Trivia

Founder of "Natural Balance" dog and cat food.

When Van Patten was six years old, he went to the racetrack for the first time, with his father. As an adult, the actor owned racehorses and attended races at the Hollywood Park track from 1970 until his death, sitting in the same front row section. He frequently accompanied Angie Dickinson and Telly Savalas to the track.

Every Sunday, he played tennis with Alan Alda, Mel Brooks, and Gene Wilder.

Tom Bradford, Van Patten's character on Eight Is Enough (1977), was ranked #33 in TV Guide's list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" [20 June 2004 issue].

Was offered the co-starring role of Dr. Adam Brinker on The Love Boat (1977), opposite Gavin MacLeod, but had already decided to star on Eight Is Enough (1977), instead. The role ultimately went to Bernie Kopell, a friend of Van Patten.

Met a young, unfamiliar actress Diana Hyland on an episode of the daytime serial, Young Dr. Malone (1958), where she played the husband of the doctor. 19 years later, she co-starred on the dramedy Eight Is Enough (1977), where she played Van Patten's first TV wife, before passing away, unexpectedly, at the beginning of the 1st season. Of the 9 episodes filmed, Hyland appeared in only 4.

Given the importance of family in Van Patten's life, perhaps his most significant mention came in the April 28, 1954, edition of weekly Variety. It was a two-line announcement of his April 24 wedding in New York to actress-dancer Pat Poole, a union that would endure for the rest of his days.

Older brother of actress Joyce Van Patten. They appeared together, as children, in Reg'lar Fellers (1941), and, decades later, in Making It (1971).

Met a young, unfamiliar actor (Willie Aames) on To Catch a Thief (1971), in which Dick's youngest son, Vincent Van Patten, guest-starred as a young gang leader. Almost five years later, Aames replaced Chris English (who appeared in only one episode of Eight Is Enough (1977)) in the role of Tommy Bradford. Aames and Van Patten remained friends for almost 45 years until Van Patten until the latter's death in 2015.

All three of Van Patten's sons played basketball with their childhood friend and neighbor, Michael Jackson.

From 1958 until his retirement, Van Patten made more than 90 guest appearances on television shows.

His hobbies included spending time with his family, owning thoroughbreds, horse racing, tennis, golfing, petting animals, poker, swimming and reading.

In order for Van Patten to read the part of [Melvyn Douglas]' son, in Tapestry in Gray, he went to the Shubert Theatre; at the time he was only 7, and didn't know how to read. They told young Van Patten what to say, the director in the audience (of an empty theater) had told Van Patten what to say and it paid off and he got the role, after he beat out 2 young, unfamiliar actors: [Roddy McDowall] and [Marlon Brando].

Suffered a diabetic stroke in January, 2006.

When he was just a kid, Van Patten had wanted a pet shop of his own.

Met Mel Brooks on The New Dick Van Dyke Show (1971) in 1972; they remained friends until Van Patten's death in 2015.

Childhood friend of [Orson Bean].

Auditioned for the lead role of patriarch Tom Bradford on Eight Is Enough (1977), but didn't get the part. The producers attended the first day of shooting when another actor played the part. The entire production was scrapped. Fred Silverman, the former head of ABC, then hired Van Patten, whose character was based on journalist Tom Braden, known to be a man for whom family took first priority.

Before he was a successful actor, he began his career, as a radio actor, in 1941. He was only 12.

Met [Dick Van Dyke] on the set of [The New Dick Van Dyke Show (1971)], where the two developed a lifelong friendship for 43 years, until Van Patten's death in 2015.

In addition to appearing two of his friend 'Weird Al' Yankovic's music videos, "Smells Like Nirvana" and "Bedrock Anthem", Van Patten appeared in two episodes of The Weird Al Show (1997) --- Because I Said So (1997) and Al Gets Robbed (1997).

Godfather of [Susan Richardson]'s daughter, Sarah.

After his role on Hot in Cleveland (2010), he retired from acting at age 82.

Before he was a successful actor, his mother got him to be a model, at only 4 years old at John Robert Powers, making $5 an hour. He continued with that job working in advertisements, as he matured.

His parents, Josephine Rose (née Acerno) Van Patten, was a public school teacher in Queens, New York, and his father, Richard Byron Van Patten, was an interior decorator.

He was the youngest actor ever to film a pilot of a show, before television had existed. He was 20.

During his acting career, Van Patten appeared in 27 plays on Broadway.

In the same situation as Marion Ross, between 1958 and 2011, Van Patten had guest-starred in over 100 shows of episodic television, throughout the course of his acting career.

Honorary mayor of Sherman Oaks, California, USA. (2001)

Best known by the public for his role as Nels Hansen in Mama (1949) and for his starring role as Tom Bradford on Eight Is Enough (1977).

Pat Poole, a one-time actress and dancer, met her future husband on the set of Mama (1949). She was almost two and a half years younger than he was. The couple was married for 61 years until his death.

In the 1950s, Van Patten was friends with Paul Newman, Jack Lemmon, John Kerr, and James Dean (who temporarily played "Nels" on Mama (1949) when Van Patten was called up for military service).

Frequently attended former co-star Betty Buckley's concerts.

Father of actors Nels Van Patten, James Van Patten and Vincent Van Patten (full name at birth: Richard Byron Vincent Van Patten III). Father-in-law of Shana Hiatt, Nancy Valen and Eileen Davidson. Ex-father-in-law of Betsy Russell.

Dick Van Patten lived in Encino, California, from 1970-79. Lived in Sherman Oaks, California, from 1979 until his death in 2015.

Lived not far from Julie London in Encino for years. He was a guest on two episodes of her series, Emergency! (1972).

His first mention in Variety came in the January 24, 1946, edition of Daily Variety in a page-one report on the return of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne to Broadway in the comedy "Oh Mistress Mine." Van Patten played the couple's teenage son who returns home from school full of "leftist ideology.".

He was the only actor to have appeared on all three incarnations of "The Hollywood Squares".

Author of "Eighty is Not Enough." [November 1, 2009].

Release of his book, "Totally Terrific TV Trivia". (2007)

In 1944, at only 15, he was at a Broadway play called 'The Winters 90'. [Ralph Nelson] wrote the play, where it was a blockbuster, and then, 5 years later, Nelson hired him to co-star in [Mama (1949)].

When he was a small child, his mother entered him in a photogenic contest. He appeared on the front cover of Victoria Review Magazine.

The only criticism he ever received was when the house looked absolutely perfect, off- the [Eight Is Enough (1977)] set.

He had watched his ex-[Eight Is Enough (1977)] co-star, [Willie Aames], on Aames' own show, [Charles in Charge (1984)], with another former teen actor [Scott Baio]. Van Patten was very proud of Aames' second success.

Before he was a successful actor on television, he used to work with Elia Kazan, whom he knew through famed actor Fredric March.

Bore a slight resemblance to fellow child actor [Mickey Rooney].

He attended the Professional Children's School in New York City, New York.

Dick Van Patten passed away on June 23, 2015, at age 86, just two days before fellow actor Patrick Macnee.

Acting mentor of and friends with: Laurie Walters, Susan Richardson, Dianne Kay, Grant Goodeve, Lani O'Grady, Connie Needham, Willie Aames and Adam Rich.

First played poker when he was just a little boy.