Dick Van Patten
Biography
Dick Van Patten was an American actor and comedian whose work in show business lasted seven decades, chiefly on television. Born in the Kew Gardens section of Queens, New York, he started as a child performer and reached Broadway in 1935 in Tapestry In Gray, then spent his teenage years in a dozen more stage productions, among them The Skin of Our Teeth. Radio work on Duffy's Tavern led to television, where he played Nels Hansen on Mama. He became familiar as Tom Bradford, the father at the center of Eight Is Enough from 1977 to 1981, and he also played Friar Tuck in Mel Brooks's short-lived When Things Were Rotten. He had a small part in the dystopian film Soylent Green (1973), and he appeared in Brooks's comedies High Anxiety (1977) and Spaceballs (1987). His later film work included Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993), and the Hollywood Walk of Fame gave him a television star in 1985.
86years old at death
- Born Queens
- Died Santa Monica
- Star sign: SagittariusThe sign runs November 22 to December 21
- Richard Vincent Van Patten (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 23
- Career span
- 42 years1968 to 2010
Genres
First and latest
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A role that slipped away
Van Patten played Nels Hansen on Mama, a series about a Norwegian-American family in San Francisco that aired from 1949 to 1957. When he was drafted into the Army in 1949, James Dean, then unknown, took his place on the show for a while.
Behind the camera
In 1989, Van Patten helped start a pet food company, Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Pet Foods. His dog food was later mocked in John Hodgman's 2008 book More Information Than You Require, where it was renamed Dick Van Patten's Hobo Chili for Dogs.
Dick Van Patten movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Vincent McEveety directed four of these films, Mel Brooks three. Four actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Mel Brooks's page
Michael McGreevey's page
John Myhers's page
Jonathan Daly's page
Kurt Russell's page
Keenan Wynn's page
Vincent McEveetyDirector, 4 films, 1973 to 1976
All films by Vincent McEveety
Also two films together15 more actors
- Harry Morgan14 Going on 30 (1988) and Snowball Express (1972)
- John FiedlerThe Shaggy D.A. (1976) and Making It (1971)
- Harold GouldGus (1976) and The Strongest Man in the World (1975)
- Alan OppenheimerFreaky Friday (1976) and Westworld (1973)
- Dean JonesThe Shaggy D.A. (1976) and Snowball Express (1972)
- Tim ConwayGus (1976) and The Shaggy D.A. (1976)
- Richard BakalyanThe Shaggy D.A. (1976) and The Strongest Man in the World (1975)
- Joe FlynnThe Strongest Man in the World (1975) and Superdad (1973)
- Mark BlankfieldRobin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) and The Midnight Hour (1985)
- Richard StahlHigh Anxiety (1977) and Beware! The Blob (1972)
- Ronnie SchellGus (1976) and The Shaggy D.A. (1976)
- George LindseyTreasure of Matecumbe (1976) and Snowball Express (1972)
- Sal Viscuso14 Going on 30 (1988) and Spaceballs (1987)
- Bob CraneGus (1976) and Superdad (1973)
- Kathleen CodySuperdad (1973) and Snowball Express (1972)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Dick Van Patten's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$154 million
9 of the 23 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 23 films: 9 worldwide figure; 4 us gross only; 4 never in cinemas; 6 figure not found.
- 9Worldwide figure
- 4US gross only
- 4Never in cinemas
- 6Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$38M24.7% of the total
- 2$36M23.1% of the total
- 3$31M20.1% of the total
- 4$26M16.8% of the total
- 5$10M6.5% of the total
- 6$6.3M4.1% of the total
- 7$3.6M2.3% of the total
- 8$3.6M2.3% of the total
$90,833from the other 1 film with a worldwide figure, 0% of the total
Awards
One award and honor.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.