Richert was born in Florida. He directed several documentaries (including
Derby and ''
A Dancer's Life) and the feature films Winter Kills, The American Success Company, A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon, and The Man in the Iron Mask
(also known as The Mask of Dumas''). In 1982, Richert co-founded Invisible Studio, re-acquiring the rights to
The American Success Company and
Winter Kills, and re-editing and re-releasing both films. Richert's film
A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon was originally distributed by
20th Century Fox, but was later re-cut and re-issued independently under the title ''Aren't You Even Going To Kiss Me Goodbye?'' As an actor, Richert played Bob Pigeon in the 1991
Gus van Sant film
My Own Private Idaho. He played
Aramis in his 1998 production of
The Man in the Iron Mask. He played Patrick McKennan in the 1999 television movie
A.T.F. Richert sued the
Writers Guild of America over not being credited on the screenplay of the 1995 film
The American President. Richert claimed Sorkin's screenplay was a thinly veiled plagiarism of Richert's 1981 screenplay
The President Elopes. After Guild arbitration,
Aaron Sorkin was awarded full credit on
American President. Richert also claimed that the television series
The West Wing was derived from part of the same screenplay. Richert also sued the
Directors Guild of America over its collection of overseas levies for American directors who are not members. ==Death==