Kevin Dobson Passes On

Kevin Dobson, who played Detective Crocker on Kojak and Mack MacKenzie on Knots Landing, died on September 6 2020 at the age of 77.

Kevin Dobson was born on March 18 1943 in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York. Before beginning his acting career, he worked as a trainman, brakeman, and conductor for the Long Island Rail Road. He also served in the United States Army.

Kevin Dobson made his acting debut in a guest appearance on the soap opera The Doctors in 1969. He would make several more guest appearances on the show in small roles until 1971. In the Seventies he guest starred on the shows The Mod Squad, The Rookies, Emergency!, Ironside, Cannon, Police Story, Captain Kangaroo, Greatest, and Heroes of the Bible. In 1973 he began playing Detective Crocker on Kojak, a role he played for the show's entire run. He appeared in the movies Klute (1971) and Midway (1978).

In the Eighties he starred on the short lived show Shannon and the TV show Knots Landing. He guest starred on the shows CBS Afternoon Playhouse and Tales of the Unexpected. He reprised his role as Crocker in the television reunion movie Kojak: It's Always Something. He appeared in the movie All Night Long (1981).

In the Nineties Mr. Dobson continued to appear on Knot's Landing. He played Detective Leo McCarthy on the syndicated show F/X: The Series. He guest starred on Burke's Law, Touched by an Angel, The Commish, Early Edition, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and Nash Bridges. He appeared in the movie Restraining Order (1999).

In the Naughts Kevin Dobson had recurring roles on the soap operas One Life to Live and The Bold and the Beautiful. He guest starred on the show Cold Case. He appeared in the movies She's No Angel (2002), Crash Landing (2005), 1408 (2007), and April Moon. In the Teens he had a recurring role on House of Lies. He guest starred on the series Hawaii Five-0 and Anger Management. He appeared in the movies The Representative (2011) and Dark Power (2013).

Kevin Dobson was always a reliable presence on television. It should be little wonder that he had recurring roles on so many television shows, as he consistently gave good performances. He was believable as Detective Crocker on Kojak and as prosecutor Mack Mackenzie on Knots Landing. He played a variety of roles throughout his career, including famed detective Mike Hammer in the television movie Margin for Murder. He was an actor of considerable talent who consistently gave good performances.