Richard Bradbury Long

Richard (Rico) Bradbury Long, age 86, was born in Columbus, OH on March 31, 1934, and passed away at his home on July 8, 2020.

He graduated from Grandview High School in 1952, where he and close friends collaborated in making a number of 8 mm films, and where his film making career first blossomed. 

He graduated in 1956 from Ohio State with a degree in Radio-TV. Then served in the United States Army from 1956-1958. Being assigned to the Army Pictorial Center in New York City, he was given top secret clearance and sent to the Nevada testing site to be in charge of filming the secret atom bomb tests. That summer, he and his crew shot 11 tests. He then shot Army projects all over the US.  That hazardous duty qualified him for a visit to Washington DC with Honor Flight in 2018, accompanied by his daughter Wendy. 

Following his service, he worked as a film editor for WTVN-TV then joined the OSU Department of Photography and Cinema as a film editor, making numerous films over the years and overseeing student film productions. He eventually became an Assistant Professor, teaching film editing and production management until his retirement in 1988. 

He became the President of the Columbus International Film Festival for 12 years, one of the oldest documentary/business/agency festivals in the country, for which he had been a juror for the previous 20 years. 

For nearly 25 years he and his wife Joyce reviewed film on WOSU Radio. 

He loved golf, movies, classical movies, travel and playing cards.

Survived by wife of 58 years, Joyce Kay (Lightfoot) Long; children, Wendy (Marc) Sirkin of Cincinnati, Mathieu (Lara) Long of Sacramento, and Juliet (Gregg) Graves of Seattle; grandchildren, Benjamin & Austin Sirkin and Enzo, Indiana & Willow Long; and brother, John Robert “Bob” (Sue) Long of Florida. 

Private arrangements, per his wishes.  Charitable donations in his name can be made to The Columbus Symphony Orchestra, The Central Ohio Diabetes Association, and the WOSU public stations.  

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