Dick Van Patten

Dick Van Patten
Van Patten in a 1977 publicity photo
Born	Richard Vincent Van Patten (1928-12-09)December 9, 1928 New York City, U.S.
Died	June 23, 2015(2015-06-23) (aged 86) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills
Occupations	Actor comedian businessman animal welfare advocate
Years active	1935–2012
Known for	Tom Bradford in Eight Is Enough
Spouse	Patricia Helon Poole ​ ​ (m. 1954)​
Children	3, including Vincent and Nels
Relatives	Joyce Van Patten (sister) Tim Van Patten (half-brother) Talia Balsam (niece) Grace Van Patten (niece)

Richard Vincent Van Patten (December 9, 1928 – June 23, 2015) was an American actor, comedian, businessman, and animal welfare advocate, whose career spanned seven decades of television. He was best known for his role as patriarch Tom Bradford on the television series Eight Is Enough.

Van Patten began work as a child actor and was successful on the New York stage, appearing in more than a dozen plays as a teenager. He worked in radio, on Duffy's Tavern.^[1] He later starred in numerous television roles including the long-running CBS television series, "Mama" and Young Doctor Malone. Later, he would star or co-star in many feature films, including Charly, Mel Brooks's Robin Hood: Men in Tights and Spaceballs, and Soylent Green. Van Patten was the founder of Natural Balance Pet Foods and National Guide Dog Month.