Goorjian ("David's Mother")
SAG Awards: Win - Best Film Ensemble ("Chicago," 2002). Nomination - Best Actor ("Chicago," 2002)
Trivia
-People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive. [1999]
-Was a member of the student council, gymnastics team, lacrosse team, and ski team.
-He received a gymnastics scholarship to the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he majored in philosophy; he dropped out in 1969 to pursue acting.
-Is President of The Gere Foundation, founded in 1991. The non-profit organization focusing on international humanitarian issues, with emphasis on Tibet.
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