Richard is an Emmy® Award Winning veteran of Film, Television, and Music, with an incredibly diverse body of work.

His career began directing and acting in a series of cult, genre, and family films including the Quentin Tarantino favorite VICE GIRLS, the Genesis Award winning, THE BIKE SQUAD, and the groundbreaking CALL OF THE WILD 3D. 

After initially gaining experience as an actor, Gabai founded Check Entertainment to produce and direct his own films.

The company’s first production ASSAULT OF THE PARTY NERDS was an international hit on TV and video earning ten times its production budget before going on to become a cult-classic. The follow up, VIRGIN HIGH, was even more successful, getting picked up by Columbia/Sony and HBO, turning its meager 150K production budget into 2M worldwide.

IN/SIGHT was theatrically released to critical acclaim. Yahoo Movies called it, “Well Directed and Acted from Start to Finish.” The feature starring Natalie Zea, Sean Patrick Flanery, and Christopher Lloyd was later picked up by A&E Networks for its World Television Premiere. The film currently streams everywhere.

Subsequently, Check Entertainment produced seven back-to-back features for A&E: IMAGINARY FRIEND, starring Ethan Embry, Lacey Chabert, Amanda Schull, and Paul Sorvino, IN THE DARK, starring Elisabeth Rohm, Sam Page, and Shannon Elizabeth, THE GOOD MOTHER, starring Helen Slater, Jean Louisa Kelly, Patrick Fabian and Beverly D’ Angelo, NON-STOP, starring Lacey Chabert, Drew Seeley, Will Kemp, and Veronica Cartwright, THE WRONG WOMAN, starring Danica McKellar, Jonathan Bennett, Dina Meyer and Jim O’Heir, and ESCAPING AMISH starring AJ Michalka, Alyson Stoner, Jean Luc Bilodeau, and Jesse McCartney.

Check produced MOMMY I DIDN'T DO IT, the highly anticipated sequel to THE WRONG WOMAN, A&E's highest rated film acquisition in the network’s history. 

Check Entertainment continues to distribute its library of films, and you can find our titles streaming everywhere.

Richard’s western, JUSTICE,  starring Nathan Parsons, Stephen Lang, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Jackson Rathbone, and Ellen Holman was picked up by Universal for theatrical and then digital release. The film was shot at Bonanza Creek Ranch in Sante Fe, New Mexico.

Additionally, Richard was a producer on both Steve Boyum’s Fox feature SUPERCROSS and the 2010 Toronto Discovery Award Winner BEAUTIFUL BOY which starred Michael Sheen and Maria Bello. 

Richard also recently directed two films for The Hallmark Channel, A GINGERBREAD ROMANCE, starring Tia Mowry and Duane Henry, and A FEELING OF HOME starring Nathan Parsons, Jonna Walsh and Robbie Benson.

Richard is an Emmy® Award Winner (2020) as a Producer on the popular Amazon Series THE BAY.  He received a second nomination in 2021.

In addition to acting, directing and producing, Richard has had the opportunity to write and record original music. With song placements in dozens of films and TV shows, his most recently released album “Double Life” and most recent single, “We’ll Be Back Again!” are available on all streaming services. 

Richard and his wife divide their time between Los Angeles and Miami.