Richards' career began when she was months old and appeared in a TV commercial for Firth Carpet. In 1974 and 1976, Richards appeared in Disney's
Whiz Kid Capers series (
The Whiz Kid and the Mystery at Riverton and
The Whiz Kid and the Carnival Caper), two television movies that aired as part of
The Wonderful World of Disney anthology series. ,
David Doremus,
Trent Lehman, Richards and
Juliet MillsRichards and her sister Kyle played sisters in the thriller film
The Car (1977). She teamed up once again with
Witch Mountain co-star
Ike Eisenmann in the made-for-television movie
Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell (1978). In the 1976 film
Assault on Precinct 13, she played a young girl who was brutally murdered when a gang member fired a round into her chest. She later starred in the short-lived television series
Hello, Larry (1979–80) and appeared as a guest on numerous episodes of American television shows, including
Emergency!, ''
Diff'rent Strokes, Alice, Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, CHiPs, Magnum, P.I., James at 16, The Dukes of Hazzard, The Rockford Files, and Little House on the Prairie'' as Olga Nordstrom. As a young adult, she appeared in
Meatballs Part II (1984) and
Tuff Turf (1985). in 1990, she co-produced the film
Escape, along with then-husband G. Monty Brinson. Richards appeared in a supporting role as
Christina Ricci's estranged mother in the drama film
Black Snake Moan (2006). She made a cameo appearance in
Race to Witch Mountain (2009), playing a waitress named Tina, a minor variation from the character Tia she played in the franchise's 1975 and 1978 films. In 2010, Richards began appearing as a regular cast member of
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, alongside her sister Kyle. After five seasons, Kim was let go as a full-time cast member following her personal struggles. She returned as a guest star, though, in the show's sixth, seventh, ninth, tenth and thirteenth seasons. On April 10, 2023, in honor of
National Sibling Day, Richards and half-sister
Kathy Hilton appeared together on
Entertainment Tonight's "Spill the ETea" segment discussing their relationship, their children and being grandparents. ==Personal life==