Dean Stockwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dean Stockwell
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Stockwell in a 1965 publicity photo
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Robert Dean Stockwell
March 5, 1936 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Died | November 7, 2021 (aged 85) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1945–2015 |
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| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) |
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| Relatives | Guy Stockwell (brother) |
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Robert Dean Stockwell (March 5, 1936 – November 7, 2021) was an American actor. He had a very long career, acting for over 70 years! He started acting when he was just a child.
As a child actor, he worked for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) studio. He became famous for movies like Anchors Aweigh (1945), The Green Years (1946), and Kim (1950). When he grew up, he starred in the play and movie Compulsion (1959). He also appeared in Long Day's Journey into Night (1962). For these roles, he won two Best Actor Awards at the Cannes Film Festival.
Dean Stockwell also played supporting roles in many popular films. These include Dune (1984), Blue Velvet (1986), and Beverly Hills Cop II (1987). He was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Married to the Mob (1988). Later, he appeared in Air Force One (1997) and The Manchurian Candidate (2004).
On television, he was well-known for playing Al Calavicci in Quantum Leap (1989–1993). He also played Navy Secretary Edward Sheffield on JAG (2002–2004) and Brother Cavil on Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009). After his acting career, he focused on creating sculptures and other art. He stopped acting in 2015 due to health reasons.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and First Roles (1936–1950)
Dean Stockwell was born in Los Angeles, California. His family was full of entertainers. His mother, Elizabeth Stockwell, was a vaudeville actress. His father, Harry Stockwell, was an actor and singer. Harry Stockwell was even the voice of Prince Charming in Disney's Snow White. Dean's older brother, Guy Stockwell, also became a TV and film actor.
Dean and his brother started acting when they were very young. Their father heard about a play looking for child actors. Both boys got parts! This led to Dean signing a contract with MGM, a big movie studio.
MGM gave him small roles at first. But soon, he got a bigger part in Anchors Aweigh (1945). In this movie, he acted alongside famous stars like Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. The film was a hit, and Dean became more well-known.
He then played a main role in The Green Years (1946). He played an orphan boy growing up in Scotland. This movie was also very popular. He continued to appear in many films, including Song of the Thin Man (1947) and Gentleman's Agreement (1947).
Even though he was successful, Dean found being a child actor tough. He said he didn't really enjoy it. He felt it was a lot of work and he often had to do sad or serious scenes. He also felt like he didn't have many friends because he was always working. He once said it was "a miserable way to bring up a child."
One funny story from his childhood acting days happened while filming Kim (1950). His co-star, Errol Flynn, played a prank on him. Instead of handing Dean a bowl of food, he gave him a bowl of camel dung!
Growing Up and Taking a Break (1952–1968)
After his busy childhood career, Dean Stockwell went to college for a year at the University of California, Berkeley. He then took several years off from acting. He later said he was "unhappy" and found it hard to get along with people during that time.
He returned to acting in 1956, appearing in many TV shows. He also had roles in movies like Gun for a Coward (1957). In 1957, he starred on Broadway in Compulsion, a play based on a famous true crime story. He played the same role in the 1959 movie version. For this, he won a Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival with his co-stars.
In 1960, he married actress Millie Perkins. That same year, he starred in the British film Sons and Lovers. He continued to work mostly on television, appearing in popular shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Twilight Zone.
Dean and Millie divorced in 1962. He then appeared in the movie Long Day's Journey Into Night. He called this movie "intense and rewarding."
In the mid-1960s, Dean Stockwell decided to take another break from acting. He moved to Topanga Canyon in California. He became friends with artists and musicians, including Neil Young. He explored his interest in art during this time.
Returning to the Screen (1968–1983)
Dean Stockwell started acting again in 1968. He had a supporting role in Psych-Out (1968) with Jack Nicholson. He also starred in the horror film The Dunwich Horror (1970).
He appeared in Dennis Hopper's film The Last Movie (1971). Dean believed this film was "ahead of its time." He also guest-starred in many TV shows like Mannix and Mission: Impossible. He took lead roles in TV movies such as Paper Man (1971).
During the mid-1970s, Dean Stockwell also used his artistic talents. He designed the unique cover for Neil Young's album American Stars 'n Bars (1976).
He continued to appear in various TV shows like Columbo and The Streets of San Francisco. He also acted in a few movies, including Tracks (1976) with Dennis Hopper.
In 1981, Dean married his second wife, Joy Marchenko. The next year, he worked with Neil Young again, directing and appearing in the film Human Highway (1982). By this time, Dean had moved to Taos, New Mexico. He even tried working in real estate for a while. In 1983, his son, Austin, was born.
Big Comeback and Success (1984–1988)
Dean Stockwell's career saw a big comeback in 1984. He appeared in the highly praised film Paris, Texas. In the same year, he was in David Lynch's movie Dune. Dean felt these films gave him a "pretty good start on what amounts to a third career."
From 1985 to 1988, he was very busy. He acted in 14 films! He had a memorable role as a lawyer in To Live and Die in L.A. (1985). In 1985, his second child with Joy, Sophia, was born.
In 1986, he worked with David Lynch again in the thriller Blue Velvet. He also appeared in Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) and Gardens of Stone (1987), directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
In 1988, he received a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. This was for his role as Mafia boss Tony "the Tiger" Russo in the comedy Married to the Mob. He loved this role, calling it "perfect for me." He also appeared in Coppola's Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988).
Famous TV Roles (1989–1999)
In 1989, Dean Stockwell began his most famous TV role as Al Calavicci in the show Quantum Leap. The show was very popular and ran for five seasons. While working on Quantum Leap, he also appeared in movies like The Player (1992).
After Quantum Leap ended, Dean continued to act in many TV movies and shows. These included The Langoliers (1995) and episodes of Nowhere Man.
He also had roles in films like Air Force One (1997) and The Rainmaker (1997). He had a regular role on The Tony Danza Show in 1998.
Later Career and Art (2000–2015)
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In the 2000s, Dean Stockwell continued to act in films like Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000) and The Manchurian Candidate (2004).
He also became well-known for his visual art. He created collages and sculptures, and even had art shows in Taos, New Mexico.
On television, he guest-starred in shows like Star Trek: Enterprise, where he reunited with his Quantum Leap co-star Scott Bakula. He also had a recurring role as John Cavil on Battlestar Galactica from 2006 to 2009.
He appeared in a few more films in the 2010s, including C.O.G. (2013) and Entertainment (2015). In 2014, he reunited with Scott Bakula again on an episode of NCIS: New Orleans.
In 2015, Dean Stockwell suffered a stroke. After recovering, he decided to retire from acting. He spent his later years focusing on his art.
Beliefs
Dean Stockwell was a strong supporter of protecting the environment. He also campaigned for the Democratic Party in the 1992 U.S. presidential election.
Death
Dean Stockwell passed away from natural causes in New Zealand on November 7, 2021. He was 85 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Dean Stockwell para niños
