Dolph Sweet facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dolph Sweet
Born	Adolphus Jean Sweet (1920-07-18)July 18, 1920 New York City, U.S.
Died	May 8, 1985(1985-05-08) (aged 64) Tarzana, California, U.S.
Occupation	Professor, Actor
Years active	Actor: 1961–1985
Spouse(s)	Reba Gillespie ​ (div. 1973)​ Iris Braun ​ (m. 1974)​
Children	1

Adolphus Jean Sweet was an American actor. He was born on July 18, 1920, and passed away on May 8, 1985. He acted in almost 60 TV shows and movies. He also performed in over 50 plays, including on Broadway. Dolph Sweet often played police officers. Many people remember him as Police Chief Carl Kanisky. This was his role in the TV show Gimme a Break! He played this character from 1981 until he died.

Growing Up and War Service

Dolph Sweet was born in New York City. In 1939, he started studying at the University of Alabama. But he stopped his studies to join the military. He served in World War II. He was a second lieutenant and a navigator on a B-24 Liberator bomber plane.

During the war, his plane was shot down over Romania. He then spent two years as a prisoner of war. While in the camp, he and other prisoners put on short plays. This experience made him interested in acting.

After the war, he played semi-professional football. He also boxed. He earned a master's degree in English and drama from Columbia University.

Dolph Sweet's Acting Career

After finishing college, Dolph Sweet became a teacher. He taught at Barnard College. He even became the head of the drama department there. He taught for 12 years.

He left teaching shortly after his first Broadway play. This was in 1961, when he was 40 years old. The play was called Rhinoceros.

Early Film and TV Roles

Dolph Sweet got his first big movie role in The Young Doctors (1961). He appeared in several other films. These included You're a Big Boy Now (1966) and The Swimmer (1968). He also acted on television in the 1960s and 1970s. He was in shows like The Defenders and Dark Shadows.

Acting in the 1970s

Throughout the 1970s, Sweet took on many film roles. Some of these movies were Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970) and The New Centurions (1972). He also appeared in The Lords of Flatbush (1974) and Heaven Can Wait (1978).

He also had guest roles on TV shows. These included Little House on the Prairie. He played a notable role as FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. This was in the 1978 TV miniseries King. This series was about the life of Martin Luther King Jr..

Later Career and Gimme a Break!

In the early 1980s, Dolph Sweet continued to work steadily. He was in films like Reds (1981). He also appeared in TV series such as Hill Street Blues and Hart to Hart.

Sweet often played police officers. He had a recurring role as a policeman in the show The Trials of O'Brien (1965–66). He was also known for playing policeman Gil McGowan. This was on the soap opera Another World (1972–1977). He also voiced a transit-police captain in the 1974 film The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.

Dolph Sweet's most famous TV role was Police Chief Carl Kanisky. He played a father figure and employer to housekeeper Nell Carter. This was in the sitcom Gimme a Break!. Sweet played this role from 1981 until his death in 1985.

He continued working on Gimme a Break! even after he became ill. The last episode of the fourth season aired on May 11, 1985. This was just three days after he passed away.

Personal Life and Passing

Dolph Sweet married Reba Gillespie after World War II. They had a son named Jonathon. They later divorced in 1973. In 1974, Sweet married Iris Braun.

Dolph Sweet passed away on May 8, 1985. He was at Tarzana Hospital in Tarzana, California. He was survived by his wife and son. His co-star from Gimme a Break!, Nell Carter, spoke at his funeral. She also recorded a short message for the show's final episode of the season. Sweet's remains were cremated. His ashes were scattered at sea.

Film and TV Roles

See also

In Spanish: Dolph Sweet para niños