Richard Partlow, also known as Rick, was born in Kansas City, Kansas in 1948 to James E. Partlow and Norma Jane VanDervort Partlow. His mother was a multi-talented individual who graduated from Ohio University and went on to become an artist, singer, poet, lyricist, author, and reporter under the pen name Norma Kalina. His father, James Edwin Partlow, was a graduate of North Carolina State University and served as a Captain in the Army Signal Corps during World War II.
The family moved to Oakland, California when Richard was just a year old, and then to Houston, Texas when he was three years old. It was in Texas that Richard developed a love for swimming, boating, water skiing, crabbing, and Saturday morning serials at the movies. This exposure sparked his imagination, which would later become a defining characteristic of his creative pursuits.
At the age of nine, the family moved to Pennsylvania, where they purchased a modest farmhouse on ten acres of land. Richard attended a two-room schoolhouse and graduated at the top of his class of five students. He and his older brother, Jamie, attended Downingtown High School, where Richard graduated in 1966.
Growing up in rural Pennsylvania was a idyllic experience for Richard, with plenty of opportunities to engage in outdoor activities such as football, track, gymnastics, and swimming. He also developed a strong appreciation for the changing seasons, which he felt were an integral part of his childhood. Summer brought rope swings over the swimming hole, a three-acre honeysuckle-covered pine forest, and a half-acre asparagus patch that he would sell to the local farmers market. Fall was marked by sports, horseback riding, and exploring the forest. Winter brought snow forts, sledding, and ice hockey on the local pond, while spring was a time for planting vegetable gardens, building homemade go-carts, and dreaming of summer.
Despite his idyllic childhood, Richard's last year of high school was marked by rebellious behavior, which prompted his father to insist that he attend Valley Forge Military Academy Jr. College for his first year of college. From there, Richard went on to attend The University of Miami and Villanova University, where he joined the Marines after completing a semester.
Following his time in the Marines, Richard was unsure of what he wanted to do with his life. During his summer breaks, he spent time playing guitar, singing, and writing music with his partner, Jim Richards. They played mostly in coffee houses and cafés in Philadelphia and on the Jersey Shore.
After leaving the Marines, Richard's parents divorced, and the family farm was sold. He moved back to Philadelphia, where he worked a series of jobs, including bartender, bank teller, retail sales, and flagman on a road crew for a detective agency. During his time on the road crew, a car stopped, and a man and woman asked Richard if he wanted to be in a play at a local community theater. He landed the lead role in the play "Tea and Sympathy," which caught the attention of a producer for a local CBS children's show. Richard was signed to a one-year contract, playing characters in history, including young Ben Franklin and young Thomas Edison.
