Dick Van Patten (second interview)
PMP Network Presents
Dick Van Patten, known for his role in 'Eight is Enough,' shares insights into his extensive career. He recounts his beginnings as a child actor on Broadway and his transition to early television. Van Patten also touches on his affection for Boston, a city he considers a second home.
Dick Van Patten (second interview)
About Dick Van Patten (second interview)
Dick Van Patten was an American actor whose career spanned seven decades across Broadway, television, and film. Beginning at age seven in the 1935 Broadway production of Tapestry in Gray, he appeared in over 27 Broadway plays as a child actor. He transitioned to television in 1949 with I Remember Mama, playing Nels Hansen for eight years. Van Patten became best known as patriarch Tom Bradford on Eight Is Enough (1977-1981), earning a place on TV Guide's list of greatest television fathers.
In this interview
- Recalls his mother getting him into show business at age seven
- Describes working in 27 Broadway plays as a child with big directors and stars
- Shares his affection for Boston as a second home from Broadway tryouts
- Discusses starting I Remember Mama television series at age 15 in 1949
“I love Boston, it's like a second home to me because all the Broadway shows, before we go to Broadway, we always tried out in Boston.”— Dick Van Patten (second interview), in this interview
Since this interview
Dick Van Patten passed away on June 23, 2015, at age 86 in Santa Monica, California, due to complications from diabetes.
