Actor Dean Stockwell, best known for his work in David Lynch’s Blue Velvet, as well as his 5-year turn on NBC’s Quantum Leap, died on Sunday. He was 85 years old.
Stockwell was up for an Oscar in 1988 for Best Supporting Actor. He was nominated for his turn as mob boss Tony “The Tiger” Russo in Married to the Mob. He also received 4 Emmy nominations for his role as Al Calavicci on Quantum Leap. Stockwell’s character served as a guide to the show’s time-traveling hero Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula). He appeared as a hologram that only Sam could see and hear. Al provides Sam with the information he needed to help put right what once went wrong. He was also a bit of comic relief.
Stockwell began acting as a child in Hollywood’s golden age and appeared on Broadway in 1943. Soon after, he was signed by MGM and appeared in films with Gregory Peck, Frank Sinatra, and Gene Kelly before he was 10. In the 70 plus years since, he earned over 200 credits. He worked for such notable directors as David Lynch, Jonathan Demme, Robert Altman, Wim Wenders, Sidney Lumet, and Francis Ford Coppola.
Besides Quantum Leap and Blue Velvet, Stockwell may be best remembered as Dr. Yueh in David Lynch’s flawed adaption of Dune in 1984, Howard Hughes in Tucker: The Man and His Dream in 1988, or as Defense Secretary Walter Dean in Air Force One. More recently, he played John Cavil, the villainous Cylon Model Number One on the SyFy channel’s update of Battlestar Galactica.
In the 1960s, he guest-starred in many television series. One of his more memorable appearances was in the 1961 Twilight Zone episode A “Quality of Mercy.” He played an American officer ordered to lead a charge against the Japanese in World War II. Somehow he was transported back in time and transformed into a Japanese officer in a similar situation giving him a new perspective.
Dean. My oldest friend. A godfather-figure to my daughter, Amber. Brilliant artist. Loving dad. We met on the set of The Boy With Green Hair, stayed close til his last breath.
Rest easy now, brother. Give Dennis a hug from me when you see him on the other side. #DeanStockwell pic.twitter.com/BmotHFEmp0
— Russ Tamblyn (@RussTamblyn) November 9, 2021
Dean Stockwell was one of the greatest actors of his generation. Less showboaty and affected than many of his more famous contemporaries, but often more nuanced and interesting. I wanted him badly for my Showbiz Kids doc but he politely refused, he was done with the camera. RIP https://t.co/Xb4A92VzRv
— Alex Winter (@Winter) November 9, 2021
Rest in Peace Dean Stockwell. 💖 What an amazing actor. He always had a mischevious glint of humor in his eyes. I was honored to work with him in the pilot for “Quantum Leap” at @NBCUniversal along with Scott Bakula. #deanstockwell pic.twitter.com/clTJUvNx54
— Lydia Cornell (@LydiaCornell) November 9, 2021
Got to work with Dean Stockwell in Batman Beyond: Return of The Joker. What a talented actor. One of the joys of working on Bats for 30 years was working with the amazing guest artists. Goodnight, Dean Stockwell https://t.co/S7kgOfeu72 https://t.co/oVMOZ2FAPG
— Kevin Conroy (@RealKevinConroy) November 9, 2021
Such an honor to have gotten to work with Dean Stockwell. An incredible career and a truly unique and lovely man. RIP Dean. #SoSayWeAll pic.twitter.com/2QwOVdf5hj
— Tricia Helfer (@trutriciahelfer) November 9, 2021
A true giant of a human being has passed. I was so fortunate to have worked with him on Miami Vice and Battlestar. I will cherish the years we spent together He was a gift to all who truly knew him. #RIP #SoSayWeAll https://t.co/PBYvOKUczA
— Edward James Olmos (@edwardjolmos) November 9, 2021
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After retiring from acting in 2015, Stockwell became known as an artist exhibiting his work under his full name, Robert Dean Stockwell.
Stockwell is survived by his wife, Joy Stockwell, and their two children, Austin Stockwell and Sophia Stockwell.
