Dean Stockwell, Quantum Leap Star, Dead at 85
Veteran actor Dean Stockwell, best known for playing Admiral ‘Al’ Calavicci opposite Scott Bakula’s Dr. Sam Beckett in NBC’s sci-fi dramedy Quantum Leap, died Sunday of natural causes. He was 85.
Airing from March 1989 to May 1993, Quantum Leap starred Bakula as Dr. Sam Beckett, a physicist who in testing out a time travel theory “leapt” into the body of an Air Force pilot 50 years in the past. In trying to return home, Sam realized he could only randomly leap into other people, in other times. Stockwell played Sam’s womanizing, cigar-smoking hologram of a BFF/companion.
The role of Admiral ‘Al’ Calavicci earned Stockwell four Emmy Award nominations for Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, as well as one Golden Globe award.
He later recurred as Brother Cavil in Syfy’s reboot of Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009). Additional TV credits included JAG and 1998’s short-lived Tony Danza Show.
Born in North Hollywood in 1936, Stockwell was on Broadway by the time he was age 7, and his career as a child star began. As a child actor of the 1940s, his credits included the films Song of the Thin Man, The Boy with Green Hair, Kim and Gentleman’s Agreement (for which he won a Golden Globe).
His later big-screen credits included David Lynch’s Dune (1984) and Blue Velvet (1986), as well as To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), The Player (1992) and Air Force One (1997). Stockwell scored an Oscar nomination for his supporting performance in the 1988 comedy Married to the Mob.
Stockwell is survived by his wife, Joy, and their two children, Austin and Sophie.
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Sad news .. RIP 🙏💜!!
Very talented his whole life, he was also a fantastic child actor. I remember seeing him in ‘Kim’, ‘The Secret Garden’ and ‘The Boy with Green Hair’ as a kid and being amazed that this was the same actor as Al from ‘Quantum Leap’.
And then he was also extremely good looking as a young man. I’ve always enjoyed his work.
I guess Al has made the final leap home.
How about his career as a child actor? He starred in the movie ‘The Boy With the Green Hair” in the late 1940s. He was also the son in #Gentleman’s Agreement”
Even played William Powell and Myrna Loy’s son in one of theThin Man movies!
Some of his child actor film credits have been added, thank you. –Mgmt.
RIP. I’m a big admirer of his work especially Quantum Leap. One of my all time favourite shows. He was great in Battlestar Galactica too.
At least he gets to live on forever through his work
I have a DVD of Anchors Away [Frank Sinatra film] from 1945, he was in that; also in Cattle Drive with Joel McCrae in 1951.
He could do it all. Comedy, drama. It didn’t matter. Rest in peace.
You left out decades of Dean’s film career – going back to starring roles in Kim, The Boy with the Green Hair and The Secret Garden. Please celebrate his whole career!
Yes, I’m so glad people have pointed this out. When I was young, I had a scrapbook of movie star pictures that I had cut out from fan magazines,..only my favorites (judged more on looks than acting skills at that time, I’m sure, lol). Dean Stockwell was in those pages.
RIP.
He quantum leaped his way into the hearts of a generation of folk during his life. RIP.
One of my favorite shows ever!
I loved his character. I especially loved all the outfits he came out with.
He had a long career. RIP.
Aww, he will be greatly missed. Thank you for the years of entertainment you gave. RIP. <3
Damn shame. RIP.
One of his recurring tv credits is NCISNO. He played the father of Scott Bakula’s nemesis, the mayor. Was glad they got to act together again.
I was madly in love with Dean Stockwell from the day I first laid eyes on him in The Secret Garden. He was totally adorable and later carved a most impressive career, earning many awards for his work. See you on the other side!
My husband and I just bought the Quantum Leap series on DVD and finished watching it about 2 months ago. I loved Dean Stockwell (Admiral ‘Al’ Calavicci) in it.
Sorry to hear. He had a prolific career and I loved Quantum Leap. He also left a big impression on Dune.
In an acting career that lasted over 70 years, he could play either hero or villain with equal excellence. My earliest memory of him goes back to The Secret Garden with Margaret O’Brien in its first run.
RIP Sir
Don’t forget his shared best actor award at Cannes with Bradford Dilman and Orson Welles for Compulsion.
RIP, Mr. Stockwell.
He was wonderful in that, also In Long Day’s Journey Into Night with Katharine Hepburn, Ralph Richardson, and Jason Robards, His career ranged from talented child star to respected serious, and comic adult actor. He was also an artist and noted environmentalist.
RIP
Wonderful actor who created a slew of memorable characters, from the time he was an adorable child to his years as a slick wise guy and then to more recent years, when he played grizzled oldsters. He just had so much charm. When he was young, I thought he looked a lot like James Dean, and now I think Robson Green looks like Dean Stockwell. I don’t know what that contributes to anything, but it’s comforting somehow, that “Get me a new James Dean” has turned into “Get me a new Dean Stockwell.”
I hate to reduce so a storied career to one role, but Quantum Leap is probably one of the great underrated shows of all time. And in a big part due to him. The chemistry between him and Bakula is hard to find in any era. Hopefully some day they can get all the rights issues worked out so future generations can enjoy the show. But a great body of work, a true actor.
.
And for everyone killing the site on left out movies, yeah, sure, he has a huge career in all mediums, but this is TVLine, not MovieLine. Cut them some slack.
Little Nicky! So sad
I liked him in the Hallmark Channel movie “The Nanny Express”
RIP and thank you to one of the best.
So sorry to hear of his passing. Loved everything I’ve seen him in, especially Quantum Leap. Who didn’t love Al?! Loved him in The Secret Garden, The Boy with Green Hair, Song of the Thin Man, and many other good movies. RIP, Mr Stockwell. You’ve made the final leap home.