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“Quantum Leap” star, Dean Stockwell, has passed away at the age of 85. He died from natural causes on Nov. 7, 2021. A source informed Variety that he passed peacefully in his sleep.
Born Robert Dean Stockwell on March 5, 1936, in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. He and his brother Guy were sons of Broadway actors Harry and Elizabeth (Betty) Stockwell.
His debut to the stage was in a Theater Guild production of Paul Osborn’s play “The Innocent Voyage.” He was 7 years old when he and his brother were cast.
In 1945, MGM signed him to work for them until 1947 and then again from 1949 to 1950. He became a highly sought-after child star with his impish, dimpled looks and tousled brown hair.
The first film he was in is “Anchors Aweigh.” Then he can be seen in the films “The Green Years” and “Song of the Thin Man.” His genuine acting talent kept him in the box office front line for over a decade. He won a Golden Globe Award as Best Juvenile Actor for his role in “Gentleman’s Agreement.”
In 1950, Stockwell played the title role in an adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s “Kim.” After that, he made his way onto TV for several years. The next movie he was in was “Compulsion.” After his role in “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” Stockwell joined the hippie scene where he befriended Dennis Hopper and Neil Young.
On April 15, 1960, he married Millie Perkins. A little more than two years later they divorced.
A few years later he made a comeback to the big screen in “Psych-Out,” “The Loners,” and The Werewolf of Washington.” Stockwell guest-starred in TV shows such as “Mannix,” “Columbo,” “The Streets of San Francisco,” and “Police Story.”
On Dec. 15, 1981, he married Joy Marchenko. They had two children, Austin and Sophia, before divorcing in 2004, according to IMDb.
Stockwell can also be seen in “Married to the Mob,” “Blue Velvet,” “JAG,” “Air Force One,” Star Trek: Enterprise,” and “Battlestar Galactica.”
He is survived by his family and close friends. May he rest in peace.
Written by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
IMDb: Dean Stockwell
KTLA-5: Dean Stockwell, ‘Quantum Leap’ star who worked during Hollywood’s golden age, dies at 85: Reports; by Tony Kurzweil
Images Courtesy of GabboT’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License