Kim Richards is the aunt of Paris Hilton and one of the stars of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, but before she was an adorably slightly off-center Bravolebrity Kim had quite the acting career!
Kim was a prototypical child star, becoming “The Disney Girl” when she was just ten years old and starring in such movies as Escape To Witch Mountain and No Deposit. But appearing on the big screen wasn’t the only impressive thing on Kim’s acting resume! She also made numerous appearances on television shows throughout the late ’70s and early ’80s.
So, being the dedicated Bravologist that I am, I searched through hundreds of millions of YouTube clips and came up with a list that I think represents the best of the best of Kim Richards’ television appearances! I’ll start with number five and work my way up to number one…
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5. The Love Boat
Ahhhhh… The good ol’ days when pedophilia on network television was OK thanks to the magic of overdone laugh tracks! Kim plays 14-year-old Gail who pretends to be her own older sister Lily in order to woo Gopher. Poor Gopher gets pulled into the ruse and falls for the mythical older sister, who does a lot better job at looking over 14 than Gail does at looking 14. (In Gopher’s defense I’m guessing that about 80% of heterosexual males in his shoes would have gone to jail too.)
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4. Nanny and the Professor
Speaking of the good ol’ days and pedophilia! Swingin’ Sam set off my Jon Benetdar big time! I think lil Kim (Prudence) is suspicious too – so suspicious that she made up a nightmare so she could step in to protect Nanny! (Did anone else know that Fran Drescher’s show was a slightly altered rip off? I didn’t. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t learn something just by being a fan of The Real housewives!)
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3. Magnum P.I.
Can’t you just feel the chemistry between Kim and tom Selleck? HOT HOT HOT! Why didn’t these two get a spin-off? Why didn’t these two get married?!?
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2. (tie) Dukes of Hazzard
Kim (Nancy Lou) seems a little disappointed to find out her dad is Cooter. Even Daisy Duke’s bright red Daisy Dukes can’t cheer her up. (Kim already has those infamous “worried” eyebrows viewers of RHoBH have come to know and love!) (Sorry about the editing here but it was the only clip from the show online)
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2. (tie) Diff’rent Strokes
What can I say? A great quality video featuring a young Kim Richards and Gary Coleman in his prime! Just look at that chemistry! Why didn’t these two get a spin-off? Why didn’t these two get married?!?
Kim: Is your father’s name Mr. Drummond?
Gary: That’s right.
Kim: Hey, see, I didn’t know he was black!
Gary: I didn’t either, and I sat next to him on the plane.
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1. Little House On The Prairie
Get your tissues out because this one will break your heart… And then stitch it back up again! Kim plays little Olga, who was born with one leg shorter than the other. Her over-protective father Dolph Lundgren is quite the pessimist about her chances at finding happiness, but he has never met the over-the-moon father-daughter glory of Laura Ingalls and Michael Landon!
Did anyone else feel like little Olga is like Kim on The Real housewives of Beverly Hills? Poor Kimmy. C’mon Lisa Vanderpump – I know you’re a British Laura Ingalls Wilder at heart! Let’s turn this reality series into Big House On The Prairie!
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Honorable Mention: James At 16
This is just the opening credits and Kim only appears briefly (although it does display her name in a great ’70s kid foont!) but the clip was sooooo mind-blowing I had to include it! What WAS this show?!? It has pimps, narrative voice-overs, hardcore 1970s Drivers’ Ed teachers and male flute playing! WHUH?!? Here’s the summary from IMDB:
James, a daydreamer and photographer, must learn to cope with life as his father moves the family from Oregon to Boston MA. Though there is much humor here, the series dealt with many serious problems (teenage alcoholism, virginity, pregnancy, venereal disease).
This TV show needs to be remade by Quentin Tarantino!
You can see the modern day Kim Richards on television every week! tune into Bravo Thursday nights at 10PM eastern and be sure to stick around for the Bravolescent Andy Cohen for Watch What Happens Live right after!
CLICK here to watch episodes of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills On Demand!
