Andy Richards first appeared in Genoa City dating Nikki Reed. Then, working class girl, Jill Foster, became romantically involved with the handsome high school physical education instructor. But it was obvious they had different values, like when they exchanged Christmas presents, Jill gave him an expensive cashmere sweater which he knew she couldn't afford, and he gave her a pen. When Andy proposed marriage, Jill reluctantly agreed. Not content to live on Andy's income though, Jill urged him to consider finding a more lucrative job. Jill was aghast when Andy suggested that they live in her mother's old house to save on expenses. Then Jill got involved with the wealthy John Abbott, and Andy stepped aside knowing he couldn't compete. Andy did take a bit of Jill's advice though, and became a Genoa City police officer.

Paul and Andy became friends after Paul's police detective father, Carl, got Paul on the police force assisting with his cases. When Nikki was abducted by Rick Daros, Victor Newman came to them, and Paul, Andy, and Carl rescued her. Paul and Andy, worked under cover infiltrating the mob and were instrumental in helping the police bring down mob boss Mr. Anthony. Afterward Paul and Andy left the force to become Private Detectives, with Jazz "the mobster with a heart of gold" as their operative. Their secretary, Amy Lewis, was the daughter of the Police Captain and a singer on the side.

Diane Jenkins finally realized that her rich playboy lover Jack Abbott would never commit to her, so she became involved with Andy. At first, Diane embraced the simple and uncomplicated life with Andy. But several months into their marriage, Diane was tempted by Jack again, and they had an affair. Assuming that a gift Jack had gotten her was an engagement ring, Diane informed Andy that she wanted a divorce. But the gift turned out to be a farewell bracelet and an admission from Jack that he would never commit to her. So Andy and Diane divorced, and she left Genoa City for Europe.

Soon after, Andy fell in love with a mysterious woman named Faren Conner who was a singer in a Genoa City night club. Andy was puzzled that Faren refused to make any commitments and was reluctant to discuss her past. Eventually, Faren confessed to Andy that she had lost her memory and had no recollection of her real identity. Andy accepted Faren's story, but Paul's wife Lauren was suspicious. Faren underwent several medical tests, but they proved inconclusive.

Diane realized she actually loved Andy and returned to Genoa City to tell him, but discovered he was engaged to Faren. Diane considered fighting for Andy but after seeing them together, gave up the idea and left town again. Not long afterward, Andy and Faren were married and soon expecting a baby, but they were devastated when Faren miscarried.

Lauren placed a photo of Faren in the personals column hoping to discover her true identity. Thanks to the ad, a man from Pittsburgh showed up who introduced himself as Evan Sanderson. Evan was determined to get in touch with the mystery woman in the ad, claiming that she was his missing wife, Michelle. Lauren, was reluctant to tell Evan about Faren because she feared that Paul would be angry with her for meddling in Faren and Andy's marriage, plus Evan would cause complications for them. Evan managed to locate Faren on his own, but she couldn't remember him or their daughter, Betsy. He finally accepted Faren's memory loss and prepared to return home, but Faren's memories of her former life, as Evan's wife and Betsy's mom, began to return. Once Faren regained her memory, much as she loved Andy, she reconciled with Evan to be a mother to their daughter. Janet, Evan's housekeeper and lover, feeling rejected and angry because he had promised to marry her, she fired a gun at Faren, but shot and killed Evan instead. Afterward, Faren told Andy that she needed to stay with her daughter in Pittsburgh to avoid adding any further trauma to her life, so Andy moved there to be with them.

Fifteen years later, Andy returned to Genoa City and mentioned to his friend Paul that he and Faren were now divorced and Betsy was in college. He was at Paul's side as Godfather during the baptism of Paul and Isabella's son, Ricky. Later Andy broke up a fight between Paul and Michael over Michael's engagement to Paul's ex-wife Christine. The next day Paul confessed to Andy that he had followed Christine home and forced himself on her, calling it rape. Andy reminded him that rape was about humiliation and power, not being overcome with passion. Christine disappeared, and Andy helped Paul search and sort out his feelings for her.

Andy finally ran into his ex-wife Diane at Crimson Lights. Diane was happy and confident that Jack was going to divorce his wife Phyllis and finally commit to her. Andy was skeptical, and told her if she needed a friend to confide in, to give him a call. Diane had been living in the Abbott pool house which had burned down with Phyllis as the prime arson suspect. But once John Silva got Diane on the stand he was able to refute her testimony that Phyllis had been threatening her, ran her over with her car which broke Diane's leg, and must have set the fire to finish her off. Silva accused Diane of setting it herself hoping to steal Jack away from Phyllis, but there was no evidence to prove it. After Phyllis was acquitted, Paul kept working on the arson case, and Andy got involved too, but Diane was never charged with the arson.

Several months later, Chris returned to Genoa City disguised as Kelly Simmons, and Paul encouraged Andy to get to know her, but he still wore his wedding band because he was not over losing Faren. Paul encouraged him to visit them in Pittsburgh, so he did. Eventually Paul discovered that Kelly was Christine, and was able to confide in "Kelly" all the regret he felt over his ex-wife.

Meanwhile Diane was pressured by Jack and Phyllis to give up custody of Diane and Jack's son Kyle. Diane went into a state of depression without her son, never contacting him at all, so Andy tried to help. Finding Diane bent on revenge, Andy reminded her how badly that had gone for her in the past, and encouraged her to be the strong and good Diane he had fallen in love with by reaching out to her son. Andy went to Jack to intercede on Diane's behalf, reminding Jack that there was still a good person there who loved her son. Seeing that parenting a toddler was wearing on Jack, Phyllis, and Kyle, Andy with the help of Jack's sister Ashley, convinced them to put their differences aside, think of Kyle's needs, and allow Diane to help out. Although they did, Phyllis continued to humiliate Diane at every chance. Andy was there to pick up the pieces and they reminisced and wondered where they would be now if they'd stay married. Diane said surely she would have screwed it up again by now, they laughed and kissed, and began dating again. Eventually Jack and Phyllis split and Jack couldn't handle Kyle on his own, so he gave Diane full custody, and she and Kyle moved back to Chicago.

Paul and Isabella reconciled and made plans to move to Los Angeles with Paul selling Andy the Detective Agency. Andy tried to reason with Paul that there was no reason for Paul to give up everything he'd worked so hard for, and that they should be partners. But Paul said he just wanted a fresh start, and was tired of everyone giving him advice. Andy backed off, urging Paul to think things over. In the end, Paul never moved to Los Angeles after Isabella flipped out and tried to kill Christine. Andy disappeared from the show with no explanation. It is assumed he is again living in Pittsburgh.