Kevin Dobson

Kevin Dobson

Born: March 18, 1943
Died: September 6, 2020
in New York City, New York, USA
Kevin Patrick Dobson is an American film and television actor, best known for his roles as Detective Bobby Crocker, the trusted protege of Lt. Theo Kojak (played by Telly Savalas) in the CBS crime drama Kojak, and as M. Patrick "Mack" MacKenzie in the soap opera Knots Landing.

After a brief appearance in the 1971 film Klute, and small acting roles on TV series such as The Mod Squad, Emergency! and Cannon, Dobson signed a contract with Universal Studios in 1972. This led to his role of Det. Bobby Crocker, Lt. Theo Kojak's young partner, in the TV series Kojak, opposite Telly Savalas. For the role, he had to borrow a suit. He had twice auditioned and failed, then called his agent, telling him, "'Do what you have to do,' so he called in a favor and I read for them [again]. I was a military policeman in the Army, so I knew how to hold a gun and throw somebody against a wall. I got a call [the next night] asking if I'd sign a contract." Dobson auditioned for a third time and finally won. He remained with Kojak for its entire five-season run from 1973 to 1978, and later reunited with Savalas for the 1990 TV movie, Kojak: It's Always Something, his character having become an assistant district attorney. They remained friends until Savalas' death from bladder cancer in 1994.

In 1978, Dobson played Pete Lomas in the two-part TV movie The Immigrants, based on the novel by Howard Fast.

In 1981, Dobson starred as Det. Jack Shannon, a San Francisco police officer who is a single father, in the CBS series Shannon. However, the show failed to gain substantial ratings and was canceled after nine episodes. A more successful TV role for Dobson followed in 1982: M. Patrick "Mack" MacKenzie in the soap opera Knots Landing, opposite Michele Lee. He joined the show at the beginning of its fourth season in September 1982 and remained in the role until its cancellation in 1993. Dobson won five Soap Opera Digest Awards for his work on the series. He later reunited with his Knots Landing co-stars for a miniseries, Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac in 1997, and again in the 2005 non-fiction special Knots Landing Reunion: Together Again.

Dobson has also appeared in a number of feature films, most notably the World War II movie, Midway, alongside Henry Fonda and Charlton Heston, as Ensign George Gay — a pilot and the sole survivor of Torpedo Squadron Eight from the Aircraft Carrier USS Hornet's ill-fated opening attack against the Japanese fleet on June 4, 1942. Another prominent role was as the husband of Barbra Streisand in the 1981 romantic comedy All Night Long. He also had a small role as a priest in the well-received 2007 psychological horror film 1408.

Dobson continued to appear in a number of TV roles, including the syndicated F/X: The Series for one season, the drama series The Bold and the Beautiful, and as the fourth actor to play Mickey Horton on Days of Our Lives.

Movies for Kevin Dobson...

Beast of the Bering Sea
Title: Beast of the Bering Sea
Character: Glenn Hunter
Released: November 9, 2013
Type: Movie
With their father killed by a swarm of vampiric sea creatures, Bering Sea adventurers, Joe and Donna, team up with a marine biologist and her devoted deckhand to render the species extinct.
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Dark Power
Title: Dark Power
Character: Mayor Stan Wood
Released: July 9, 2013
Type: Movie
When the mayor of a crime-ridden city and his opponent are both assassinated while seeking election, two FBI agents, John Archer and Mila Driver, reluctantly join forces to investigate the murder only to discover that City Hall holds more secrets than the identity of the killer.
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Title: Hawaii Five-0
Released: September 20, 2010
Type: TV
Steve McGarrett returns home to Oahu, in order to find his father's killer. The governor offers him the chance to run his own task force (Five-0). Steve's team is joined by Chin Ho Kelly, Danny "Danno" Williams, and Kono Kalakaua.
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Portal
Title: Portal
Character: Benedict
Released: January 1, 2009
Type: Movie
Soon after finding their way into the shelter of the mysterious, fog-engulfed town of Mercy, two friends plan to rest up for the night, only to realize, as nights turn into nights, that time doesn't exist in this town.
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Christmas at Cadillac Jack's
Title: Christmas at Cadillac Jack's
Character: Cop
Released: December 18, 2007
Type: Movie
While stranded at a diner on Christmas Eve, Rose finds personal redemption in protecting a young baby from an abusive father on her way to reconciling with the child she had to give up for adoption in her youth.
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1408
Title: 1408
Character: Priest
Released: June 22, 2007
Type: Movie
A man who specializes in debunking paranormal occurrences checks into the fabled room 1408 in the Dolphin Hotel. Soon after settling in, he confronts genuine terror.
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Crash Landing
Title: Crash Landing
Character: Henderson Davis
Released: July 11, 2006
Type: Movie
When a hostage situation arises on-board a private plane with the daughter of a billionaire on-board. Major John Masters (Sabato Jr.) teams up with Captain Williams (Michael Paré) to stop the terrorist and land the plane.
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Title: Cold Case
Character: Mickey Thompson (2008)
Released: September 28, 2003
Type: TV
The Philadelphia homicide squad's lone female detective finds her calling when she is assigned cases that have never been solved. Detective Lilly Rush combines her natural instincts with the updated technology available today to bring about justice for all the victims she can.
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She's No Angel
Title: She's No Angel
Character: Donald Shawnessy
Released: March 4, 2002
Type: Movie
A drama and thriller story of a young woman who has suffered great abuse as a girl and who finds happiness when in a car accident, by mistake, she finds refuge in a false personality. She allows a pair of grieving parents to believe she is their late son's wife. But happiness is not so easy, since the past always comes out and Catherine will have to act to protect the family who has given so much affection.
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Title: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Character: Malcolm Turner
Released: October 6, 2000
Type: TV
A Las Vegas team of forensic investigators are trained to solve criminal cases by scouring the crime scene, collecting irrefutable evidence and finding the missing pieces that solve the mystery.
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Restraining Order
Title: Restraining Order
Character: Police Captain
Released: April 30, 1999
Type: Movie
Robert Woodfield is a criminal defense attorney, and he has defended a lot of criminals, many of whom are guilty, but has maintained that everyone deserves a competent defense, which he provides whether they are guilty or not. Currently he is defending Martin Ritter, a killer, whom he gets off. Later he has dinner with a friend, and his friend tells him that he needs to talk to him about something important. He is about to leave when some masked men go to his friend and kill him, when one of the men takes off his mask; it's Martin Ritter. Now being his lawyer, Robert can't say anything about what he saw. But that doesn't stop him from investigating what his dead friend was so worried about. It seems that he has stumbled onto something big, and instead of killing him they frame his wife for murder to get him to back off. But he doesn't and both his wife and him are now in danger. And still has no idea what's going on. Will he find out before they get to him?
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Mom, Can I Keep Her?
Title: Mom, Can I Keep Her?
Character: Dr. Joel Blair
Released: June 10, 1998
Type: Movie
Timmy Blair has the usual twelve-year-old's share of problems: his father is too busy at work, his new stepmother loads him with chores, and school life is as difficult as ever. When a furry friend follows him home from school, Timmy is delighted. There's only one problem. His new-found buddy is a 500 pound gorilla
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Nobody Lives Forever
Title: Nobody Lives Forever
Character: Lt. Jim Ransom
Released: March 26, 1998
Type: Movie
A homicide detective finds himself in an uneasy triangle with his fiancée and a female partner.
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Title: Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac
Character: M. Patrick McKenzie
Released: May 7, 1997
Type: TV
Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac is a 1997 television miniseries that served as a reunion show for the primetime soap opera Knots Landing. It aired on CBS in two two-hour parts on May 7 and May 9, 1997. The miniseries takes place four years after the series ended in 1993, and brings back castmembers William Devane, Kevin Dobson, Michele Lee, Donna Mills, Ted Shackelford, Joan Van Ark, Michelle Phillips and Stacy Galina in starring roles. It also includes cameo appearances by former cast members Tonya Crowe, Brian Austin Green, Kim Lankford, Claudia Lonow and Patrick Petersen.
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Title: Early Edition
Released: September 28, 1996
Type: TV
Gary Hobson thinks he may even be losing his mind when tomorrow's newspaper mysteriously arrives today giving him a disconcerting look into the future. What will he do with tomorrow's news?
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Title: FX: The Series
Character: Detective Leo McCarthy
Released: September 9, 1996
Type: TV
Rollie Tyler, a special effects expert, helps his detective friend solve crimes by making criminals see what they want to see. But what is real and what is illusion?
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Title: Nash Bridges
Character: Raymond Porter
Released: March 29, 1996
Type: TV
Fun-loving San Francisco Police Department investigator Nash Bridges is part of the elite Special Investigations Unit. He tackles crime using his keen sense of humor and charm. Joe Dominguez comes out of retirement to become Bridges' wisecracking yet more rule-abiding partner.
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Voice from the Grave
Title: Voice from the Grave
Character: Detective Joe Sraccula
Released: March 20, 1996
Type: Movie
A segment from the 'Unsolved Mysteries' TV series inspired this story, in which a nurse (Megan Ward) claims that she's possessed by a murdered co-worker's spirit which identifies the killer.
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If Someone Had Known
Title: If Someone Had Known
Character: Jack Liner
Released: May 1, 1995
Type: Movie
A young wife and mother is abused by her husband and keeps the secret from her friends and family.
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Title: Touched by an Angel
Character: Coach Earl Rowley
Released: September 21, 1994
Type: TV
Monica, an angel, is tasked with bringing guidance and messages from God to various people who are at a crossroads in their lives.
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Title: Burke's Law
Character: Sheriff Greene
Released: January 7, 1994
Type: TV
Burke's Law, a revival of the 1960s cop television series of the same name, aired on CBS from 1994 to 1995. The series centers on Amos Burke, a senior Los Angeles police officer and millionaire, and his son, Peter, who is a detective under his command.
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The Conviction of Kitty Dodds
Title: The Conviction of Kitty Dodds
Character: Chuck Hayes
Released: November 2, 1993
Type: Movie
An abused woman escapes from prison, is recaptured, and sent back then tries to get her sentence reduced. Based on a true story.
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A House of Secrets and Lies
Title: A House of Secrets and Lies
Character: Jack Evans
Released: September 27, 1992
Type: Movie
A newswoman is consumed by suspicions and guilt over her rocky marriage.
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Dirty Work
Title: Dirty Work
Character: Tommy Miller
Released: July 22, 1992
Type: Movie
A bail bondsman deals drugs on the side and thinks he's struck it rich when he conceives a scheme to steal counterfeit money. When the mob comes calling for it, he tries to set up a fellow employee as the culprit.
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Fatal Friendship
Title: Fatal Friendship
Character: Michael Bradley
Released: December 1, 1991
Type: Movie
A man begins suspecting that his best friend may be involved in an international crime ring.
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Title: The Commish
Released: September 28, 1991
Type: TV
Tony Scali is a former Brooklyn cop now the Police Commissioner of a small upstate city. But for Scali, this is no desk job. He's a tough yet compassionate boss, a loving husband and father, and a hands-on law enforcer with an unorthodox style of bending the rules. From parenthood to politics, from sex crimes to murder cases, one man takes it day-to-day with offbeat humor and street- smart skill.
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Casey's Gift: For Love of a Child
Title: Casey's Gift: For Love of a Child
Character: Hank Bolen
Released: September 24, 1990
Type: Movie
The friendships held between two families is threatened when one of their sons drowns in the other family's swimming pool.
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Kojak: It's Always Something
Title: Kojak: It's Always Something
Character: Assistant D.A. Bobby Crocker
Released: January 31, 1990
Type: Movie
After discovering the connection between a corrupt city commissioner and Colombian killers, Kojak is framed for the murder of a call girl and is prosecuted by former police detective Crocker, now an assistant D.A.
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Money, Power, Murder.
Title: Money, Power, Murder.
Character: Peter Finley
Released: December 10, 1989
Type: Movie
Peter Finley is a cable-TV newsman who is led into a network of sin and conspiracy when he has interest in a missing anchorwoman's story.
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Sweet Revenge
Title: Sweet Revenge
Character: Col. Joseph Cheever
Released: October 31, 1984
Type: Movie
While a major in the U.S. Army, Joe Cheever has a fling with his commanding officer's daughter that results in a pregnancy. Cheever convinces the girl to have an illegal abortion. The abortion goes wrong and the girl dies. To protect his career, Cheever implicates Captain Dennison whose life is thereby ruined. Years later, the Captain's now grown-up sister Katherine marries Army Major Alex Breen, and is stunned to learn his commanding officer is the now Colonel Cheever. She becomes obsessed with getting revenge for the sake of her dead brother.
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Margin for Murder
Title: Margin for Murder
Character: Mike Hammer
Released: October 15, 1981
Type: Movie
Mickey Spillane's hard-hitting '50s private eye, Mike Hammer, returns to television in the guise of Kevin Dobson to track down the killer of his best friend who was driving Hammer's car. Joining in the hunt are the detective's Girl Friday, the ever-hopeful Velda, and his cop friend, Pat Chambers.
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All Night Long
Title: All Night Long
Character: Bobby Gibbons
Released: March 6, 1981
Type: Movie
Executive George Dupler loses his temper and is demoted to the night manager at a 24 hour drugstore. After he suggests to his teenage son Freddie that he stop having an affair with suburban housewife Cheryl Gibbons, who is a distant cousin, Cheryl tries to seduce George. At home, in front of his mother, Freddie accuses his dad of stealing his girl, because he found Cheryl serving George a meal in the middle of the night, while her husband Bobby was on duty at the fire station. George then separates from his wife Helen, quits his job, moves into a warehouse, and asks Cheryl to move in with him.
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Mark, I Love You
Title: Mark, I Love You
Character: Hal Painter
Released: December 10, 1980
Type: Movie
A distraught widower is caught in a bitter custody battle with his late wife's parents over his 10-year-old son, following his plans to remarry and move off to California with the boy.
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Reunion
Title: Reunion
Character: Don Hollander
Released: October 14, 1980
Type: Movie
A married man, returning to his small town for a high school reunion, finds himself torn between his long-ago high school girlfriend and her 17-year-old daughter, whose boyfriend is the star player on the school's basketball team his fellow alumni are playing.
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Hardhat & Legs
Title: Hardhat & Legs
Character: Sal Pacheco
Released: February 9, 1980
Type: Movie
A sex education teacher falls for a construction worker with a gambling problem.
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Title: Knots Landing
Character: M. Patrick MacKenzie
Released: December 27, 1979
Type: TV
The domestic adventures, misdeeds and everyday interactions of five families living on a cul-de-sac in a small California community.
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Transplant
Title: Transplant
Character: John Hurley
Released: April 17, 1979
Type: Movie
Fact-based story about a hard-driving young executive who rebels against his failing heart and undergoes a risky transplant.
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Title: Tales of the Unexpected
Character: Fred Pearson
Released: March 24, 1979
Type: TV
A British television anthology of stories, often with sinister and wryly comedic undertones, and a twist at the end. With early episodes written and presented by Roald Dahl, the series featured a plethora of big name guest stars.
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The Immigrants
Title: The Immigrants
Character: Pete Lomas
Released: November 20, 1978
Type: Movie
The rags-to-riches saga of a young Italian immigrant who battles his way out of the San Francisco earthquake to become a shipping magnate, rise to the top of Nob Hill's society through a loveless marriage to the daughter of the city's wealthiest family, and find happiness with an Asian mistress despite the collapse of his fortune during the Wall Street crash.
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Title: Battle of the Network Stars
Released: November 13, 1976
Type: TV
Battle of the Network Stars was a series of competitions where television stars from ABC, CBS, and NBC would compete in various sporting events. A total of nineteen of these competitions were held, all of which were aired by ABC. In 2013, the show appeared in TV Guide's list of the 60 greatest game shows ever.
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Midway
Title: Midway
Character: Ensign George Gay
Released: June 18, 1976
Type: Movie
This war drama depicts the U.S. and Japanese forces in the naval Battle of Midway, which became a turning point for Americans during World War II.
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Title: Dinah!
Character: Self
Released: October 21, 1974
Type: TV
Dinah's show premiered 9 September 1974 and continued through to 4 September 1981. She started out the 70's with Dinah's Place which usually featured one guest and was more of a home oriented show about cooking, crafts and occasionally music. This format lasted until May of 1974. When the show came back in October of 1974 the format had changed drastically to a variety talk show which was called Dinah. and went on until 1981. This show was also known as "Dinah and Friends" during the summer of 1976.
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Title: Kojak
Character: Bobby Crocker
Released: October 24, 1973
Type: TV
A bald, lollipop sucking police detective with a fiery righteous attitude battles crime in New York City.
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Title: Emergency!
Released: January 22, 1972
Type: TV
The crew of Los Angeles County Fire Department Station 51, particularly the paramedic team, and Rampart Hospital respond to emergencies in their operating area.
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Title: Cannon
Released: September 14, 1971
Type: TV
Cannon is a CBS detective television series produced by Quinn Martin which aired from March 26, 1971 to March 3, 1976. The primary protagonist is the title character, private detective Frank Cannon, played by William Conrad. He also appeared on two episodes of Barnaby Jones. Cannon is the first Quinn Martin-produced series to be aired on a network other than ABC. A "revival" television film, The Return of Frank Cannon, was aired on November 1, 1980. In total, there were 124 episodes.
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Klute
Title: Klute
Character: Man at Bar (uncredited)
Released: June 23, 1971
Type: Movie
A high-priced call girl is forced to depend on a reluctant private eye when she is stalked by a psychopath.
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Title: The Mod Squad
Released: September 24, 1968
Type: TV
The Mod Squad was the enormously successful groundbreaking "hippie" undercover cop show that ran on ABC from September 24, 1968, until August 23, 1973. It starred Michael Cole as Pete Cochren, Peggy Lipton as Julie Barnes, Clarence Williams III as Linc Hayes, and Tige Andrews as Captain Adam Greer. The executive producers of the series were Aaron Spelling and Danny Thomas. The iconic counter-culture police series earned six Emmy nominations, four Golden Globe nominations plus one win for Peggy Lipton, one Directors Guild of America award, and four Logies. In 1997 the episode "Mother of Sorrow" was ranked #95 on TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.
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Title: Ironside
Character: Young Marine
Released: March 28, 1967
Type: TV
When an assassin's bullet confines him to a wheelchair for life ending his career as Chief of Detectives, Robert T. Ironside becomes a consultant to the police department. Detective Sergeant Ed Brown and policewoman Eve Whitfield join with him to crack varied and fascinating cases. Ex-con Mark Sanger is employed by the chief as home help but eventually becomes a fully fledged member of the team also. Officer Whitfield leaves after 4 years service, and is replaced by Officer Fran Belding.
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Title: The Mike Douglas Show
Character: Self
Released: December 11, 1961
Type: TV
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much of its first two years on the air. It then went into syndication in 1963 and remained on television until 1982. It was distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia.
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Title: The Mike Douglas Show
Character: Self - Co-Host
Released: December 11, 1961
Type: TV
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much of its first two years on the air. It then went into syndication in 1963 and remained on television until 1982. It was distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia.