Richard Vincent Van Patten (December 9, 1928 – June 23, 2015) was an American actor, comedian, businessman, and animal welfare advocate, whose career spanned seven decades of television.

Van Patten began work as a child actor and was successful on the New York stage, appearing in more than a dozen plays as a teenager.

Later, he would star or co-star in many feature films, including Charly, Mel Brooks's Robin Hood: Men in Tights and Spaceballs, and Soylent Green.

[2] Van Patten's career in show business began as a child actor on Broadway in 1935 in Tapestry In Gray starring Melvyn Douglas.

He moved to television with the role of Nels Hansen in the series Mama, starring Peggy Wood, about a Norwegian-American family living in San Francisco in the early 20th century.

[2] Van Patten appeared in episodes of Sanford and Son, Banacek, Arrested Development, The Brian Keith Show, Cannon, The Streets of San Francisco, Adam-12, Emergency!, Growing Pains, and Happy Days.

[2] The Hollywood Walk of Fame honored Van Patten on November 20, 1985, with a Star of Television marker at 1541 North Vine Street.

He discusses his journey from his humble beginning in Queens, New York; his rise as a childhood star on Broadway during the Great Depression; working as an actor on the radio; the advent of television and his role in the second-ever live situation comedy Mama; a rough period between acting gigs including spending time as a real estate agent in Queens, New York; a rise back to the top that led the TV icon to the lead role on the popular hit show Eight Is Enough; and subsequent roles in television and movies.

[citation needed] In January 2006, Van Patten was taken to Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles following a diabetic stroke.

[11] Willie Aames, who played son Tommy Bradford on Eight Is Enough, called his television father "truly a gem [who] will be missed...As Dick always said 'Remember our times together, gang...Cause these ARE the good ole' days".

Betty Buckley, Van Patten's co-star on the series, said "Every day on the set he was a happy, jovial person, always generous and ready to play, tease, and always keep us all laughing.