Ricky Schroder started Reel American Heroes Foundation to memorialize the sacrifice and dedication of American Heroes, and to foster a new renaissance of Patriotism through writing and production of award-winning films.

 

Ricky made his Hollywood debut in 1979 at nine years of age as T.J. the emotionally tortured son of a washed-up boxer in THE CHAMP. The performance earned him a Golden Globe® for “New Star of the Year” and launched the beginning of his successful career as an Actor and later in life a Producer, Writer, and Director.

Schroder’s most recent work took him to the front lines in Afghanistan with the U.S. Army to document the longest-running war in U.S. history. His goal was to document what it looks like for the U.S. Military to leave Afghanistan and turn it over to the Afghan nationals. The footage he and his team gathered became the 6-part documentary, THE FIGHTING SEASON for DirecTV’s Audience Channel. The success of the documentary lead to a follow-up series, MY FIGHTING SEASON and most recently, THE VOLUNTEERS about the Syrian war crisis which will premiere on November 10th and 11th, 2017 also on the Audience Channel. His latest writing, Mile Zero, the true-life story of Navy Seal Veteran, Chris Ring who became the first American to swim the entire distance of the Mississippi River in honor of our country’s Gold Star Families, while facing the demons of his tour in Afghanistan.

Other notable roles and projects include the hit television series SILVER SPOONS, the television miniseries LONESOME DOVE which also starred Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, Angelica Huston and Diane Lane and went on to garner seven Emmys®, a Peabody, ®, and two Golden Globes®. In 1998, Schroder joined the cast of NYPD BLUE as Detective Danny Sorenson.  Additional television credits include recurring roles on SCRUBS and season six of the Emmy® award-winning 24. Some of Schroder’s feature film credits include CRIMSON TIDE, with Denzel Washington; ACROSS THE TRACKS, with Brad Pitt; and James Michener’s TEXAS, with Benjamin Bratt.  Television movies include A&E’s Emmy®-nominated THE LOST BATTALION, the Emmy®-nominated miniseries THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN, Dolly Parton’s COAT OF MANY COLORS for NBC in which Schroder plays Robert Lee Parton, Dolly’s Father and again in Dolly Parton’s CHRISTMAS OF MANY COLORS: CIRCLE OF LOVE which was Nominated for an Emmy in 2017.

Schroder made his directorial debut with the feature BLACK CLOUD.  Shortly thereafter, he won a Country Music Award (CMA) for his direction of the music video WHISKY LULLABY, sung by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss.  That video also won him Video Director of the Year at the Country Music Television Awards in Nashville.  Most recently, Schroder wrote, produced and directed the Hallmark feature OUR WILD HEARTS, which he also starred opposite his daughter, Cambrie, in her first feature film role.  He created the “Reality Recruiting Program” for the U.S. Army entitled STARTING STRONG, which Schroder premiered at the GI Film Festival in Washington, D.C. where he received the GI Spirit Award and which 34 episodes were produced. It was seen on Fox, History, USA, RFD-TV, All Warrior Network and is now available on YouTube.com.

​