Actor Dean Stockwell dies aged 85

Oscar and Emmy nominated actor, Dean Stockwell passed away on 7 November. He died peacefully at home of natural causes.

Dean Stockwell’s career spanned more than 70 years. He was probably best known for his starring role in the sci-fi adventure Quantum Leap.

Dean was born in 1936 in North Hollywood. At age 7 his career as a child actor took off on Broadway. He appeared in Anchors Aweigh with Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly, Kim with Errol Flynn, Gentleman’s Agreement and the controversial 1948 movie The Boy With the Green Hair.

Stockwell returned to the Broadway stage as a young adult where he acted opposite Roddy McDowell in Compulsion. The pair became lifelong friends. Stockwell reprised his role in the film version and won his first of two Best Actor awards at the Cannes Film Festival. He also starred in Sons and Lovers and Long Day’s Journey Into Night with Katherine Hepburn.

Stockwell delivered his signature performance, on the quirky, sci-fi TV series Quantum Leap where he played Admiral Al Calavicci opposite Scott Bakula. The role landed him four Emmy nominations.

One of my favourite Dean Stockwell roles was the one he had in Battlestar Galactica. Dean played the Cylon John Cavil who believed that Cylons should embrace their software and eschew human emotions.

His other TV series credits include JAG, The Tony Danza Show and NCIS: New Orleans among others.

Stockwell retired from acting in 2015 and pursued a career change, making art and exhibiting around the US under his full name, Robert Dean Stockwell.

Dean is survived by his wife, Joy Stockwell; and their two children, Austin Stockwell and Sophie Stockwell.