Dick Van Patten

Dick Van Patten was born in Richmond Hill, New York City. He attended the Professional Children's School in New York — where, incidentally, he first met his wife, Pat Poole, when both were 11 years old and in the sixth grade. He began his distinguished show business career as "Dickie Van Patten," child actor, and made his Broadway debut at the age of seven playing Melvyn Douglas' son in "Tapestry in Gray." Van Patten had been working consistently ever since, appearing in all theatrical media: stage, radio, television and films. Van Patten's theatrical credits are prodigious, as befits a lifetime career devoted to that medium. He appeared in such classics as "On Borrowed Time," "Ah, Wilderness," "Watch on the Rhine," "The Skin of Our Teeth," "Kiss and Tell," and scores more, both in New York and in summer stock. Van Patten replaced David Wayne in the role of Ensign Pulver in "Mister Roberts" when Wayne went to Hollywood. One of his Broadway appearances was in "I Was Dancing." Beginning with his years as a child star, Van Patten had been heard on more than 600 radio shows. In television, his first major role was that of Nels in "Mama" (the series adapted from the successful play, "I Remember Mama") which ran for nine seasons on CBS, from 1949 to 1958. Van Patten co-starred in "The Partners" series and has appeared in guest roles on many major shows. Van Patten, who was the brother of actress Joan Patten, was 5'10" tall, weighs 155 pounds and had blonde hair and blue eyes. During the eighties Dick Van Patten achieved success with another TV series, "Eight Is Enough" where he played the father of a numerous family.