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Hollywood actor Richard Talmadge was born Ricardo Metezzeti in Munich. He came to Hollywood in the 1910s where he worked as a stunt double for Douglas Fairbanks. He became a star in his own right in the early '20s, usually appearing in minor comedies and action-dramas. Talmadge frequently created and performed his own highly athletic action sequences and stunts. He created his own production company in 1923. Talmadge stopped appearing in films with the advent of sound because of his thick German accent, and began working behind the scenes as an assistant director. His experience as an action hero came to good use and he became a prominent director of stunt sequences. As a director, he assisted on over 70 films.