| Dennis Patrick | |
| Birth Date: | 14 March 1918 |
| Birth Place: | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Character actor |
| Known For: | See Career |
| Years Active: | 1949 - 1994 |
| Children: | 2 |
| Other Names: | Dennis Harrison |
Dennis Patrick (born Dennis Patrick Harrison;[1] March 14, 1918 – October 13, 2002) was an American character actor, primarily in television.
Patrick was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[2]
Patrick is known for his work in television shows. He portrayed Patrick Chase in the syndicated drama Rituals (1984), Vaughn Leland in CBS's Dallas, Jack Breen in the ABC crime drama Bert D'Angelo/Superstar (1976),[3] and Sergeant Pat O'Dennis in the syndicated comedy The Cliffwood Avenue Kids (1977).
He made four guest appearances on Perry Mason, three of them as the murder victim: Martin Selkirk in the 1959 episode, "The Case of the Deadly Toy"; Martin Somers in the 1962 episode, "The Case of the Tarnished Trademark"; and golf pro Chick Farley in the 1966 episode, "The Case of the Golfer's Gambit". He also appeared as Prosecutor Darryl Teshman in the 1960 episode "The Case of the Prudent Prosecutor".
Among his other television appearances were the roles of Jason McGuire and Paul Stoddard in Dark Shadows, Mac in Somerset, and in such films as The Time Travelers (1964), Daddy's Gone A-Hunting (1969), Joe (1970), Dear Dead Delilah, (1972) and Nightmare Honeymoon (1974). He also was a stage actor, having won the Theater World Award for his starring role in The Wayward Saint.[4] He also portrayed Jean Paul Marat on Broadway in Marat/Sade.
Patrick appeared in more than 1,800 guest roles on television programs during his four-decade career, including stints on Tales of Tomorrow (1952), Kraft Theatre (1949–57), Gunsmoke (1958), Playhouse 90 (1958), Sugarfoot (1959), Buckskin (1959), Peter Gunn (1959), U.S. Marshal (1959-1960), 77 Sunset Strip (1960), Bonanza (1960, as Sam Bord in the episode "The Hopefuls"), Wanted: Dead or Alive (1960), Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1960–61); Hawaiian Eye (1962), The Virginian (episode "Big Day, Great Day" 1962), Laramie (1960-1963), Perry Mason (1959-1966), Empire (as Hoot Hinkley in "The Tiger Inside", 1963), The Dakotas (1963), Lost in Space (1966, as Keema "The Golden Man"), The Big Valley (1969, as Ed Crawford in "The Battle of Mineral Springs"), Dark Shadows (1967-1970), Emergency! (three episodes, 1972-1975), and Dallas (1979-1984). Dennis Patrick also appeared in a Barnaby Jones episode titled "Dangerous Summer" (02/11/1975); in Quincy, M.E. (three episodes, 1979–82); and in The Incredible Hulk (as Buck Hendricks, a big game hunter looking to help news reporter Jack McGee capture "The Jolly Green Giant"). He also appeared as Walter Hart in The Rockford Files, season 2, episode 6: "The Great Blue Lake Land and Development Company".
Patrick played Sheriff George Patterson in the film House of Dark Shadows (1970). He was television's first vampire (as Dennis Harrison) in a 1950 episode of Stage 13 (1950).
On October 13, 2002, Patrick died next to his pet poodle as fire swept his four-story home in Hollywood Hills, California. He was 84. Patrick was suffering from cancer, needed kidney dialysis, and rarely left the house.[5] [6]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | C-Man | Uncredited | ||
| 1950 | Guilty Bystander | Mace | ||
| 1950 | The Strip Tease Murder Case | Johnny | ||
| 1958 | Gunsmoke | Trumbell | Season 4 Episode 9 "Land Deal" | |
| 1960 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Mr. Rose | Season 5 Episode 20: "The Day of the Bullet" | |
| 1960 | Wanted Dead or Alive (TV series) | Eli | Season 3 Episode 4 (The Looters) | |
| 1961 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Harry Miller | Season 6 Episode 17: "The Last Escape" | |
| 1963 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Frenchy La Font | Season 2 Episode 3: "Terror at Northfield" | |
| 1964 | The Time Travelers | Councilman Willard | ||
| 1965 | Major Dundee | Uncredited | ||
| 1969 | Daddy's Gone A-Hunting | Dr. Parkington | ||
| 1970 | Tiger by the Tail | Frank Michaelis | ||
| 1970 | Joe | Bill Compton | ||
| 1970 | House of Dark Shadows | Sheriff George Patterson | ||
| 1974 | Nightmare Honeymoon | John Kenmore | ||
| 1978 | The Eddie Capra Mysteries | Barry Norcross | Episode: "How Do I Kill Thee?" | |
| 1980 | The Secret of Nikola Tesla | Thomas Alva Edison | ||
| 1981 | Choices | Dr. Bowers | ||
| 1984 | Murder, She Wrote | Dexter Baxendale | Episode: "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes" | |
| 1985 | Heated Vengeance | Pope | ||
| 1989 | Chances Are | Archibald Blair | ||
| 1994 | The Air Up There | Father O'Hara | (final film role) |