From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Richard Whorf (June 4, 1906 – December 14, 1966) was an American actor, author, director, and designer. Richard was born in Winthrop, Massachusetts to Harry and Sarah (Lee) Whorf. Richards's older brother was the well-known American linguist, Benjamin Lee Whorf. Whorf began his acting career on the Boston stage as a teenager then moving to Broadway when he was 21. Early on, he was in a production of Taming of the Shrew at the Globe Theatre in New York Cit ...