Dick Van Patten
Richard Vincent Van Patten (December 9, 1928 – June 23, 2015) was an American actor, comedian, businessman, and animal welfare advocate, whose career spanned seven decades of television. He was best known for his role as patriarch Tom Bradford on the television series Eight Is Enough.
Dick Van Patten | |
|---|---|
Van Patten in 2010 | |
| Born | Richard Vincent Van Patten December 9, 1928 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | June 23, 2015 (aged 86) Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1935–2012 |
| Known for | Tom Bradford in Eight Is Enough |
| Spouse |
Patricia Helon Poole
(m. 1954) |
| Children | 3, including Vincent and Nels |
| Relatives | Joyce Van Patten (sister) Tim Van Patten (half-brother) Talia Balsam (niece) Grace Van Patten (niece) |
Van Patten began work as a child actor and was successful on the New York stage, appearing in more than a dozen plays as a teenager. He worked in radio, on Duffy's Tavern. He later starred in numerous television roles including the long-running CBS television series, "Mama" and Young Doctor Malone. Later, he would star or co-star in many feature films, including Charly, Mel Brooks's Robin Hood: Men in Tights and Spaceballs, and Soylent Green. Van Patten was the founder of Natural Balance Pet Foods and National Guide Dog Month.