User:Rhandle/Richard Handley

Richard T. Handley (born January 24, 1965) is an American film producer, actor, screenwriter, physician, and healthcare executive

Enlisted Service
Early in his career, Handley enlisted in the Colorado Air National Guard, serving six years as an Air Force Medic assigned to the 120th Fighter Squadron at Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colorado. During his time with the Colorado Guard, Handley would achieve the rank of Staff Sergeant and be awarded the John L. Levitow Award, the highest award presented at Airman Leadership School, presented to the student who demonstrates the most outstanding leadership and scholastic ability. Selection for the Levitow award is based on academic performance and assignment of points by both peers and instructors.

Handley was also appointed a full-time Firefighter EMT by the City of Colorado Springs Fire Department from 1991 to 1994, while serving simultaneously as a reservist in the Colorado Air National Guard and studying psychology and pre-medicine at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, graduating in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Commissioned Service
Upon graduating from the Keck School of Medicine at USC, Handley was commissioned an Ensign in the Medical Service Corps of the U.S. Navy. After completion of the Naval Direct Commission Officer Indoctrination School, Newport, Rhode Island, he served as a Navy Medical Service Corp Officer, Physician Associate (PA), stationed at Branch Medical Clinic Naval Training Center, Naval Medical Center, San Diego, CA, where he practiced urgent care and family medicine, serving active duty personnel and their dependents. During this time, he would also earn his Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree (M.P.A.S.) from the University of Nebraska College of Medicine, specializing in Family Medicine. Later in his Navy career, Handley would volunteer for arduous duty aboard the USS Constellation, working as the Ship’s PA in the Emergency Department, participating in 21 medical evacuations and 28 emergent situations while underway at sea. For this and other efforts, Handley would be awarded two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals during his Commission and achieve the rank of Lieutenant.

Medicine and Executive Leadership
Handley has served in both clinical and chief executive roles during his medical career. He practiced medicine as an advanced practice provider (PA) in the subspecialties of family medicine, emergency medicine, occupational medicine, and dermatology. He completed the Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Science, Arts and Technology in 2018 and is a non-practicing physician by training. Later in his career he would transition away from clinical medicine into executive leadership and research,    ultimately achieving the position of  Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Wells World Services, a U.S. Department of Defense aligned contract company serving the medical needs of  U.S. contractors stationed internationally.

In 2020, Handley graduated with a Master of Healthcare Quality and Safety degree (M.H.Q.S.) from the Harvard Medical School, during which time he also served as a quality improvement graduate student, research fellow at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Hospital Medicine Unit, Boston, MA.(20) Handley is board certified in healthcare management and a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.(20) In 2021, Handley completed an Executive MBA degree from Quantic School of Business and Technology.

Training
Handley’s foray into the entertainment business began at the end of his military career. In a 2019 interview at the San Diego GI Film Festival, Handley stated, “It was my last year in the Navy [1999] that I took an improv class in San Diego…that was the nidus.”  After the Navy, he moved to Los Angeles and enrolled in and completing the Professional Program in Producing at the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television. During his time at UCLA, he served as a development intern with film producer, Kevin Misher at Misher Films.

Handley would continue to hone his acting skills through starring in student thesis films at USC School of Cinematic Arts, Chapman University, Loyola Marymount University and other film schools. He also studied acting with renown Los Angeles-based coaches, Harry Mastrogeorge and Arthur Mendoza at the Hudson and Actors Circle Theater s, respectively. He would also complete a Master of Fine Arts in Film and Television degree from Mount Saint Mary’s University (MSMU), Los Angeles in 2016, where he wrote, produced, and directed a number of short films, including a science fiction short film entitled, Hourglass (2015), which garnered him a “1st Place Best Sci-Fi Short Film” award at the 2015 Indy Gathering International Film Festival.

The Black String
It was there that Handley met classmate and now producing partner, Brian Hanson. It was in their final year at MSMU that he and Hanson would team to complete their Master’s thesis, which would later become The Black String feature film. It took them a year to co-write the screenplay together. Once they completed the screenplay they formulated a business plan, established Black String Film, LLC and began looking for private equity to launch the film. Handley would lead-produce and play of psychiatrist, Dr. Jason Ronaldi, in the film. Hanson would direct and produce.

The Black String gained Official Selection to some of the most prestigious genre and mainstream film festivals around the world, including Sitges (2019), London FrightFest (2019), Shriekfest (2019), Dances With Films (2019), GI Film Fest (2019), and saw its U.S. Premiere at the Austin Film Festival (2018),

Handley has been interviewed internationally pertaining to his work on The Black String. Online interviews include FrightFest (2019), DWF '19, FilmQuest Fest (2019), Fly Fidelity, Horror cult films, Film and TV Now, Pophorror, and Selig News Review,

Tony Timpone of the popular horror genre website, Dread Central, interviewed Handley and Hanson. In the interview Handley discussed his passion for writing good characters, stating, “It was a dream to be able to write the Dr. Ronaldi character, especially knowing I’d be playing him. As a physician, I wanted to bring medical authenticity to the screen, but I also had to keep it entertaining, which meant Dr. Ronaldi needed to have some ‘issues.’  For example, he’s twenty years into his medical career and is suffering from physician burnout, which can lead to a loss of empathy and compassion. Fatal flaws, like these, are certainly more interesting to watch on screen and very thrilling and challenging to play as an actor.”

Once the film was complete and making its way about the international film festival circuit, Handley and Hanson were presented with multiple acquisition opportunities. Ultimately signing a deal with Grindstone Lionsgate Entertainment to distribute the film in North America. They would sign a deal with 4Digital Entertainment to distribute the film in the United Kingdom and also sign with Octane Entertainment and Launch Releasing to handle remaining worldwide sales.

Handley is a member of Veterans in Media and Entertainment (VME), Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), and was awarded the privilege to use the "Producers Mark" (p.g.a.) by the Producers Guild of America (PGA) for his extensive work on The Black String. The "Producers Mark", a certification mark to feature film credits, allows approved producers to add the lowercase initials p.g.a. following their "Produced By" credit. The "Producers Mark" certifies that the credited producer performed a major portion of the producing duties on a motion picture. Handley holds the only “Produced By” single card credit in the opening credit sequence for The Black String, signifying his primary role in the co-creation and execution of the film with producing partner, Brian Hanson.

Devil’s Whisper
Handley served as Associate Producer on the film, Devil’s Whisper, directed by Adam Ripp. This multifaceted leadership role included working through the entirety of pre-production and production. Devil’s Whisper marked his first feature film producer role, which well-prepared him for helming The Black String later that year.

Finding Fortune
Inspired by true events, Finding Fortune is the story of a father and daughter with a strained relationship that must work together as they quest to rescue their prize-winning horse which has been accidentally sent to slaughter. Handley starred in the TV pilot along with Zoe Bunce and Golden Globe, Academy, and BAFTA Award Nominated, Mariel Hemingway. Finding Fortune, directed by Kayli Fortune and produced by Charles Bunce, swept the international festival circuit, collecting wins at the Glendale International Film Festival, Independent International Film Festival, Equus Film Festival, and International Filmmaker Festivals of World Cinema at both London and Nice France. Handley received a “Best lead Actor” nod at the Nice (France) International Film Festival. Handley also co-produced the TV Pilot.