Richard Carlos Bates was born on January 8, 1946 in Houghton Lake, Michigan. He attended school at Arizona State (because his girlfriend at the time was going there as well). A lover of animals, he majored in environmental science. He also loved acting and took many drama courses. R.C. Bates has worked in numerous small films but concentrates on smaller theatre projects in the Detroit and Phoenix areas. Today, Bates lives in Garden City, Michigan with his wife, Kendra, and two dogs Dori and Sam.