Richard Davis

Biography

Richard Davis is the inventor of the modern-day bulletproof vest who shot himself point-blank multiple times to prove that his invention worked. He was an ex-Marine, bankrupt pizzeria owner, and born showman who mythologized his work by producing his own low-budget movies that were popular with police across America. He created his company Second Chance, which launched a multimillion-dollar enterprise. Davis also published "sex and violence" catalogs to promote his products and dabbled in filmmaking, creating promotional videos recreating the experiences of cops whose lives were saved by his vests. Despite his success, many people thought he was "stupid" for putting his product on full display and shooting himself multiple times. The story of Richard Davis is chronicled in the documentary "2nd Chance," directed by Ramin Bahrani.