Dick Van Patten

'Dick Van Patten' (qv) began acting as a child. He made his first of 27 Broadway appearances at age seven in "Tapestry in Grey". After, he appeared in numerous films, including _Freaky Friday (1976)_ (qv), _Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)_ (qv), and _Spaceballs (1987)_ (qv). His television credits include his best-known role on the 1980s comedy-drama _Eight Is Enough (1977)_ (qv), on which he played Tom Bradford, the patriarchal head of the pack.Van Patten authored several bestselling books, including "How To Get Your Child Into Show Business" and his autobiography, "Eight Isn't Enough". He was also known for lending his name to "Natural Balance", a line of high-end dog food that is intended to be indistinguishable from stews and other dishes, that are normally intended for human consumption. He was married to 'Pat Van Patten' (qv) (née Patricia Poole) for 61 years; the union produced three sons: 'Nels Van Patten' (qv), 'James Van Patten' (qv), and 'Vincent Van Patten' (qv).::'Jeff Ballard' (qv) Public Relations (2014)