Richard Tyson, the bully in Three O'Clock High, was in my graduating class at Davidson HS 1974 here in Mobile.  I see him at class reunions every so often.
We were in the 6th grade together, and I remember his brothers had a neat 3 story tree house in a large oak tree behind the school.
Richard has a degree from Cornell U in acting.  Think he did a lot of Shakespearean acting in college.  He looks the part of a bad, red neck bully in the movie.  Very convincing.  But he wasn't anything like that in high school, thank God.

  He's a good 'ol southern boy.  Nice guy...though I'm sure he's had some experiences dealing with bully rednecks, so playing that part was ready made for him.
I thought the movie was good...kinda neat watching a movie with someone you've known since elementary school acting a key part.  I saw him in Mobile not long after that movie was made, and he still had the long hair and looked like the Three O'Clock High character.
Les