Born: December 9, 1928 – Died: June 23, 2015
A venerable figure on both the silver screen and television, Dick Van Patten's charming everyman persona made him a beloved actor across generations. Born on December 9, 1928, in Queens, New York, Van Patten was the son of a successful interior decorator and a part-time stage actress. He stepped into the limelight at the tender age of seven, which was just the beginning of a prolific career that would span seven decades.
Early Life and Career
Van Patten's upbringing in New York City provided him with a perfect springboard into acting. He attended the Professional Children's School, focusing on areas that complemented his burgeoning acting career. At seven, he debuted on Broadway, which marked the start of a long and fruitful relationship with the theatre.
His foray into Hollywood began with smaller roles, but his first significant break came with a part in "Tapestry in Grey" on Broadway in 1935. Van Patten's star truly began to rise when he secured the role of patriarch Tom Bradford in the hit television series "Eight Is Enough" in 1977, which forever anchored him in the hearts of American families.
Over the years, Van Patten earned accolades and nominations, reflecting his versatility and talent. He seamlessly transitioned between comedy and drama, evident in his roles in movies like "Spaceballs" and "Soylent Green."
Off-screen, Van Patten's life was just as eventful. He married Patricia Poole, and they had three children. Beyond acting, he penned books and was involved in the pet food industry, reflecting his love for animals.
His death in 2015 marked the end of an era, but his impact on Hollywood endures. Van Patten was not just an actor; he was a symbol of familial warmth and versatility in the entertainment industry, distinguishing him as an enduring icon.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Hot in Cleveland (TV Series) | Lester |
| 2009 | Sarah's Choice | Video | Rev. Al Smith |
| 2009 | Opposite Day | Jack Benson |
| 2008 | The Christmas Conspiracy (Short) | Narrator |
| 2008 | The Sarah Silverman Program. (TV Series) | Dr. Eddie Hackmeyer |
| 2006 | That '70s Show (TV Series) | Murph |
| 2005 | Freezerburn | Alan Merkel |
| 2005 | Arrested Development (TV Series) | Cal Cullen |
| 2004 | Quiet Kill | Frank Rubin |
| 2004 | 7th Heaven (TV Series) | James Rodgers, Sr. |
| 2004 | The Sure Hand of God | Jamie Denton |
| 2003 | Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star | Dick Van Patten |
| 2002 | The Santa Trap (TV Movie) | Santa Claus |
| 2002 | Another Pretty Face (TV Movie) | Levi Downs |
| 2002 | Groom Lake | Irv Barnett |
| 2001 | Gary & Mike (TV Series) | Ba (voice) |
| 2000 | The Price of Air | Mr. Rye |
| 2000 | Big Brother Trouble | Captain Stacey |
| 1999 | Angel on Abbey Street | Preacher |
| 1999 | Late Night with Conan O'Brien (TV Series) | Mr. Ropely |
| 1999 | Family Guy (TV Series) | Tom Bradford (voice) |
| 1995–1998 | Touched by an Angel (TV Series) | Eb | Jerry |
| 1998 | Evasive Action | Parole Officer |
| 1998 | Love Boat: The Next Wave (TV Series) | Sid Glacken |
| 1998 | Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (TV Series) | Chester Higgins (segment "The Chess Game") |
| 1997 | The Weird Al Show (TV Series) | The Burglar | Dick Van Patten |
| 1997 | Demolition University | Video | Army General (uncredited) |
| 1996 | Sherman's Way: A Kid's Guide to Coping with Change | Video | Grandpa |
| 1996 | For Goodness Sake II (Short) | Game Show Host |
| 1996 | Boy Meets World (TV Series) | Amish Farmer |
| 1996 | Demolition High | Video | General Wainwright |
| 1996 | Love Is All There Is | Dr. Rodino |
| 1996 | Maybe This Time (TV Series) | Jack |
| 1994 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (TV Series) | Orphanage Worker | Santa |
| 1994 | Heaven Help Us (TV Series) | Spencer |
| 1994 | A Dangerous Place | Principal |
| 1994 | Baywatch (TV Series) | Henry | Sam |
| 1994 | Burke's Law (TV Series) | Dr. Paul Hampton |
| 1993 | 'Weird Al' Yankovic: Bedrock Anthem (Music Video) | Dick Van Patten |
| 1993 | Diagnosis Murder (TV Series) | Monty Emerson |
| 1993 | The Odd Couple: Together Again (TV Movie) | Roy |
| 1993 | Robin Hood: Men in Tights | The Abbot |
| 1993 | The Golden Palace (TV Series) | Taylor |
| 1992 | Body Trouble | Max |
| 1992 | 'Weird Al' Yankovic: Smells Like Nirvana (Music Video) | Audience Member (uncredited) |
| 1991 | Final Embrace | Larch |
| 1990–1991 | WIOU (TV Series) | Floyd Graham |
| 1990 | McGee and Me! (TV Series) | Graham |
| 1989 | Jake Spanner, Private Eye (TV Movie) | The Commodore |
| 1989 | An Eight Is Enough Wedding (TV Movie) | Tom Bradford |
| 1989 | Growing Pains (TV Series) | Nick Simpson |
| 1988 | Going to the Chapel (TV Movie) | Richard 'Rick' Shuller |
| 1988 | The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking | Greg The Glue Man |
| 1988 | 14 Going on 30 (TV Movie) | Principal John Loonies |
| 1987 | A Mouse, a Mystery and Me (TV Movie) | Santa |
| 1987 | Rags to Riches (TV Series) | Phil Johnson |
| 1987 | Eight Is Enough: A Family Reunion (TV Movie) | Tom Bradford |
| 1987 | Buckle Up | Video |
| 1987 | Spaceballs | King Roland |
| 1987 | The Facts of Life (TV Series) | Frank Stickle |
| 1986 | Combat High (TV Movie) | Principal |
| 1986 | Picnic (TV Movie) | Howard Bevans |
| 1986 | Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) | District Atty. Fred Whittaker |
| 1985 | The Midnight Hour (TV Movie) | Martin Grenville |
| 1985 | Crazy Like a Fox (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1983–1985 | Hotel (TV Series) | Frasier Pratt | Herbert Pitts |
| 1984 | The New Mike Hammer (TV Series) | Judge Charles R. Bamer |
| 1984 | The Hoboken Chicken Emergency (TV Movie) | Mayor |
| 1984 | Finder of Lost Loves (TV Series) | Alan Nettles |
| 1984 | Masquerade (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1978–1984 | The Love Boat (TV Series) | George Hayes | The Great Stellini | Howard Ethan ... |
| 1973–1983 | Insight (TV Series) | Joey | Father | Frank ... |
| 1983 | Too Close for Comfort (TV Series) | Arthur |
| 1982 | High Powder (TV Movie) | Tom Reed |
| 1981 | Lunch Wagon | Bernie Simmons (uncredited) |
| 1977–1981 | Eight Is Enough (TV Series) | Tom Bradford |
| 1979–1980 | CHiPs (TV Series) | Dick Van Patten (uncredited) |
| 1979 | Diary of a Teenage Hitchhiker (TV Movie) | Herb Thurston |
| 1979 | Sweepstakes (TV Series) | Parking lot attendant |
| 1979 | Nutcracker Fantasy | King Goodwin (voice) |
| 1978 | With This Ring (TV Movie) | Alvin Andrews |
| 1977 | Gibbsville (TV Series) | Patrick Malloy |
| 1977 | High Anxiety | Dr. Philip Wentworth |
| 1976–1977 | Happy Days (TV Series) | Mr. Conners | Hunsberger |
| 1977 | One Day at a Time (TV Series) | Frank |
| 1977 | CPO Sharkey (TV Series) | Psychiatrist |
| 1976 | The Tony Randall Show (TV Series) | Myron C. Dobbs |
| 1976 | Freaky Friday | Harold Jennings |
| 1976 | The Shaggy D.A. | Raymond |
| 1976 | What's Happening!! (TV Series) | Mr. Claxton |
| 1975–1976 | The Six Million Dollar Man (TV Series) | Palmer | Harry Green |
| 1976 | Wonder Woman (TV Series) | Jack Wood |
| 1976 | Maude (TV Series) | Gordon Coleman |
| 1972–1976 | The Streets of San Francisco (TV Series) | Thurman Barber | Sterling | John Collins |
| 1976 | Phyllis (TV Series) | Walter |
| 1976 | The Love Boat (TV Movie) | O'Neil the Doctor |
| 1976 | Charo and the Sergeant (TV Movie) | Chaplain |
| 1976 | Ace (TV Movie) | Mr. Mason |
| 1976 | Gus | Cal Wilson |
| 1976 | Treasure of Matecumbe | The Gambler |
| 1974–1976 | Barnaby Jones (TV Series) | Merle Overton | Melvin Pearson |
| 1972–1976 | Emergency! (TV Series) | Carter Merkle | Morris Meers |
| 1976 | Ellery Queen (TV Series) | Billy Geeter |
| 1975 | When Things Were Rotten (TV Series) | Friar Tuck | Dapper Danny Doyle |
| 1972–1975 | Medical Center (TV Series) | Man at Hotel | Dr. Feldman | Dr. Whittaker |
| 1975 | Ladies of the Corridor (TV Movie) | Mr. Humphries |
| 1975 | Grandpa Max (TV Movie) | Mr. Unger |
| 1973–1975 | The Rookies (TV Series) | Waldon | Mr. Fullmer |
| 1975 | Hot l Baltimore (TV Series) | A.J. Horn |
| 1975 | The Strongest Man in the World | V.P. Harry Crumply |
| 1975 | Heidi in the Mountains | Various (English version, voice) |
| 1974 | Adam-12 (TV Series) | Harry Curtis |
| 1974 | Kolchak: The Night Stalker (TV Series) | Alfred Brindle |
| 1974 | Sierra (TV Series) | Ed |
| 1974 | Ernie, Madge and Artie (TV Movie) | Artie |
| 1974 | Shakespeare Loves Rembrandt (TV Movie) | Unknown |
| 1974 | Young Love (TV Movie) | April's Father |
| 1974 | The Girl with Something Extra (TV Series) | Mr. Morgan |
| 1972–1974 | The New Dick Van Dyke Show (TV Series) | Max Mathias | Mr. Compton |
| 1974 | Sorority Kill (TV Movie) | Police Chief |
| 1974 | Chopper One (TV Series) | Arnie Nolan |
| 1974 | Banacek (TV Series) | Donald Morgan |
| 1973 | Superdad | Ira Kushaw |
| 1971–1973 | Love, American Style (TV Series) | George (segment "Love and the Parent's Sake") | Lavern Veemer (segment "Love and the Tycoon") | Jack (segment 'Love and the Particular Girl') ... |
| 1973 | Wait Till Your Father Gets Home (TV Series) | Don Gibson Sr. (voice, as Dick Van Patton) |
| 1973 | Adam's Rib (TV Series) | Commissioner Hoyt |
| 1973 | Westworld | Banker |
| 1973 | Thicker Than Water (TV Series) | John |
| 1973 | Soylent Green | Usher #1 |
| 1973 | Acts of Love and Other Comedies (TV Movie) | Larry Grogman (uncredited) |
| 1972–1973 | The Paul Lynde Show (TV Series) | Dr. Willis | Wollner |
| 1973 | Cannon (TV Series) | George Abel |
| 1973 | The Little People (TV Series) | Jerry Mason |
| 1973 | McMillan & Wife (TV Series) | Henry |
| 1972 | Snowball Express | Mr. Carruthers |
| 1971–1972 | The Doris Day Show (TV Series) | Sam | April's Father |
| 1972 | Banyon (TV Series) | Earl Gifford |
| 1972 | The Crooked Hearts (TV Movie) | Edward, The Desk Clerk |
| 1972 | Dirty Little Billy | Berle's Customer |
| 1972 | Hec Ramsey (TV Series) | Earl Enright |
| 1971–1972 | The Partners (TV Series) | Sgt. Nelson Higgenbottom |
| 1972 | Joe Kidd | Hotel Manager |
| 1972 | Beware! The Blob | Scoutmaster Adleman |
| 1972 | The Don Rickles Show (TV Series) | David |
| 1972 | Sanford and Son (TV Series) | Hamlin |
| 1971 | Confessions of a Top Crime Buster (TV Movie) | Sgt. Nelson Higgenbottom |
| 1971 | Great Performances (TV Series) | Raymond |
| 1971 | Making It | Warren |
| 1970–1971 | That Girl (TV Series) | Race Announcer | Mr. Morse |
| 1971 | Zachariah | The Dude |
| 1970 | Arnie (TV Series) | Walter Granscog |
| 1970 | The Governor & J.J. (TV Series) | Mr. Bannister |
| 1970 | I Dream of Jeannie (TV Series) | Market Clerk |
| 1968 | Charly | Bert (as Richard Van Patten) |
| 1967 | The Secret Dream Models of Oliver Nibble (Short) | Oliver Nibble (as John Acerno) |
| 1963 | Violent Midnight | Police Lt. Palmer |
| 1961 | Naked City (TV Series) | Carhop (uncredited) |
| 1960 | The DuPont Show of the Month (TV Series) | Dr. Michaelson |
| 1959 | Rawhide (TV Series) | Matt Reston |
| 1958 | Young Dr. Malone (TV Series) | Larry Renfrew (1961-1962) |
| 1958 | The Silent Service (TV Series) | Lt. Tom Hadley |
| 1958 | Mike Hammer (TV Series) | Paul Sterovsky |
| 1958 | Kraft Theatre (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1949–1957 | Mama (TV Series) | Nels Hansen | Nels |
General:
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