INQUISITR.COM / Entertainment

Hollywood, Fans Pay Tribute To Dick Van Patten: ‘Love Boat’ Star Dies At 86 [Video]

By Maat van Uitert
Published on: 04:55 PST, Jun 23, 2015

Hollywood and fans alike are paying tribute to veteran actor Dick Van Patten after learning the Eight Is Enough dad died today from complications resulting from diabetes. Social media has been littered with condolences and remembrances of the actor, who also starred in The Love Boat and memorable films such as Spaceballs. Van Patten was 86.

“RIP Dick Van Patten. Lived in our Long Island town before he moved to California in the early 1970s. Was as nice as he seemed” wrote one fan on Twitter.” “Dick Van Patten always came off like a nice guy and I have a feeling that wasn’t just good acting on his part. Rest In Peace” tweeted another fan.

It doesn’t stop there. “Just learned Dick Van Patten has died. He was a great guy. Fun loving and family loving and animal loving. My condolences to his family.”

“Dang. Hate to see news about Dick Van Patten. I always respected his air shield combination in SpaceBalls. 12345. RIP”

Warner Bros. TV, which produced some of Van Patten’s television shows, remembered him on Twitter, posting “RIP, Dick Van Patten. You will be missed.”

Dick died Tuesday morning at Saint John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California, reportedly surrounded by loved ones, reports MSN. Dick’s publicist, Jeff Ballard, confirmed that Van Patten died earlier today.

“He was the kindest man you could ever meet in life. A loving family man. They don’t make them like him anymore,” Ballard said in a statement to the media.

Van Patten’s role as the dad in Eight Is Enough earned him the number 33 spot in TV Guide‘s appraisal of the “50 Greatest Dads of All Time” in 2004. Dick’s 2009 autobiography is titled Eighty Is Not Enough, reports MSN.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Dick was born in Kew Gardens, New York. He began acting on stage when he was 7-years-old, debuting on Broadway. He then moved to Hollywood, and started to get parts in both television and film. He landed a part in television’s Mama in 1948, and later made appearances in the classic television shows Sanford and Son, Arrested Development, and Happy Days before he died.

Dick wasn’t just a television actor; he also was a philanthropist that contributed his time and energy to worthy causes. An ardent lover of animals, Van Patten created Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Pet Foods in 1989. He also founded National Guide Dog Month, which began in 2008 to raise awareness and money for nonprofit guide dog schools in the United States, reports the Chicago Tribune.

Dick is survived by his wife of 62 years, Patricia Van Patten, and his three sons, Nels, Jimmy, and Vincent. Even though he has died, he will be remembered for his incredible acting.

[Image from Jason Kempin / Staff / Getty Images]

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