Born: Feb. 7, 1918
Died: June 4, 2000
Known for: Richard Marriott served nearly eight years as mayor and 16 years on the City Council.
Background: Born in Ely, Nev., Marriott later moved with his family to Nevada City. He graduated from Nevada City Union High School in 1935, earned a bachelor's degree from the University of San Francisco in 1940, and did graduate work at the University of California, Berkeley. After World War II, he began selling newspaper advertising. He then worked briefly for the Catholic Herald in Sacramento before joining the Sacramento Valley Union Labor Bulletin, where he worked as editor and manager. He entered local politics in 1959, when there was no district system. He served two two-year terms as mayor. At that time, the council picked the mayor from its members. In 1971, Marriott won a four-year term in the first citywide mayoral election.
A highlight: In 1975, Marriott was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to the State Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. Four years later, he was named deputy secretary of the Health and Welfare Agency. He retired in 1982.
In History's Spotlight profiles of Sacramento newsmakers were originally published in 2007 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of The Sacramento Bee. They were written by Anthony Sorci. Look for them every Sunday in Sac History Happenings.
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