He studied music in school; and then, at the age of 18, he worked as a seaman, spending much of his time in the 1930s aboard ships that plied the New York-Havana route.

After the war, he resumed his efforts to get more film work as an actor in Los Angeles, where by the late 1940s and early 1950s he became a busy supporting player in various movie productions.

His height, heavy build, and general "tough guy" appearance led to his being frequently cast as bullies, robbers, and mob enforcers in modern crime dramas, as well as in many Westerns and sitcoms.

Reeves appeared in scores of other series as well in the 1950s and 1960s, such as I Love Lucy, I Married Joan, Mr. Ed, The Roy Rogers Show, Four Star Playhouse, Batman, The Lone Ranger, Gunsmoke, Sugarfoot, Zorro, Maverick, Tales of Wells Fargo, Bat Masterson, Tombstone Territory, TV Reader's Digest, Date with the Angels.

In 1965 on the television Series, “ My Three Sons”, Richard Reeves played the “Police Officer” in Season 5, Episode 34- Titled “ All the Weddings “ My Favorite Martian, Annie Oakley, and Fury.