"River Runs Through It" Actor Arnold Richardson Dies

January 2, 2011 By: Marshall Cutchin

Arnold Richardson, who played the elderly Norman Maclean in “A River Runs Through It,” died on December 6 at the age of 96. Richardson got the part after responding to a Livingston newspaper ad, but it was a perfect fit for the ex-fishing guide and lover of Montana trout fishing. He almost lost the role to a younger actor because of shaking hands — but the elderly Maclean struggling to tie a Turle knot became one of the most memorable scenes in the movie. Sanjay Talwani tells the story in the Independent Record.