STOCKTON —Kevin Dobson, the actor best known for playing Mack in “Knots Landing,” Detective Bobby Crocker on “Kojak” and Mickey Horton in “Days of Our Lives,” died Sunday in Stockton. He was 77.
The United Veterans Council of San Joaquin County announced the actor’s death on its official Facebook page. The Army veteran served as chairman of the San Joaquin County group and kicked off the 20204th of July Virtual Paradewith a video.
“I was in the Army, I really enjoyed serving,” Dobsonsaid in the video.
Dobsontwice served as chairman of the National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans and was active in local veterans causes.
Dobson, who as a celebrity has been asked by plenty of organizations to lend his support, chose to invest his volunteer hours with veterans.
He was instrumental in bringing DouglasTaurel’s one-man show, “The American Soldier,” to Stockton in 2019, two years after moving to the community and wasting no time making it his home.
“The community is so diverse, and the people are so warm,” Dobson told the Lincoln Center Chronicle in 2018.
“The idea was to bring ‘The American Soldier’ here to Stockton make the public more aware,”Dobson, who moved to Stockton in 2017, told The Record. “Veterans show up for veterans stuff, but I want the public to become more aware of veterans’ plights. This show ... gives a better understanding of the mindset of being a veteran, being a combat veteran. The more aware we become, the better our chances of helping veterans get the benefits they need.”
“A deeply caring man, Kevin was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, cherishing his loving family above his many outstanding professional and charitable accomplishments,” his family said in a statement announcing his death.
More:‘The American Soldier’ shines a light on the plight of veterans
Kevin’s son, Patrick Dobson, is general manager of Stockton’s Sherwood Mall, his brother, Brian Dobson, said.
The actor leveraged his fame to help veterans in Stocktonand was twice Chairman of the National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans to promote volunteering at VA Facilities across America.
Dobson was recognized for his volunteer work by President George H.W. Bush in a private meeting in the White House Oval Office. He also hosted the Veterans Inaugural Balls for Presidents Bushand Clinton, and for his work to promote volunteerism at VA Medical Facilities, he received the AMVETS Silver Helmet Award for Americanism, the highest recognition given by a veteran organization, his family said.
Born in Queens, New York, on March 18, 1943, Dobson was a brakeman and conductor on the Long Island Railroad, a semi-professional baseball player and served as an MP during the Vietnam era before breaking into acting.
His big break came as Gov.Harrison Brooks in TV’s”One Life to Live” in 1968. In 1976, he appeared as Ensign George Gay in director Jack Smight’s star-studded “Midway” with Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda and James Coburn.
Starring on TV's “Kojak,” from 1973 to 1978, Dobson played Telly Savalas’ eager young partner Detective Bobby Crocker. In the 1990 TVmovie “Kojak: It’s Always Worth Something," Crocker had moved up to Assistant District Attorney.
Dobson starred for 11 years as powerful attorneyM. “Mack” Patrick MacKenzie in CBS’ populardrama “Knots Landing” alongside screen wife Michele Lee. Dobson insisted that his character be a VA volunteer. He appearedon the long-running series, originally a “Dallas” spin-off,from 1982 to 1993 and won five Soap Opera Digest awards for the role.
Dobson and the cast reunited for the 1997 TV mini-series “Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac.”
Paul Carafotes, who played Harold Dyer on “Knots Landing,” called Dobson a “gracious, open-minded” actor.
“I remember him for his friendship,” Carafotes tweeted. “We had fun.”
From 1996to 1997, Dobson starred as Detective Leo McCarthyin TV’s “F/X: The Series,” and he starred as Judge Devin Owens in the daytime drama "The Bold and the Beautiful" from 2006 to 2007.
In 2008 he played Mickey Horton in the long-running character's final appearances on “Days of Our Lives.”
Dobson was married to producer Susan Dobson for more than five decades, since 1968. The couple have three children — daughter Mariah and sons Patrick and Sean,creative marketing executive at Netflix—and grandchildren Brady, Stella, Marlowe, Tiegan and Rylan. He is also survived by sisters Jane and Mary, brothers Brian and Dennis and by many nieces, nephews and extended family. He was predeceased by brothers James and Ronald.
Dobson’sofficial death notice stated that, in lieu of flowers, “as Kevin would preferand always said‘If you love America, Thank a Vet.’”
