Robert Dean Stockwell (March 5, 1936 – November 7, 2021) was an American actor with a career spanning seven decades. As a child actor under contract to

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 ...

, he first came to the public's attention in films including '' Anchors Aweigh'' (1945), '' The Green Years'' (1946), '' Gentleman's Agreement'' (1947), '' The Boy with Green Hair'' (1948), and ''

Kim Kim or KIM may refer to: Names * Kim (given name) * Kim (surname) ** Kim (Korean surname) *** Kim family (disambiguation), several dynasties **** Kim family (North Korea), the rulers of North Korea since Kim Il-sung in 1948 ** Kim, Vietnamese ...

'' (1950). As a young adult, he had a lead role in the 1957 Broadway and 1959 screen adaptation of '' Compulsion;'' and in 1962 he played Edmund Tyrone in the

film version A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dial ...

of '' Long Day's Journey into Night'', for which he won two Best Actor Awards at the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films ...

. He was nominated for a

Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama is a Golden Globe Award that was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. Previously, there was a single award for "Best Actor in ...

for his starring role in the 1960 film version of

D. H. Lawrence David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English writer, novelist, poet and essayist. His works reflect on modernity, industrialization, sexuality, emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. His best-k ...

's '' Sons and Lovers''. He appeared in supporting roles in such films as ''

Dune A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...

'' (1984), ''

Paris, Texas Paris is a city and county seat of Lamar County, Texas, United States. Located in Northeast Texas at the western edge of the Piney Woods, the population of the city was 24,171 in 2020. History Present-day Lamar County was part of Red Rive ...

'' (1984), '' To Live and Die in L.A.'' (1985), '' Blue Velvet'' (1986), '' Beverly Hills Cop II'' (1987), and '' Tucker: The Man and His Dream'' (1988). He received further critical acclaim for his performance in '' Married to the Mob'' (1988), for which he was nominated for the

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role while work ...

. He subsequently had roles in '' The Player'' (1992), ''

Air Force One Air Force One is the official air traffic control designated call sign for a United States Air Force aircraft carrying the president of the United States. In common parlance, the term is used to denote U.S. Air Force aircraft modified and used ...

'' (1997), ''The Rainmaker'' (1997), '' Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker'' (2000) and '' The Manchurian Candidate'' (2004). His television roles include Rear Admiral Albert "Al" Calavicci in '' Quantum Leap'' (1989–1993), Navy Secretary Edward Sheffield on '' JAG'' (2002–2004), and

Brother Cavil John Cavil (Number One) is a fictional character and the main antagonist from the re-imagined ''Battlestar Galactica'' television series. He is portrayed by Dean Stockwell. In the fourth-season episode "Six of One", Cavil's model number was rev ...

on '' Battlestar Galactica'' (2004–2009). Following his roles on ''Quantum Leap'' and ''Battlestar Galactica'', he appeared at numerous

science fiction conventions Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of the speculative fiction genre, science fiction. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expr ...

. He retired from acting in 2015 following health issues and focused his later life on

sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

and other visual art.

Biography

1936–1950: Early life and career beginnings

Stockwell was born into a family of entertainers in the

North Hollywood North Hollywood is a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, located in the San Fernando Valley. The neighborhood contains the NoHo Arts District, the El Portal Theatre, several art galleries, and the Academy of TV Arts and Sciences. The North ...

section of Los Angeles, and grew up between there and New York City. He was the younger son of Elizabeth "Betty" (Veronica) Stockwell, a vaudeville actress, and Harry Stockwell, an actor and lyric baritone singer. His father appeared in New York productions of '' Carousel'' and ''

Oklahoma! ''Oklahoma!'' is the first musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, ''Green Grow the Lilacs''. Set in farm country outside the town of Claremore, Indian Territory, in 1906, it tells ...

'', and was the voice of Prince Charming in Disney's film ''

Snow White "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as ...

''. His elder brother was television and film actor Guy Stockwell. His stepmother, Nina Olivette, was an actress, comedian, singer, and toe dancer in

burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.

and theater in New York and throughout North America. His mother's family was Italian. Stockwell's father was appearing on Broadway in ''Oklahoma!'' when he heard about a play, ''Innocent Voyage'' by Paul Osborne, that was looking for child actors. Stockwell's mother took their two sons down to audition, and both boys were successful. Stockwell's part was small and the play had only a short run, but it led to a contract with MGM. The studio cast him in a small role in '' The Valley of Decision'' (1945), a popular melodrama. Producer Joe Pasternak gave him a bigger part in '' Anchors Aweigh'' (1945) with Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly, where he played the nephew of Kathryn Grayson. The film was popular, and MGM gave him a key role in '' The Green Years'' (1946) as Robert Shannon, an

Irish Catholic Irish Catholics are an ethnoreligious group native to Ireland whose members are both Catholic and Irish. They have a large diaspora, which includes over 36 million American citizens and over 14 million British citizens (a quarter of the Briti ...

orphan who grows up in a

Scottish Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their n ...

household. It was a huge hit. He also made a brief appearance in the MGM school room during the chase sequence of '' Abbott and Costello in Hollywood'' (1945).

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film studio, film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm o ...

borrowed him for '' Home Sweet Homicide'' (1946) with Peggy Ann Garner where he was billed fourth. He co-starred with

Wallace Beery Wallace Fitzgerald Beery (April 1, 1885 – April 15, 1949) was an American film and stage actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Bill in '' Min and Bill'' (1930) opposite Marie Dressler, as General Director Preysing in '' Grand Hotel'' (1 ...

in '' The Mighty McGurk'' (1947) at MGM, a remake of '' The Champ'' (1931) which Beery had made previously with Jackie Cooper. He also had the lead in the short ''A Really Important Person'' (1947). He had supporting roles in ''

The Arnelo Affair ''The Arnelo Affair'' is a 1947 American film noir starring John Hodiak, George Murphy, Frances Gifford, and Dean Stockwell, and co-written and directed by Arch Oboler. Plot A lawyer's wife, Anne Parkson (Frances Gifford) is bored and neglected. ...

'' (1947), '' The Romance of Rosy Ridge'' (1947) (as

Janet Leigh Jeanette Helen Morrison (July 6, 1927 – October 3, 2004), known professionally as Janet Leigh, was an American actress, singer, dancer, and author. Her career spanned over five decades. Raised in Stockton, California, by working-class parents, ...

's brother), and '' Song of the Thin Man'' (1947), billed fourth as the son of William Powell and

Myrna Loy Myrna Loy (born Myrna Adele Williams; August 2, 1905 – December 14, 1993) was an American film, television and stage actress. Trained as a dancer, Loy devoted herself fully to an acting career following a few minor roles in silent films ...

's characters. He later said, "I have very positive feelings regarding both of them, they were very sweet people, especially Myrna Loy. And that cute little dog, Asta. I liked that little dog." Nevertheless, Stockwell found being a child actor difficult overall, stating, "I didn't enjoy acting particularly, when I was young. I thought it was a lot of work. There were a few films that I enjoyed, they were comedies, they were not important films, weren't very successful, so I was always pretty much known as a serious kid. I got those kind of roles and I didn't care for them very much." He found that this work meant he didn't have any friends except his brother, and he was constantly working, with only one holiday in nine years. He said it was "a miserable way to bring up a child, though neither my parents nor I recognised it at the time". Fox borrowed him again to play

Gregory Peck Eldred Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an American actor and one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck the 12th-greatest male star of Classic Hollywood ...

's son in '' Gentleman's Agreement'' (1947), a film which Stockwell "didn't like doing at all, because it was so serious. In other words, when I would find out I was going to do another movie, my mother would always bring that news to me, and the first question that I would always ask was, 'Is there a crying scene in the movie?' And there almost always was." He played an orphaned runaway longing to go to sea in '' Deep Waters'' (1948). He was then borrowed by

RKO Pictures RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orph ...

to play the title role in '' The Boy with Green Hair'' (1948) directed by Joseph Losey, a notorious flop for the Dore Schary regime. Stockwell said that "during the production, I did feel that I was part of something that meant something to me, it was important." Back at Fox, he was cast as Lionel Barrymore's grandson and Richard Widmark's protégé in '' Down to the Sea in Ships'' (1949), before supporting Margaret O'Brien at MGM in ''

The Secret Garden ''The Secret Garden'' is a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett first published in book form in 1911, after serialisation in '' The American Magazine'' (November 1910 – August 1911). Set in England, it is one of Burnett's most popular novels an ...

'' (1949), a box office disappointment. Stockwell later described the picture as "More crying scenes! And temper tantrums! But I enjoyed very much working with Margaret, she was a very talented little actress." In MGM's popular '' Stars in My Crown'' (1950), which he did not enjoy doing, he was billed third after

Joel McCrea Joel Albert McCrea (November 5, 1905 – October 20, 1990) was an American actor whose career spanned a wide variety of genres over almost five decades, including comedy, drama, romance, thrillers, adventures, and Western film, Westerns, for ...

and Ellen Drew. Stockwell was top billed in '' The Happy Years'', which lost a considerable amount of money for the studio, but then played the title role in ''

'' (1950) alongside Errol Flynn and Paul Lukas, a big commercial success. During its filming, Flynn played a prank on him in a scene where he was supposed to hand him a bowl of food, instead handing him a bowl of camel dung. In 1951 Stockwell had a lead role with

in a Western at Universal, ''

Cattle Drive A cattle drive is the process of moving a herd of cattle from one place to another, usually moved and herded by cowboys on horses. Europe In medieval central Europe, annual cattle drives brought Hungarian Grey cattle across the Danube Rive ...

''.

1952–1968: Adult career and hiatus

Stockwell graduated from Alexander Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, and attended the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...

for a year before dropping out. "I was unhappy and could not get along with people," he later said. At UC Berkeley, he immersed himself in music and wrote several small compositions. He took a number of years off and resumed his acting career as an adult in 1956. He guest-starred on shows such as '' Front Row Center'', ''

Matinee Theatre ''Matinee Theater'' is an American anthology series that aired on NBC during the Golden Age of Television, from October 31, 1955, to June 27, 1958. Its name is often seen as ''Matinee Theatre''. The series, which ran daily from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ...

'', '' Schlitz Playhouse'', ''

The United States Steel Hour ''The United States Steel Hour'' is an anthology series which brought hour long dramas to television from 1953 to 1963. The television series and the radio program that preceded it were both sponsored by the U.S. Steel, United States Steel Corpor ...

'', '' Climax!'', '' Men of Annapolis'', '' Cimarron City'', '' General Electric Theater'', and ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...

'' (in 1957 as "Jimmy Drew", brother to Shelley Winters in "The Ruth Owens Story" (S1E3). He had a supporting role in a Western, '' Gun for a Coward'' (1957), and the lead role in a low-budget teen melodrama, ''

The Careless Years ''The Careless Years'' is a 1957 film from United Artists directed by Arthur Hiller and produced by Edward Lewis. The film was the directorial debut for Hiller. The film stars Dean Stockwell and Natalie Trundy in an early film appearance. Plot ...

'' (1957), the feature directorial debut of

Arthur Hiller Arthur Hiller, (November 22, 1923 – August 17, 2016) was a Canadian-American television and film director with over 33 films to his credit during a 50-year career. He began his career directing television in Canada and later in the U.S. By t ...

. It was made for Bryna Productions, the company of

Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in ''The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. Dou ...

. He signed a five-year deal with the company, but this was the only film he made for them. In 1957, he starred as Judd Steiner in the Broadway adaptation of ''Compulsion'', based on the

Leopold and Loeb Nathan Freudenthal Leopold Jr. (November 19, 1904 – August 29, 1971) and Richard Albert Loeb (; June 11, 1905 – January 28, 1936), usually referred to collectively as Leopold and Loeb, were two wealthy students at the University of Chicago ...

story. He reprised the role in the 1959 film version, for which he and co-stars

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

and Bradford Dillman shared the 1959

Cannes Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The ci ...

Film Award for Best Actor. Stockwell continued to work heavily in TV on such shows as '' Playhouse 90'', ''

Johnny Staccato ''Johnny Staccato'' is an American private detective television series starring John Cassavetes which ran for 27 episodes on NBC from September 10, 1959 through March 24, 1960. Synopsis Titular character Johnny Staccato, played by John Cassave ...

'', and ''

Buick-Electra Playhouse ''Buick-Electra Playhouse'' is a 90-minute dramatic anthology series produced by and aired on CBS from 1959–1960. It was sponsored by Buick. There were a total of four episodes, all based on Ernest Hemingway's works, ''The Killers'', '' ...

''. Stockwell married actress Millie Perkins on April 15, 1960. That year, he played coal miner Walter Morel's son Paul Morel in the British film '' Sons and Lovers'', with Trevor Howard and Wendy Hiller. He later called it "a very delightful film to do". He continued to work mostly on television, including episodes of '' Checkmate'', '' The DuPont Show with June Allyson'', ''

Outlaws An outlaw is a person living outside the law. Outlaws or The Outlaws may also refer to: Film and television Film * ''The Outlaws'' (1950 film), an Italian crime film * ''Outlaws'' (1985 film), a French film * ''The Outlaws'' (2017 film), a Sou ...

'', ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was r ...

'', ''

Hallmark Hall of Fame ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City-based greeting card company. The longest-running prime-time series in ...

'' ('' The Joke and the Valley''), '' Bus Stop'', ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology series, anthology television program, television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dysto ...

'' (" A Quality of Mercy"), ''

Alcoa Premiere '' Alcoa Premiere'' (also known as ''Premiere, Presented by Fred Astaire'') is an American anthology drama series that aired from October 1961 to July 1963 on ABC. The series was hosted by Fred Astaire, who also starred in several of the epis ...

'', ''

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was rena ...

'', and ''

The Dick Powell Theatre ''The Dick Powell Show'' is an American television anthology series that ran on NBC from September 26, 1961, until September 17, 1963, primarily sponsored by the Reynolds Metals Company. Overview The series was an anthology of various drama ...

''. He appeared with Millie Perkins on ''

'' as the lead character in the episode "The Will Santee Story". In 1962, Stockwell and Perkins divorced. He appeared in an adaptation of

Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in Nobel Prize in Literature, literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama tech ...

's play '' Long Day's Journey Into Night'' with

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...

, Ralph Richardson and Jason Robards, under the direction of Sidney Lumet. He later called it "as intense and rewarding an experience as I've had." He subsequently guest starred on '' Combat!'', '' The Greatest Show on Earth'', '' The Defenders'', '' The Eleventh Hour'', '' Kraft Suspense Theatre'', '' Burke's Law'', had a six-episode arc on '' Dr. Kildare, and'' had a supporting part in the feature ''

Rapture The rapture is an eschatological position held by some Christians, particularly those of American evangelicalism, consisting of an end-time event when all Christian believers who are alive, along with resurrected believers, will rise "in the c ...

'' (1965). In the mid-1960s, Stockwell dropped out of show business, becoming active in the Topanga Canyon

hippie A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to different countries around ...

subculture as a close friend of visual artists George Herms and Wallace Berman, fellow child actor and "dropout"

Russ Tamblyn Russell Irving Tamblyn, also known as Rusty Tamblyn (born December 30, 1934) is an American film and television actor and dancer. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Tamblyn trained as a gymnast in his youth. He began his career as a child actor f ...

, and musician

Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Fu ...

. "I did some drugs and went to some love-ins," he later said. "The experience of those days provided me with a huge, panoramic view of my existence that I didn't have before. I have no regrets."

1968–1983: Return to acting

Stockwell returned to acting with a supporting role in '' Psych-Out'' (1968) co-starring Susan Strasberg and

Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. In many of his films, he played rebels against the social structure. He received numerous ...

. He guest starred on '' Thirty-Minute Theatre'' in Britain, '' The FBI'', and ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on ...

'', and played the lead in AIP's '' The Dunwich Horror'' (1970) with Sandra Dee. He also had a key part in

Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer. He attended the Actors Studio, made his first television appearance in 1954, and soon after appeared in '' Giant'' (1956). In the next ten year ...

's '' The Last Movie'' (1971). In 1985 Stockwell said this film "is a great picture. It was ahead of its time then – and it still is ... it will gain respect over the years. Dennis Hopper is a marvelous director." Dean Stockwell - Paper Man

Stockwell guest starred on ''

Mannix ''Mannix'' is an American detective television series that ran from 1967 to 1975 on CBS. It was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller. The title character, Joe Mannix, is a private in ...

'', ''The FBI'' (again), '' Night Gallery'', '' Orson Welles' Great Mysteries'', and ''Mission: Impossible'' and had the lead in some TV movies, '' Paper Man'' (1971) and '' The Failing of Raymond'' (1971) as well as a support part in ''Adventures of Nick Carter'' (1972). Stockwell had the lead in a biker movie, '' The Loners'' (1972), the last film of Sam Katzman, which Stockwell called "a mess", and horror comedy '' The Werewolf of Washington'' (1973), the script for which he said "had a brilliant edge to it. It was satirical, political, funny, witty and wonderful", but the director ruined it, according to Stockwell. During the mid-1970s, he designed the distinctive cover of Neil Young's album '' American Stars 'n Bars'' (1976). He continued to guest for TV shows such as '' Police Surgeon'', '' The Streets of San Francisco'', '' Columbo'', '' Joe Forrester'', '' Three for the Road'', ''

Cannon A cannon is a large-caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder duri ...

'', '' Ellery Queen'', '' Police Story'', '' McCloud'', '' Tales of the Unexpected'', ''Greatest Heroes of the Bible'', '' Hart to Hart'', '' The A Team'', and '' Simon & Simon''. He appeared in the occasional feature such as ''The Pacific Connection'' (1974), ''Win, Place or Steal'' (1974), '' Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood'' (1976), '' Tracks'' (1976) with Dennis Hopper, '' One Away'' (1976), '' A Killing Affair'' (1977), ''

She Came to the Valley ''She Came to the Valley'' is a western-genre film, shot in 1977 and released in 1979. Directed by Albert Band, it stars Ronee Blakley, Scott Glenn, Freddy Fender, and Dean Stockwell. It is based on a novel by Cleo Dawson. Background The film ...

'' (1979), ''Born to Be Sold'' (1981), and '' Wrong Is Right'' (1982). On December 15, 1981, Stockwell married his second wife, Joy Marchenko, a textiles expert who worked in Morocco. The following year, Stockwell and

together directed and appeared in '' Human Highway'' (1982). He starred in '' Alsino and the Condor'', a Nicaraguan film, and ''To Kill a Stranger'' (1983). By this time Stockwell had moved to

Taos, New Mexico Taos is a town in Taos County in the north-central region of New Mexico in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Initially founded in 1615, it was intermittently occupied until its formal establishment in 1795 by Nuevo México Governor Fernando C ...

, and was depressed about the state of his career, turning to real estate to pay the bills. On November 5, 1983, his wife gave birth to their son, Austin.

1984–1988: Mainstream comeback and critical success

In 1984, he appeared in

Wim Wenders Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders (; born 14 August 1945) is a German filmmaker, playwright, author, and photographer. He is a major figure in New German Cinema. Among many honors, he has received three nominations for the Academy Award for Best Doc ...

's critically acclaimed film ''

'', and in the same year, in

David Lynch David Keith Lynch (born January 20, 1946) is an American filmmaker, visual artist and actor. A recipient of an Academy Honorary Award in 2019, Lynch has received three Academy Award nominations for Best Director, and the César Award for Be ...

's film version of ''

'' as Wellington Yueh. In between he appeared in ''

Fox Mystery Theater ''Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense'' is a short-lived (one season) anthology television series produced in Britain in 1984/85 by Hammer Film Productions. Though similar in format to the 1980 series ''Hammer House of Horror'', the ''Mystery a ...

''. Stockwell later said "After ''Paris, Texas'' and ''Dune'' I think I've got a pretty good start on what amounts to a third career." Between 1985 and 1988, he was a busy character actor, appearing in 14 films and one telefilm. In 1985, he turned in a brief but significant role as attorney Bob Grimes in

William Friedkin William "Billy" Friedkin (born August 29, 1935)Biskind, p. 200. is an American film and television director, producer and screenwriter closely identified with the " New Hollywood" movement of the 1970s. Beginning his career in documentaries in ...

's '' To Live and Die in L.A.''. He was also in '' The Legend of Billie Jean'' (1985), an episode of ''

Miami Vice ''Miami Vice'' is an American crime drama television series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series stars Don Johnson as James "Sonny" Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs, two Me ...

'', and '' Papa Was a Preacher'' (1986). Stockwell's second child with wife Marchenko, Sophia, was born on August 5, 1985. In 1986, Stockwell made an appearance in another Lynch production, the

neo-noir Neo-noir is a revival of film noir, a genre that had originally flourished during the post-World War II era in the United Statesroughly from 1940 to 1960. The French term, ''film noir'', translates literally to English as "black film", indicating s ...

thriller '' Blue Velvet.'' He was in episodes of ''Hunter'' and ''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The ser ...

'', and the films '' Gardens of Stone'' (1987) (directed by Francis Ford Coppola), '' Beverly Hills Cop II'' (1987), '' Kenny Rogers as The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues'' (1987), '' The Time Guardian'' (1987), '' Banzai Runner'' (1987), and '' The Blue Iguana'' (1987). In 1988, he was nominated for an

for his performance as

Mafia "Mafia" is an informal term that is used to describe criminal organizations that bear a strong similarity to the original “Mafia”, the Sicilian Mafia and Italian Mafia. The central activity of such an organization would be the arbitration of ...

boss Tony "the Tiger" Russo in the comedy '' Married to the Mob''. Stockwell later called it "the favorite part I've ever had in a film. I just felt that that part was just perfect for me and I had a way to approach it that I thought was just right and it turned out that way." He also had roles in '' Tucker: The Man and His Dream'' (1988) from Coppola, '' Smokescreen'' (1988), the Brazilian '' The Long Haul'' (1989), the reboot of ''

'', '' Buying Time'' (1989), and ''

Limit Up ''Limit Up'' is a 1989 comedy film starring Nancy Allen as Chicago commodities trader Casey Falls. The film was directed by Richard Martini and produced by Jonathan D. Krane. It was filmed through Chicago and prominently features scenes at the ...

'' (1989).

1989–1999: Television roles

In 1989, Stockwell appeared as second lead in the show '' Quantum Leap'', which ran for five seasons. During the series' run, Stockwell appeared in '' Catchfire'' (1990) directed by Hopper, '' Citizen Soldier'' (1990, originally shot in 1976), '' Sandino'' (1991), ''

Son of the Morning Star ''Son of the Morning Star: Custer and the Little Big Horn'' is a nonfiction account of the Battle of the Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876, by novelist Evan S. Connell, published in 1984 by North Point Press. The book features extensive portraits ...

'' (1992), '' The Player'' (1992), ''

Shame Shame is an unpleasant self-conscious emotion often associated with negative self-evaluation; motivation to quit; and feelings of pain, exposure, distrust, powerlessness, and worthlessness. Definition Shame is a discrete, basic emotion, d ...

'' (1992), '' Captain Planet and the Planeteers'', ''Friends and Enemies'' (1992), and ''Fatal Memories'' (1992). Following the end of ''Quantum Leap'', Stockwell appeared in '' Bonanza: The Return'' (1993), ''Caught in the Act'' (1993), ''In the Line of Duty: The Price of Vengeance'' (1994), '' Chasers'' (1994), '' Vanishing Son II'' (1994), ''Justice in a Small Town'' (1994), '' The Innocent'' (1994), '' Madonna: Innocence Lost'' (1994), ''Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan'' (1995), and ''

The Langoliers ''Four Past Midnight'' is a collection of novellas written by Stephen King in 1988 and 1989 and published in August 1990. It is his second book of this type, the first one being ''Different Seasons''. The collection won the Bram Stoker Award in 1 ...

'' (1995). He tried another regular series, ''Street Gear'' (1995) but it only lasted 13 episodes. Stockwell was in episodes of '' Snowy River: The McGregor Saga'', '' Nowhere Man'', '' The Commish'', '' Can't Hurry Love'', and '' Ink''. He had roles in the comedy '' Mr. Wrong'' (1996), ''

Naked Souls ''Naked Souls'' is a 1996 erotic thriller film starring Brian Krause and Pamela Anderson. It was written by Frank Dietz and directed by Lyndon Chubbuck. While Pamela Anderson plays only a small role in the plot, much of the advertising and even ...

'' (1996), ''

Twilight Man ''Walk a Crooked Path '' is a 1969 British crime film directed by John Brason and starring Tenniel Evans, Faith Brook and Patricia Haines. The film is set at a boarding school where a man plans to murder his wealthy teacher wife. It is sometimes ...

'' (1996), '' Unabomber: The True Story'' (1996), ''Last Resort'' (1996), ''Close to Danger'' (1997), ''

Living in Peril Living or The Living may refer to: Common meanings *Life, a condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms ** Living species, one that is not extinct *Personal life, the course of an individual human's life * Hu ...

'' (1997), '' McHale's Navy'' (1997), ''Midnight Blue'' (1997), ''

'' (1997), '' The Shadow Men'' (1997), '' The Rainmaker'' (1997), and ''Sinbad: The Battle of the Dark Knights'' (1998). Stockwell had a regular role on '' The Tony Danza Show'' (1998) which only ran 14 episodes. He was in ''

Restraining Order A restraining order or protective order, is an order used by a court to protect a person in a situation involving alleged domestic violence, child abuse, assault, harassment, stalking, or sexual assault. Restraining and personal protection o ...

'' (1999), ''Water Damage'' (1999), '' The Venice Project'' (1999), '' Rites of Passage'' (1999), and '' What Katy Did'' (1999).

2000–2015: Art and later career

Stockwell's performances in the 2000s included ''

They Nest ''They Nest'' (also known as ''Creepy Crawlers'') is a 2000 American science fiction horror film directed by Ellory Elkayem and starring Thomas Calabro Thomas F. Calabro (born February 3, 1959) is an American actor and director. Biograp ...

'' (2000), ''

In Pursuit ''In Pursuit'' is a direct-to-video 2001 American film directed by Peter Pistor and written by John Penney, based on a story by Pistor. The film was shot in Encino, California Encino (Spanish for "oak") is a neighborhood in the San Fernando ...

'' (2000), '' Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker'' (2000), ''The Flunky'' (2000), ''Italian Ties'' (2001), '' CQ'' (2001) directed by Coppola's son Roman, '' The Quickie'' (2001), ''

Buffalo Soldiers Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. This nickname was given to the Black Cavalry by Native American tribes who fought in t ...

'' (2001), ''Inferno'' (2002), '' The Manchurian Candidate'' (2004), ''The Deal'' (2007), and '' The Nanny Express'' (2008). Also a visual artist, Stockwell exhibited collage and sculpture in Taos in 2009. He guest starred on ''

First Monday ''First Monday'' is an American legal drama television series which aired on CBS during the midseason replacement from January 15 to May 3, 2002. The series centered on the U.S. Supreme Court. Like another 2002 series, ''The Court'', it wa ...

'', '' Star Trek: Enterprise'' (reunited with Scott Bakula from ''Quantum Leap''), '' Stargate SG-1'', '' JAG'', and '' Crash'' with Hopper. He had a semi-regular part on '' Battlestar Galactica'' from 2006 as John Cavil. He made a minor appearance in a new 2009 adaptation of '' The Dunwich Horror'', followed by roles in the films '' C.O.G.'' (2013), ''

Max Rose Max N. Rose (born November 28, 1986) is an American military officer and politician who served as a United States representative from New York for a single term from 2019 to 2021. A moderate Democrat, he served on the committees for Homeland Sec ...

'' (2013), '' Deep in the Darkness'' (2014), and '' Persecuted'' (2014). As of 2015, Stockwell remained a resident of Taos. He reunited with Bakula in a 2014 episode of '' NCIS: New Orleans'', titled "Chasing Ghosts," and the following year appeared in the film ''

Entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have developed over thousan ...

'' (2015). It was reported in January 2017 by his ex-wife Joy, that he had suffered and recovered from a stroke in 2015 and was retired from acting.

Beliefs

Stockwell was an "avowed environmentalist". He campaigned for the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

in the

1992 U.S. presidential election The 1992 United States presidential election was the 52nd quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 3, 1992. Democratic Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas defeated incumbent Republican President George H. W. Bush, independen ...

Death

Stockwell died of

natural causes In many legal jurisdictions, the manner of death is a determination, typically made by the coroner, medical examiner, police, or similar officials, and recorded as a vital statistic. Within the United States and the United Kingdom, a disti ...

in New Zealand on November 7, 2021, at the age of 85.

References

Bibliography

* Best, Marc. ''Those Endearing Young Charms: Child Performers of the Screen'' (South Brunswick and New York: Barnes & Co., 1971), pp. 240–244. * Holmstrom, John. ''The Moving Picture Boy: An International Encyclopaedia from 1895 to 1995'', Norwich, Michael Russell, 1996, pp. 196–197. * Dye, David. ''Child and Youth Actors: Filmography of Their Entire Careers, 1914–1985''. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 1988, pp. 220–223.

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Stockwell, Dean 1936 births 2021 deaths American male child actors American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male voice actors American people of Italian descent Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe (television) winners Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor winners Male actors from Los Angeles Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players People from North Hollywood, Los Angeles People from Topanga, California People from Taos, New Mexico 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors

Biography

1936–1950: Early life and career beginnings

1952–1968: Adult career and hiatus

1968–1983: Return to acting

1984–1988: Mainstream comeback and critical success

1989–1999: Television roles

2000–2015: Art and later career

Beliefs

Death

See also

References

Bibliography

External links