Richard Blackwell (August 29, 1922 – October 19, 2008) was an American fashion critic, journalist, television and radio personality, artist, former child actor and former fashion designer, sometimes known just as Mr. Blackwell. He was the creator of the "Ten Worst Dressed Women List", an annual awards presentation he unveiled in January of each year. He published the "Fabulous Fashion Independents" list and an annual Academy Awards fashion review, both of which receive somewhat less media attention. His partner of sixty years, Beverly Hills hairdresser Robert L. Spencer, was also his manager. He wrote two books, Mr. Blackwell: 30 Years of Fashion Fiascos and an autobiography, From Rags to Bitches.
Early life
Blackwell was born Richard Sylvan Selzer in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn to Henry Selzer, a working-class printer, and Eva Selzer, who were the American-born children of Jewish immigrants from the Russian Empire. He had one older brother. He claimed he was severely beaten by a stepfather, often sleeping in the alley beneath a fire escape with a broken bottle for protection rather than face further abuse. He told Howard Stern that as a 7-year-old boy, he had once had to beg for a quarter on the street so he could buy something to eat. His father was frequently absent or drunk, and men would take him to a nearby alley and abuse him. He was scared, hungry, and did whatever he could to stay alive. He only went as far as the third grade in school.
When he was 11, he was raped by an adult at a boys' camp.
Career
Acting
Blackwell began acting in theaters in his teens, appearing in the original 1935 Broadway production of Sidney Kingsley's Dead End. Relocating to the West Coast (where he studied with Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney) he adopted the professional name "Dick Ellis" and played small parts in the movies. Between acting parts, he worked as a messenger at Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank, California. Howard Hughes then signed him to RKO and changed his name to Richard Blackwell. He returned to Broadway in 1944 for Catherine Was Great, which starred Mae West, but left acting to become a Hollywood agent. He discovered his talent for fashion design while making stage costumes for his clients.
Fashion designer
The name "Mr. Blackwell" came in the late-1950s when he launched his clothing line. As with Valentino, Versace and later Richard Tyler, he and his line became synonymous. He was an important designer and during the 1960s he became the first in history to present his line on a television broadcast, and was the first to make his line available for plus-size women. His designer dresses sold for between $800 and $1,000 and were very successful. During the nearly two decade existence of the "House of Blackwell", he was designer to Yvonne De Carlo, Jayne Mansfield, Dorothy Lamour, Jane Russell and California first lady Nancy Reagan. At the height of his prominence, he openly declared his disdain for Women's Wear Daily and its publisher, John Fairchild. During the 1980s, the emerging drift toward casual wear brought an end to The House of Blackwell.
Fashion critic
In his beginning years as a designer he was asked to do a one-time article for The American Weekly magazine of the "10 Best and Worst Dressed" people and developed the franchise from it. Although best known for his "Worst Dressed" list, he maintained a successful career as a fashion journalist. He was syndicated in The Globe tabloid and wrote features in newspapers and lifestyle magazines. His "Fabulous Fashion Independents" often featured celebrities whom in prior years have been listed in his Ten Worst-Dressed.