Kevin Dobson, famously remembered for his role as detective Bobby Crocker in the movie Kojak, breathed his last at 77.
Kevin Dobson, an actor, known for his roles in dramas ‘Kojak’ and ‘Knots Landing,’ died at 77 in Stockton, California. As stated for Forbes, his death was announced on Facebook by the United Veterans Council of San Joaquin County, where he once served as the chairman.
Life and Works
Before pursuing a long career in acting, Dobson served in the US Army and then was a Long Island Rail Road brakeman and conductor. He worked as a waiter for a few years before finally starting his films in the late 1960s.
Kevin Dobson starred in many shows like The Doctors, Emergency! Cannon, One Life to Live, The Mod Squad among others. After appearing on many such shows, he landed his first significant role in Kojak, where he played as Lieutenant Theo Kojak.
The CBS show had a run for five seasons, starting 1973 and ending 1978. The show was a hit because a movie based on Kojak’s character, called ‘Kojak,’ was released in 1990.
His second major role was in the soap opera Knots Landing, which commenced in 1982. He essayed the character of Marion Patrick ‘Mack’ MacKenzie, playing the role opposite star Michelle Lee’s character Karen MacKenzie. The show ran the course for 14 seasons until it ended in 1993.
Personal Life of Dobson
Born on March 18th, 1943, at Queens, New York, in the family of a janitor of a grammar school, Kevin Dobson was of Irish descent and had six siblings. He got hitched to Susan Hobson in 1968, the same year he started his acting career. Dobson now has three kids.
After doing many jobs as a railway conductor, brakeman, and waiter, he decided to pursue acting and began with small roles until Kojak came along.
For his role, Dobson had to borrow a suit. Moreover, he had auditioned twice and failed, then called his agent, telling him to do what he had to do. And so he called in a favor, and I read for them.
Kevin Dobson added that he was a military policeman in the army, so he knew how to hold a gun or throw somebody against a wall. He finally got a call the next night, asking if he would sign a contract.
Dobson auditioned for the third time and finally won the role of a lifetime, which opened the doors of many other notable shows and films that he performed in his lifetime.
In 12 to Midnight, his last appearance was in the episode ‘Nana’s Pancakes, ‘ which aired in 2017.
Images courtesy of Joe Seer/Shutterstock, Charles Edwards/Shutterstock