Actor/director/writer Dean Stockwell died peacefully in his own home at the age of 85. Science fiction fans knew him best as Admiral Al Calavicci in Quantum Leap, but he came from a theatrical family and began his career as a child actor in the 1940s. His father, Harry Stockwell was a Broadway actor and singer who provided the singing voice of Prince Charming in Disney’s Snow White.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Roles

In 1945 Dean Stockwell appeared in Anchors Aweigh with Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Jose Iturbi. Here are some of his other roles:

• He played Kathryn Grayson’s nephew Donald.
• Stockwell starred in The Boy with Green Hair in 1948.
• From 1989 to 1993, Dean Stockwell co-starred in Quantum Leap as ex-astronaut Admiral Al Calavicci, time traveler Sam Beckett’s friend, whose holographic image was Dr, Beckett’s only contact to his own time. Al was a stereotypical loveable rogue. He had bad taste in clothes and worse taste in women, but he was always there to help Sam figure out how to make the next leap..
• In the reboot of Battlestar Galactica, Dean Stockwell played Brother Cavil.
• In the 1984 version of Dune, Stockwell played Dr. Yueh (Chang Chen plays this role in the 2021 version of Dune).
• He played Dennis in the Stephen King movie Christine (1983).
• Stockwell played Michael Harlan in My Acience Project (1985).
• Deam Stockwell starred in the 1970 adaptation of H. P. Lovecraft’s The Dunwich Horror.

Awards and Honors

Dean Stockwell was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Married to the Mob (1998).

Young Dean won a Golden Globe Award for Best Juvenile Actor for his role in Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)

He was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama in Sons and Lovers (1960).

Unsurprisingly, Dean Stockwell won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in Quantum Leap

Director

Like many actors, Dean Stockwell tried his hand at directing. He had twenty directing credits, mostly in television, but also directed the feature films Blue Crush (2002) and Into the Blue (2005) .

Peraonal Data

Dean Stockwell was born March 6, 1936 in North Hollywood, California.. He died November 7, 2021 in Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico, passing away peacefully at home, dying of natural causes. He was married twice: first to actress Millie Perkins in 1960. They divorced in 1962. Next he wed Joy Marchenko in 1981; they divorced in 2004. He had two children, a son Austin, and a daughter Sophia. His older brother was actor Guy Stockwell.

Our condolences to his family, and our thanks to Dean Stockwell for 70 years of entertainment. You gave it your best, and it showed.

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