Kevin Dobson, Kojak and Knots Landing star, dies at 77
Robin Marchant/FilmMagic
Actor Kevin Dobson, best known for starring in TV dramas like Kojak and Knots Landing, died Sunday of a heart attack. He was 77.
His death was announced by the United Veterans Council of San Joaquin County, an organization he once served as chairman.
Dobson starred as Det. Bobby Crocker on the popular CBS crime drama Kojak from 1973 to 1978. The network was also home to Knots Landing, the soap the actor appeared in as M. Patrick "Mack" Mackenzie from 1982 to 1993. Dobson won five Soap Opera Digest Awards for the role, including Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role: Prime Time.
The actor appeared on the soaps The Bold and the Beautiful and Days of Our Lives as well. Later on in his career, Dobson made guest appearances on series like House of Lies and Anger Management, and his last role was in the upcoming sci-fi series 12 to Midnight.
While audiences might know Dobson best for his work on the small screen, he acted in a dozen films as well, like 1981's All Night Long featuring Barbra Streisand and 2007's 1408 starring John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson.
Born March 18, 1943, in Jackson Heights, N.Y., Dobson served seven years in the U.S. Army and was a conductor on the Long Island Rail Road when he began thinking about acting. After bit parts on other shows, Dobson unsuccessfully auditioned for Kojak twice before he got the role, leaning on his military experience to convince the casting directors.
Dobson is survived by his wife Susan and their children Mariah, Patrick, and Sean.
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