Actor and Poker Enthusiast Dick van Patten Dies at 86

To most people, Dick van Patten was known as an actor who appeared in many television shows, films and stage plays. To many in the poker world, however, he was also known as an avid poker player and commentator who had a love for the game long before it took off around the globe.

That is why the poker community is mourning the loss of van Patten, who passed away yesterday in California due to complications from diabetes.

A look back at his life shows that even in his young age, van Patten seemed destined for a life of distinguished greatness. He made his acting debut way back in 1935, at just seven years old, when he took part in a Broadway production.

After appearing in other theatre plays throughout his youth and early adulthood, van Patten started a film and television career in 1949 that would last for over sixty years and cover two centuries. It was a career that saw him play roles in multi-million dollar box office films like Snowball Express, Joe Kidd and Soylent Green alongside actors such as Clint Eastwood and Charlton Heston.

The New York-born actor also became a relatively famous face in poker, having been a regular commentator for the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in the mid-1990s and having participated in at least one World Poker Tour (WPT) Celebrity Invitational event.

His association with the WPT prompted the company to express its condolences on Twitter. “Rest in peace, Dick Van Patten. Our thoughts and prayers go out to (Vince van Patten) and his family,” the Tweet read.

Van Patten’s love of poker was passed on to his son, Vince, who was a professional tennis player and an actor in his own right.

The younger van Patten has also participated in numerous professional poker events, including two WSOP tournaments, and has been a long-running commentator for the WPT.

In a 2006 interview with g4tv, Vince van Patten revealed that he was first taught how to play poker by his father, who hosted home games “four nights a week with celebrity friends like Walter Matthau, Gabe Kaplan and Get Smart’s Don Adams”.

Dick van Patten is notable for being one of the first celebrities to openly show their active support for poker. His involvement with the game helped pave the way for other celebrities who participate in the sport today, whether through sponsorship, actively playing or commentating.

We at PokerTube send our thoughts and condolences to the van Patten family at this unfortunate times.