Kevin Dobson, 'Knots Landing' And 'Kojak' Actor, Dies At 77
Kevin Dobson, a prominent presence on TV dramas in the 1970s and ’80s, died Sunday at age 77 in Stockton, California, according to reports.
Dobson had battled an autoimmune deficiency, his rep told The Hollywood Reporter.
The actor starred on “Kojak” (1973-78) as Telly Savalas’ detective sidekick Bobby Crocker and was a later addition to the prime time CBS melodrama “Knots Landing” (1979-93) as prosecutor Mack MacKenzie. Dobson’s character married Michele Lee’s Karen Fairgate after looking into the death of her first husband. He would later call Karen and Mack the “anchor couple” of the show.
Dobson, who served in the Army, was active in veterans affairs. He was chairman of the United Veterans Council of San Joaquin County, which announced his death at an area hospital due to “medical complications.”
The New York City native reportedly was working for the Long Island Rail Road before becoming inspired by a summer-stock talk by “Seven-Year Itch” star Tom Ewell about the confidence required to be an actor, he told Boomer Magazine. “This is it,” he said he told himself for his career choice.
Dobson had to audition three times for “Kojak,” but landed the role to cement a prodigious show business career.
He also worked on the soaps “Days of Our Lives,” “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “One Life To Live” and had the title role in a short-lived series called “Shannon.”
His film credits included “Midway” (1976) and “All Night Long” (1981) in which he played Barbra Streisand’s husband.
Dobson had steady work throughout most of his career. He had a role on a sci-fi TV series called “12 to Midnight” that was scheduled to air in 2021, according to IMDB.
He is survived by his wife Susan and three children, in addition to five grandchildren and four siblings.
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
