# Ricky Schroder
**Ricky Schroder** (born 1970), also credited as **Rick Schroder**, is an American actor, director, and producer. He became a child star in *[The Champ](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-champ-1979-film)* (1979) and *Silver Spoons* (1982–87), then established an adult television career with *Lonesome Dove* (1989) and *NYPD Blue* (1998–2001). His directing work includes *Black Cloud* and the music video for “Whiskey Lullaby.”[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/schroder-ricky-1970) • [2](https://goldenglobes.com/person/rickyrick-schroder/)
## Child actor
Schroder worked in advertising before [Franco Zeffirelli](https://www.edgepedia.org/franco-zeffirelli) cast him in *The Champ*. He played the son of a boxer portrayed by [Jon Voight](https://www.edgepedia.org/jon-voight), with [Faye Dunaway](https://www.edgepedia.org/faye-dunaway) as his mother. The performance earned him the Golden Globe for New Star of the Year in 1980. He was nine when he received the award.[2](https://goldenglobes.com/person/rickyrick-schroder/) • [3](https://goldenglobes.com/articles/tomorrows-stars-yesterday-rick-schroder-1980/)
He followed the film with *The Last Flight of Noah's Ark* and *The Earthling*. On television, he starred as Ricky Stratton in *Silver Spoons*, a sitcom that ran on NBC from 1982 to 1986 and in syndication for a final season. The role sustained his visibility through adolescence.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/schroder-ricky-1970) • [3](https://goldenglobes.com/articles/tomorrows-stars-yesterday-rick-schroder-1980/)
## Adult screen career
Schroder played Newt Dobbs in the 1989 Western miniseries *Lonesome Dove* and returned to the character in *Return to Lonesome Dove* (1993). The role helped move his screen career beyond the child-star image associated with *Silver Spoons*. He subsequently appeared in the submarine thriller *Crimson Tide* (1995).[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/schroder-ricky-1970) • [2](https://goldenglobes.com/person/rickyrick-schroder/)
From 1998 to 2001 he played Detective Danny Sorenson on *NYPD Blue*, appearing in 64 episodes and receiving a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination in 2000. Other television work included *The Lost Battalion*, *Scrubs*, and *24*, in which he played agent Mike Doyle.[4](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/ricky-schroder-signs-uta-364150/) • [1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/schroder-ricky-1970) He later portrayed Robert Lee Parton in *[Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors](https://www.edgepedia.org/dolly-partons-coat-of-many-colors)* and its sequel, *Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love*.[5](https://www.reelamericanheroesfoundation.org/meet-our-board-members)
## Directing and producing
His first feature as director, *Black Cloud* (2004), centers on a Navajo boxer. It received awards at the Nashville, Phoenix, and San Diego film festivals. He also directed [Brad Paisley](https://www.edgepedia.org/brad-paisley) and [Alison Krauss](https://www.edgepedia.org/alison-krauss)'s “Whiskey Lullaby” video, which won the [Country Music Association](https://www.edgepedia.org/country-music-association)'s music video award in 2004 and received further country-music honors in 2005.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/schroder-ricky-1970)
Schroder's documentary work includes *The Fighting Season*, a six-part series made from footage gathered with U.S. Army units in Afghanistan, followed by *My Fighting Season* and *The Volunteers*, about the Syrian war. He also created the Army recruiting series *Starting Strong*.[5](https://www.reelamericanheroesfoundation.org/meet-our-board-members) His production interests have included Old Post Films, while his work outside entertainment has included ranching and studies in ranch management at Mesa State College.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/schroder-ricky-1970)
## References
1. [Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television — Ricky Schroder](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/schroder-ricky-1970)
2. [Golden Globes — Ricky/Rick Schroder](https://goldenglobes.com/person/rickyrick-schroder/)
3. [Golden Globes — Rick Schroder, 1980](https://goldenglobes.com/articles/tomorrows-stars-yesterday-rick-schroder-1980/)
4. [The Hollywood Reporter — Ricky Schroder Signs With UTA](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/ricky-schroder-signs-uta-364150/)
5. [Reel American Heroes Foundation — Board biography](https://www.reelamericanheroesfoundation.org/meet-our-board-members)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Sc to Sl*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license