Daniel Richter

Daniel Richter (born 1939 in Darien, Connecticut) is an American mime and actor who played the leader of a tribe of ape-men in 2001: A Space Odyssey. At the time of his casting in 2001, Richter was unknown, working mainly as a mime, leading a troupe in London. Kubrick made him largely responsible for choreographing the "Dawn of Man" sequence, believing Richter could take the film away from Hollywood clichés of men in monkey suits. Richter and his troupe spent hours watching apes in the London zoo, particularly the especially popular Guy the Gorilla, followed by hours of rehearsal mimicking their movements. After 2001, Richter appeared in the film The Revolutionary. In 2002, Richter published a book about his experiences entitled Moonwatcher's Memoir: A Diary of 2001: A Space Odyssey.