RICHARD R. BARBOUR
& JOSEPH R. BARBOUR
Creators of the crime series Blood and Water
Richard R. Barbour and Joseph R. Barbour are a father-and-son writing duo creating premium American crime drama rooted in lived experience.
Richard Barbour was raised in Apponaug, Rhode Island, and his firsthand childhood experiences form the foundation of Blood & Water. He studied with legendary acting teacher Uta Hagen at HB Studio and worked professionally as an actor in film, television, and theater. Richard collaborated with acclaimed playwright Reinaldo Povod for a decade and developed projects with Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese.
Joseph Barbour is a veteran writer and creator from Brooklyn, NY, who has spent twenty years developing original film, television, and theatrical properties. His work focuses on morally complex characters navigating systems defined by power, family, and survival.
Together, they bring a rare multigenerational perspective to crime storytelling, combining lived experience with cinematic narrative construction.
BLOOD and WATER
Blood and Water is based on Richard Barbour’s first-hand childhood memories of growing up in Apponaug Rhode Island and working in his father’s gas station, where their lives intersected with the world of organized crime. These lived experiences form the emotional and narrative foundation of the series, grounding its story in authenticity.
Blood and Water draws from that vantage point, capturing a unique world from the inside. Apponaug was a world where loyalty was personal, consequences were permanent, and the line between ordinary life and extraordinary violence was thinner than any outsider could ever realize.
Additional Work
In addition to Blood and Water, the Barbours have developed a slate of feature films, television pilots, and theatrical works.
Up & Vanished — Feature Film Screenplay
Brooklyn Bleeds — Feature Film Screenplay
The Thin White Line — TV Series Pilot (1 hour crime drama)
Wake Me At Bergen Street — Feature Film Screenplay
Baby Boomers — Feature Film Screenplay, Stage Play
Fishbowl 45 — Feature Film Screenplay, Stage Play, Novel & Audiobook
Black Kat in Brooklyn — TV Series Pilot (Sitcom)
