Kyle Richards Biography

Kyle Egan Richards was born on 11th January 1969, in Los Angeles, California to Kathleen Mary Richards and Kenneth Edwin Richards. Her parents separated while she was still young and her mother remarried later.

She has an older sister named Kim Richards as well as an older half-sister – Kathy Hilton– from her mother’s first marriage to Lawrence Avanzino. Her father also had three children from his first marriage. All her three paternal half siblings were adults at the time of her birth.

For her education, she went to Central Union High School in El Centro, California. However, since her acting career began pretty early, she never attended any college.

Kyle Richards kick-started her acting career at a very young age. In 1974, she appeared in an episode of television series Police Woman and followed it up with an uncredited role in film Escape to Witch Mountain next year.

In 1975, she landed the role of Alicia Sanderson Edwards in the Western historical drama series Little House on the Prairie. She had a recurring role in the series and appeared in 18 episodes till 1982.

In 1976, the child star appeared in a horror film Eaten Alive followed by another horror film The Car the next year. In the latter film, she acted with her real-life sister Kim Richards. Earlier too, she had played the younger version of her sister in Escape to Witch Mountain.

She portrayed the character of Lindsey Wallace in the 1978 horror film Halloween which became popular in its genre and played a crucial role in development of the slasher genre in the 1980s.

Her other work during the 1970s includes television movies A Circle of Children, The Father Knows Best Reunion, Father Knows Best: Home for Christmas (all 1977), The Million Dollar Dixie Deliverance (1978), Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill and Friendships, Secrets, and Lies (both 1979).

Additionally, she acted in an episode each of television series The Wonderful World of Disney, Flying High (both 1978), Vega$, Fantasy Island and Time Express (all 1979). She also appeared in three episodes of Police Story (1976–1978) and four episodes of Carter Country (1979).

The beginning of 1980s saw her starring in a supernatural horror film The Watcher in the Woods; a three-part television miniseries Beulah Land and television movie Once Upon a Family.

Between 1984 and 1987, she portrayed Elizabeth Lissy Preston in 106 episodes of fantasy sitcom series Down to Earth. The young actor then portrayed the lead role of Stephanie Davenport in the action horror film Curfew in 1989.

In the 1980s, she made quick appearances in an episode each of television series Concrete Cowboys (1981) and CHiPs (1982) as well as a couple of episodes of another tv series Ramblin'Man(1981). Apart from it, she also acted in a television movie Hellinger's Law(1981) and an adventure film Escape (1990).

Kyle Richards took a hiatus of almost a decade after she married and became a mother at the young age of 19.

In 1998, she made a comeback playing smaller roles in TV series Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher and Love Boat: The Next Wave. The same year, she also began acting in NBC's medical drama seriesER wherein she essayed the character of Nurse Dori Kerns. The series was one of her most notable works after her return and she ended up doing 21 episodes till 2006.

Simultaneously, she did guest roles in television series like Beverly Hills, 90210 (1999), City Guys (1999) and 7th Heaven(2003).

In 2006, she was cast in a supporting role in a comedy film – National Lampoon's Pledge This! – executive produced by her niece Paris Hilton.

In between, in 2003, she made an entry into reality television with The Simple Life wherein she was seen in few episodes.

In 2010, came another reality television show The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (RHOBH) which focused on the personal and professional lives of the women staying in Beverly Hills, California. Kyle Richards was amongst the original cast of the show, and is currently the only one from the group to continue with the show after ten seasons (till 2020).

In 2011, she made her debut as an author and published her memoir/self-help book, Life is Not a Reality Show: Keeping It Real with the Housewife Who Does It All. In the book, which was published by HarperOne, she offers advice on relationships, family and beauty.

In 2012, she did a guest role in an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and the following year became a part of NBC's daytime soap operaDays of Our Lives for three episodes.

In 2014, then cast members of RHOBH, including Kyle, featured in the music video of Lady Gaga's song G.U.Y. The same year Kyle, along with a couple of other members of the RHOBH, did cameo roles as Housewives in Josh Stolberg comedy film The Hungover Games.

In 2014, she also launched her clothing line for shopping network HSN. Earlier, in 2012, she had opened her boutique – Kyle by Alene Too – in the Beverly Hills which closed down in 2018.

After RHOBH she subsequently appeared as herself in other reality shows, game shows and television drama shows (mostly one episode). These include reality shows Vanderpump Rules (2013) and Keeping Up with the Kardashians (2016) and game shows The New Celebrity Apprentice (seven episodes, 2017), Match Game (2019) and Celebrity Family Feud (2020).

Television series where she appeared as herself includes Betty White's Off Their Rockers (2013), Whose Line Is It Anyway? (2013), The Doctors (2014), Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce (2015) and Barkitecture (2020).

In 2018, she turned co-executive producer for comedy series American Woman based loosely on her life growing up. The series premiered on Paramount network and ran for one season.

In 2019, she launched her new clothing line Kyle + Shahida that received positive reviews following its debut at New York Fashion Week.

Kyle Richards married Guraish Aldjufrie at the age of eighteen. The two, together, have a daughter Farrah. The marriage ended in divorce in 1992.

In 1996, she married Mauricio Umansky, a real estate agent. The couple have three daughters Alexia, Sophia and Portia.

She is also a philanthropist and along with her husband, is listed on the First Families of the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. The essentially means that the couple have donated US$100,000 or more to the hospital. Additionally, she has also organised fund raising events.