Meet Rick Doty | Writer / Producer, Character Actor and Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rick Doty and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rick, what is the most important factor behind your success?
What is the most important factor behind your success and the success of your brand?

One factor that drives the brand and me is the desire to make a difference with humanity and the human condition. . I know this sounds typical and what many people say, but if I drill down and put this into practice, then it becomes something that people become interested in. That’s the first step in communicating with people or an audience. In February this year I created a show called Surround by Love, with a cast of devoted actors and the inspiration of God. This show was a benefit to raise money for a beautiful lady who was walking a path way before her time. I don’t need to tell people life is a hard road to travel and at times like this we have no answer to why, and all you can do is show love. This benefit showed a love so powerful and beautiful in embracing this woman, but it also surrounded all of us with this love. She lived longer than doctors had said and saw how much she was loved. She felt she was a walking miracle and our quiet angel. We will forever have her in our hearts surrounding all of us with
her love.

Surrounded by Love, to do more good, that is the foundation of just not one brand but four different brands. Harley Ryder, with views and vision shedding light on the road of life in America, Conrad Marshall and his band of mini-me Marshalls, standing for truth, justice, and the American way, Dr. Love, a comedic iconic character rendering the cure for loneliness and love. And finally the Clockmaker, changing the face of time, changing your life, the spiritual hands always pointing the band of brothers in the right direction. Which begs the question: what is the right direction? It all starts with love and taking one step at a time as you step into the unknown, that’s the journey of life, love and hopefully happiness. After all life is truly what we make it, love and happiness or lost and lonely.

As to defining success, for me it is defined by how we make people feel with our words and our actions, and perhaps inspire them to carry that feeling, that love, forward to others. With that thought ask yourself do we love more than we hate? If you’re truthful with yourself you may not like the answer, we all have heard the words we love to hate. But love to love? Something to think about.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Art for me is and has been all about creation, weather building and designing a house, a swimming pool, a 5-foot-tall wooden cross for an unknown person who had been killed on the roadside, or creating iconic over the top characters to open people’s hearts and minds to the possibilities of what could be. But art is meant to create change within us, and how you feel its impact upon your heart and soul.

As an artist, I felt in order to develop this change I needed to create something major. That’s when I created the clockmaker, changing the face of time. If you change the face of time, you can change the world, for all the world lives with and on time.

If you look at some of the greatest artists that ever existed, they were inspired by a higher power, a divinity. My spiritual art was created as an empowering message from God, to get on God’s time and change your life, a powerful message that is only starting to take off. The message is simple and starts with love, love of others, and the love of yourself with forgiveness and mercy.

The key to moving forward is to never give up, if you truly believe in what you are doing. That’s not to say you may need to modify or change your vision as you grow and change with your experiences. Growth for most is not easy, but the journey of the experience is bringing appreciation to what you have accomplished.

What I want the world to know about me, wow, the whole world! That I was that nice guy, that strong quiet guy, that overlooked guy walking a path searching and looking for a purpose that made a difference in my life and the lives of others. And I think I finally found what I was looking for. I also say be careful what you ask for, you may get it.

As a writer, director, producer, actor, artist, now that’s a lot of hats setting the stage for three iconic character actors, a clockmaker, and a regular day job! This borders on the impossible. But part of a verse I recite fairly often is, “With God All Things Are Possible”, for me, for you, and for anyone who has a dream.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Since I’m showing them the best time ever, the first stop is a walk on the beach from Hermosa to the Manhattan Beach pier, feeling the ocean breeze on our faces. Then up the street to the Manhattan Beach Creamery for some amazing ice cream. Then a block away we’ll stop at the iconic Kettle Restaurant to pick up some food for the road trip. The Kettle, great food, laughter, with an atmosphere that makes you feel like neighbors and friends. Needless to say it has been a part of the Manhattan Beach culture forever.

With food and beverage ready to go, it’s time for a picnic on the beach of Malibu. With a blanket for a table, moonlight on the ocean for romance, and music of the waves pounding on the sands like a drumbeat leading two people into the passion of the moment. This was just not any picnic; this was a moment in time where magic happens. Where a single kiss sets the heart on fire and bodies become one and passion of love explodes in the night sky like fireworks. (Well, I would like to give you more details, but if you know Malibu at night in the late hours, a loud voice over a speaker says, “get a room the beach is closed!”) This moment in time is lost and the box goes back in pocket as we drive home listening to Love Songs on the Coast holding hands.

I perhaps should have mentioned this earlier, since this is the best time ever with a best friend, I’m going to tell you this best friend from Kansas was my first love back in college Jessica, the one who got away.

The next week consisted of trips to Universal Studios, the City Walk, Beverly Hills and yes, we did get a picture in front of the world-famous Beverly Hills sign. Ah, the things you do for love!

Then off to Dodger Stadium, which she loved. . . I wasn’t too happy because the first Dodger batter had a three-pitch strikeout. Strikeout? Was the universe trying to tell me something as I’m holding the box with the ring inside in my coat pocket, looking for just the right time? All’s I can say is only time will tell.

On the final night I had planned a romantic Italian candlelit dinner wondering to myself, “Would this be the moment. . . or would this be just another spaghetti and meatball dinner?”

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Alright, so let’s jump right in! The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there a person, group, organization, book, etc. that you want to dedicate your shoutout to? Who else deserves a little credit and recognition in your story?

First I would not be here if it were not for Pamela Peak, and her acting troupe, which started my journey into a world of entertaining and inspiring others. I’d also like to thank Ray Bernard for the technical support he’s given me.

Sanford Meisner’s acting model planted the seed into my acting persona and communication abilities. There are so many people that are a part of our lives that help build us into the people we are, these individuals are mostly good, but we also learn from the not so good, life is funny that way.

What I would say is my biggest inspiration is God! If you look at my unique characters and the artist, they have two very powerful commonalities that show how much they care and how much they love. They all are imperfect, funny and very quirky normal, with big hearts that care.

Within each of these characters God’s love pushes me to bring love, laughter and hopefully joy to others. And one of my personal rules is don’t ever take yourself too seriously, don’t worry about the mistakes in life you make, just always try to do the best you can. My children have had a profound impact in my life, my parents, my former business partner, friend and mentor Keith Albi, the women I have loved have played a role in my development as well.

But there is one person that stands above everyone else in supporting me, that’s my son Michael Doty! A truly amazing man. To my son and everyone else that has supported me, I say a heartfelt thank you! So to say the cliché, “it takes a village” of people to mold us, inspire us, to become the people we are, is most definitely true with me.

But before the curtain closes, let me give a big thank you to Shoutout LA and Chris Miller!! Without you none of this would happen, Thank You for supporting Artists!

Website: https://fiveryders.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rick.doty.12

Other: https://harleyryder.com/ https://faceitclocks.com/