Hollywood great Dick Van Patten was raised in Kew Gardens
In conjunction with the
Greater Astoria Historical Society,
TimesLedger Newspapers
presents noteworthy events in
the borough’s history.
Born on Dec. 9, 1928, and
raised in Kew Gardens, Richard
Vincent Van Patten was an
actor best known for his leading
role as family patriarch
Tom Bradford in the television
comedy-drama series, “Eight
is Enough.” A prolific actor,
his career spanned nine decades,
nearly 50 films and over
100 television shows.
The Queens native died
June 23, 2015. He is survived
by his wife, Patricia, and three
children, including actor and
former pro tennis player, Vincent.
Van Patten is also related
by marriage to actors Martin
Balsam and George Clooney.
As a child growing up in
Kew Gardens, Van Patten’s
star rose at an early age. Billed
as Dickie Van Patten, he appeared
in “Tapestry in Gray,”
his first Broadway play, at the
tender age of 7. He then went
on to act in a dozen stage productions
before his teen years.
COLUMNS
As a young man, the rising
actor earned his first starring
role in a TV series in 1949,
appearing as Nels Hansen
in the eight-year CBS series,
“Mama.” Van Patten would
later name one of his sons after
the character.
After establishing a name
for himself on stage and
screen, the versatile actor appeared
in a number of roles
on television and in movies
throughout the 1960s. In the
following decade, Van Patten
played roles in “The Six Million
Dollar Man,” “The Love
Boat,” “Sanford & Son,” “Westworld”
and “Soylent Green”
alongside silver screen greats
Charlton Heston and Edward
G. Robinson. Dick Van Patten
achieved everlasting fame,
however, as father of eight Tom
Bradford in the 1977-1981 ABC
series “Eight is Enough.”
Following the program’s
five-year run, the famed actor
didn’t rest on his stardom.
Throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s,
Van Patten appeared in a variety
of shows, including “Facts
of Life,” “Growing Pains,”
“Baywatch,” and even the animated
sitcom, “Family Guy,”
where he reprised his role as
Tom Bradford.
He was also a commentator
on the World Series of Poker in
the mid-1990s.
With the dawn of a new century,
the productive actor refused
to slow down. Long since
a familiar face to generations
of Americans, Dick Van Patten
continued acting in smaller
roles in movies and TV shows
up to his passing in 2015.
In recognition of a lifetime
of achievement on stage,
screen and TV, the actor from
Kew Gardens was honored
with a star on the Hollywood
Walk of Fame in 1985 as well
as a Golden Palm Star on the
Palm Springs, California,
Walk of Stars in 2008.
In recalling her co-star on
“Eight is Enough,” actress
Betty Buckley shared a warm
insight into the man millions
of Americans welcomed into
their living rooms. “Every day
on the set he was a happy, jovial
person, always generous
and ready to play, tease, and
always keep us all laughing.
He was the consummate professional,
a wonderful actor,
master of comedy, and a kind
and generous human being.”
Compiled by Dan McDonald
for the Greater Astoria Historical
Society. For more information,
contact the Society at (718)
278-0700 or visit www.astorialic.
org.
Contact the newsroom: 718-260-4545 • timesledgernews@cnglocal.com
TIMESLEDGER,22 DEC. 21-27, 2018 TIMESLEDGER.COM
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