Dean Stockwell Dies: ‘Quantum Leap’ Star, Oscar & Emmy Nominee Was 85
Former Quantum Leap star Dean Stockwell, an Oscar- and Emmy-nominated actor whose stage, film and TV career spanned more than 70 years and 200 credits, has died. He was 85. The actor died peacefully in the early morning of November 7 at home of natural causes, a rep for the family confirmed to Deadline.
Stockwell was born on March 5, 1936, in North Hollywood. By the time he was 7, he was on Broadway, launching a career as a child actor. He appeared in Anchors Aweigh with Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly; Kim with Errol Flynn; Gentleman’s Agreement, which landed him a Golden Globe Award; and, most notably, in the controversial 1948 movie The Boy with the Green Hair.
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As a young adult in 1957, Stockwell returned to the Broadway stage in Compulsion with Roddy McDowall, who became a lifelong friend. Stockwell reprised his role in the 1959 film version and won his first of two Best Actor awards at the Cannes Film Festival. Stockwell also starred in Sons and Lovers and Long Day’s Journey Into Night with Katharine Hepburn, which delivered him his second Best Actor prize at Cannes.
Dean Stockwell Blue Velvet
Stockwell in 1986’s “Blue Velvet”
Everett
Stockwell was on the verge of a career change as he got a real estate license and packed up the family to leave Hollywood when he received a phone call from Harry Dean Stanton, who convinced him to join him on the set of Wim Wenders’ 1984 film Paris, Texas. That led to a string of memorable film roles in Blue Velvet, Dune, Married to the Mob — which earned Stockwell an Academy Award nomination for Supporting Actor — The Rainmaker and The Player.
Quantum Leap
Stockwell and Scott Bakula, “Quantum Leap”
Everett
It was in television where Stockwell delivered one of his signature performances, on the quirky 1989-93 sci-fi TV series Quantum Leap. He played Admiral Al Calavicci opposite Scott Bakula, receiving four Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe Award for his role. Stockwell’s series credits also include the 2000s Battlestar Galactica; JAG, from Quantum Leap creator Don Bellisario; The Tony Danza Show; and NCIS: New Orleans, among others.
Stockwell also starred in a popular 1961 episode of The Twilight Zone called “A Quality of Mercy,” in which he plays a double role of American and Japanese lieutenants on either side pending massacres. The episode also featured a pre-Star Trek Leonard Nimoy.
He also guested on such popular series as Bonanza, Wagon Train, Dr. Kildare, The F.B.I., Mission: Impossible, Night Gallery, Columbo, Police Story, Hart to Hart, The A-Team, Miami Vice and Murder, She Wrote. His other film credits include Psych Out, The Dunwich Horror, Tracks, Gardens of Stone, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, The Long Haul, Sandino, Chasers, McHale’s Navy, The Rainmaker and 1984’s Dune.
In recent years, Stockwell, who retired from acting in 2015, did pursue a career change, making art and exhibiting around the U.S. under his full name, Robert Dean Stockwell.
Those close to Stockwell describe him as a rebel who loved to act, to laugh, smoke cigars and play golf.
He is survived by his wife, Joy Stockwell, and their two children, Austin Stockwell and Sophie Stockwell.
Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 52654 Location: Making a safety stop at 15 feet.
Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2021 6:05 pm Post subject:
jonnybravo wrote:
RIP. Quantum Leap was my favorite show of it's time.
And ahead of its time (no time travel puns intended) _________________ You thought God was an architect, now you know
He’s something like a pipe bomb ready to blow
And everything you built that’s all for show
goes up in flames
In 24 frames
Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 52654 Location: Making a safety stop at 15 feet.
Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2021 6:20 pm Post subject:
jonnybravo wrote:
DaMuleRules wrote:
jonnybravo wrote:
RIP. Quantum Leap was my favorite show of it's time.
And ahead of its time (no time travel puns intended)
Which was your favorite episode and why was it the one where Sam got transported to his brother's platoon?
Oh man, it's been way too many years since I have watched, but that episode was definitely one of the ones that illustrates my point. _________________ You thought God was an architect, now you know
He’s something like a pipe bomb ready to blow
And everything you built that’s all for show
goes up in flames
In 24 frames
Joined: 25 Apr 2015 Posts: 31912 Location: Anaheim, CA
Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2021 6:31 pm Post subject:
I, too, was a huge fan of Quantum Leap, and of course Stockwell's Al was a huge reason why. I didn't really watch re-runs of the show after its original run on NBC, so I don't remember all the episodes. The one where Sam leaped back into himself into his regular timeline was one that sticks out for me, and at the end of it Sam chooses to save Al and the two switch places back to how it had been. Of course, the finale is also a major standout.
Stockwell was an Oscar nominee and a major talent. May he RIP.
Damn! I just thought of Dean the other night while watching the horrible Dune remake...Thinking; "Man, this Dr. Yueh SUCKS compared to Stockwell". _________________ Creatures crawl in search of blood, To terrorize y'alls neighborhood.
Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 40345 Location: Dirty South
Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 4:50 am Post subject:
ChickenStu wrote:
I, too, was a huge fan of Quantum Leap, and of course Stockwell's Al was a huge reason why. I didn't really watch re-runs of the show after its original run on NBC, so I don't remember all the episodes. The one where Sam leaped back into himself into his regular timeline was one that sticks out for me, and at the end of it Sam chooses to save Al and the two switch places back to how it had been. Of course, the finale is also a major standout.
Stockwell was an Oscar nominee and a major talent. May he RIP.
It was one of those shows I recall we watched as a family......back in that long ago era where people actually had to gather in the television/family room at a specific time on a specific night to watch a television show on that "massive" 25" floor model television.
RIP, just repeeped To Live And Die In LA. Ebert gave it 4/4 stars. Rare for him, he gave that to sh like Goodfellas. _________________ GOAT MAGIC REEL SEDALE TRIBUTE EDDIE DONX!
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