Kevin Dobson

At his best playing blue-collared tough guys, the handsome, curly dark-haired, Irish-American actor Kevin (Patrick) Dobson was born in Queens, New York, on March 18, 1943, and raised in housing projects of the Jackson Heights area. One of seven children born to a school janitor, the actor first worked as a trainman, brakeman and conductor for the LIRR (Long Island Rail Road), but eventually decided to pursue his acting interests.Toiling as a waiter/bartender at a restaurant owned by relatives, Dobson's first on-camera viewings began in 1969 on a daytime soap opera, playing various bit parts as cops, orderlies and intern types on _The Doctors (1963)_ (qv). Following an unbilled bit in the detective film _Klute (1971)_ (qv), he gravitated more and more towards TV. In the early 1970's he was spotted here and there on such popular crime shows as "The Mod Squad," "The Rookies," "Ironside," "Cannon" and "Police Story." This led to his pivotal role as young, eager Det. Bobby Crocker, part of the trusted squad of the bald, lollipop-licking Lt. Theo Kojak (series star 'Telly Savalas' (qv) on the hit CBS police drama _Kojak (1973)_ (qv).Earning a now familiar TV name for himself, Dobson stayed with the series throughout its five seasons. In between, he found a featured role in the film _Midway (1976)_ (qv) and earned a top-billed role in the TV movie _Stranded (1976)_ (qv) as one of a group of airplane passengers who survives a crash and marooned on a deserted island. A revolving series of starring roles in TV movies came Kevin's way following the demise of _Kojak (1973)_ (qv), including _Transplant (1979)_ (qv) starring as a workaholic exec risking a major heart operation; _Orphan Train (1979)_ (qv) with 'Jill Eikenberry' (qv) as a couple involved in the titled NYC movement and welfare program in the 1850's; _Hardhat and Legs (1980)_ (qv), a Gordon/Kanin romantic comedy co-starring 'Sharon Gless' (qv); _Reunion (1980)_ (qv), a sudsy drama essaying the part of a married man tempted at a high school reunion; _Mark, I Love You (1980)_ (qv), another sudsy drama as a widower having to fight his late wife's parents for child custody; and _Margin for Murder (1981)_ (qv), a Mike Hammer noirish mystery. He was also unsympathetically featured as 'Barbra Streisand' (qv)'s abusive husband in the romantic dramedy _All Night Long (1981)_ (qv).Kevin found another crimes series in the early 1980's to star in as the title San Francisco police officer in the short-lived _Shannon (1981)_ (qv), which was immediately followed by a second best-remembered series, as federal prosecutor Mack McKenzie, who marries 'Michele Lee' (qv)'s Karen Fairgate, on the popular night-time soap opera _Knots Landing (1979)_ (qv). Dobson copped five Soap Opera Digest 'Awards' (qv) for his work on this series. In between the eleven seasons was a reunion Kojak TV movie as (now) Asst. D.A. Bobby Crocker in _Kojak: It's Always Something (1990)_ (qv); plus other mini-movie leads in _Money, Power, Murder. (1989)_ (qv), _A House of Secrets and Lies (1992)_ (qv) and _The Conviction of Kitty Dodds (1993)_ (qv), as well as another detective role in the first season of _F/X: The Series (1996)_ (qv)Dobson began his career on stage, first with the 1968 national tour of "The Impossible Years." Dobson later served on the board of 'Lonny Chapman' (qv)'s Group Repertory Theatre company in North Hollywood, where he often directed and acted. Live theatre highlights include Chicago's Royal George Theatre production of the Tony Award-winning play "Art," as well as originating the role of Steve Gallop in the world premiere mounting of the 2000 play "If It was Easy" in Atlanta. He also co-starred with 'Richard Thomas' (qv) in Roundabout Theatre Company's 2009 national tour of "12 Angry Men."Into the millennium, Dobson returned full circle to his daytime soap opera roots with roles as Governor Harrison Brooks on _One Life to Live (1968)_ (qv) and Judge Devin Owens on _The Bold and the Beautiful (1987)_ (qv). He would also be the fourth actor taking over the role of Mickey Horton on _Days of Our Lives (1965)_ (qv). Parts in independent films also came to be with leads in the thriller _She's No Angel (2002)_ (qv) opposite 'Tracey Gold' (qv) and the mystery drama _The Representative (2011)_ (qv), plus featured roles in _Crash Landing (2005)_ (qv), _1408 (2007)_ (qv), _April Moon (2007)_ (qv) and _Dark Power (2013)_ (qv). Kevin also guested on such popular TV programs as "Nash Bridges," "Cold Case," "CSI," "Hawaii Five-0" and "Anger Management."A former Army soldier (MP), Dobson served twice as chairman of the National Salute To Hospitalized Veterans. Long married to wife Susan (since 1968) and the father of three children (Sean, Patrick and Mariah), Dobson died on September 6, 2020, after suffering a heart attack.::Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net