Dean Stockwell Net Worth

Dean Stockwell’s Net Worth: A Look at the Prolific Actor’s Career and Life

Dean Stockwell, a celebrated American actor, left behind a rich legacy in the world of entertainment. At the time of his passing on November 7, 2021, at the age of 85, his net worth was estimated at $5 million. This article delves into Stockwell’s remarkable career, exploring his diverse roles across film and television, his early life, and his contributions beyond acting.

Table of Contents

Early Life

Born Robert Dean Stockwell on March 5, 1936, in Los Angeles, California, Dean Stockwell was destined for a life in the arts. His parents, Betty Stockwell, a vaudeville actress, and Harry Stockwell, an actor and singer, provided a foundation in the entertainment industry. His older brother, Guy Stockwell, also pursued acting. Stockwell’s upbringing was split between Los Angeles and New York City, influenced by his family’s show business endeavors. His stepmother, Nina Olivette, further enriched his artistic environment with her talents in acting, singing, dancing, and comedy.

Diane Freed/Getty Images

Film Career as Child Actor

Dean Stockwell’s acting journey began at a young age. After a minor role in the play “Innocent Voyage,” he secured a contract with MGM. He made his film debut in MGM’s 1945 melodrama “The Valley of Decision,” quickly followed by a more prominent role in the musical “Anchors Aweigh.”

• 1946: Key role in “The Green Years”, playing an Irish Catholic orphan.
• Loaned to 20th Century Fox for “Home Sweet Homicide”.
• 1947: Notable roles in MGM films such as “The Mighty McGurk,” “The Arnelo Affair,” “The Romance of Rosy Ridge,” and “Song of the Thin Man.”
• Appeared in the Best Picture Oscar winner “Gentleman’s Agreement” as Gregory Peck’s son Gregory Peck’s.
• Continued to appear in films for MGM, Fox, and RKO, including “Deep Waters,” “The Boy with Green Hair,” “Down to the Sea in Ships,” and “The Secret Garden.”
• 1950s: Starring roles in “Stars in My Crown,” “The Happy Years,” and “Kim,” where he played the title role.
• “Kim” co-starred Errol Flynn and Paul Lukas and was a major box-office success.
• His final film role as a child was in the 1951 Western “Cattle Drive.”

Film Career as Adult, Part 1

After a brief hiatus for education, including attending Alexander Hamilton High School and the University of California, Berkeley, Stockwell returned to the film industry in 1957. He took on roles in “Gun for a Coward” and “The Careless Years.”

• 1959: Starred in the adaptation of the play “Compulsion” alongside Orson Welles and Bradford Dillman, earning the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor.
• 1960s: Significant roles in “Sons and Lovers,” “Long Day’s Journey into Night,” and “Rapture.”
• 1970s: Appeared in “The Dunwich Horror,” Dennis Hopper’s “The Last Movie,” “The Loners,” and “The Werewolf of Washington.”
• Other notable credits included “Citizen Soldier,” “Tracks,” and “She Came to the Valley.”

Film Career as Adult, Part 2

The 1980s brought further success to Stockwell’s career, including roles in “Alsino and the Condor” and “Wrong is Right.” He also co-directed “Human Highway” with Neil Young.

• 1984: Appeared in “Paris, Texas” and David Lynch’s “Dune.”
• Reunited with Lynch for “Blue Velvet.”
• Other 80s credits: “The Legend of Billie Jean,” “To Live and Die in L.A.,” “Banzai Runner,” “Tucker: The Man and His Dream,” and “Married to the Mob,” for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
• 1990s: Appeared in “Limit Up,” “Sandino,” and Dennis Hopper’s “Catchfire.”
• Roles in Robert Altman’s “The Player” and Hopper’s “Chasers.”
• Further credits: “Naked Souls,” “Mr. Wrong,” “McHale’s Navy,” “Air Force One,” “The Shadow Men,” and Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Rainmaker.”
• Starred in the thriller “Rites of Passage” to close the decade.

(Photo by Catherine McGann/Getty Images)

In the new millennium, Stockwell appeared in “The Flunky” and the science-fiction horror film “They Nest.” He also voiced a role in “Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.” Later films included “In Pursuit,” “Italian Ties,” “CQ,” “The Quickie,” and “Buffalo Soldiers,” all released in 2001. In 2004, he was part of the ensemble cast of Jonathan Demme’s remake of “The Manchurian Candidate.” He acted less frequently in the following years but made appearances in “C.O.G.,” “Persecuted” (2013), “Deep in the Darkness,” and “Rusty Steel” (2014). His final film roles came in “Entertainment” (2015) and “Max Rose” (2016).

Television Career

Dean Stockwell’s television career was as extensive as his film work. He made early appearances in the late 1950s on shows like “Matinee Theatre” and “Wagon Train.” Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, he guest-starred on numerous series.

• Appeared on “Checkmate”, “The Twilight Zone”, “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”, “Combat!”, “Dr. Kildare”, “Bonanza”, “Mannix”, “Columbo”, “Mission: Impossible”, “Police Story”, “Cannon”, and “McCloud.”
• Starred in television films, including “Paper Man,” “The Failing of Raymond,” and “A Killing Affair.”
• 1980s: Episodes of “Hart to Hart,” “The A-Team,” “Miami Vice,” and “Murder, She Wrote.”
• From 1989 to 1993: Starred in the science-fiction series “Quantum Leap” alongside Scott Bakula.
• Appeared in TV films: “Vanishing Son II,” “The Innocent,” and “Madonna: Innocence Lost.”
• Later in the decade, Stockwell had a main role in “The Tony Danza Show.”
• 2002 to 2004: Recurring role on the legal drama “JAG.”
• 2006 to 2009: Played John Cavil on “Battlestar Galactica.”
• Final TV appearances in 2014: Episodes of “Enlisted” and “NCIS: New Orleans.”

Personal Life and Death

Dean Stockwell’s personal life included two marriages. In 1960, he married actress Millie Perkins, though they divorced in 1962. In the intervening years, he embraced the hippie subculture in Los Angeles and took a break from show business. His second marriage was to textiles worker Joy Marchenko in late 1981. The couple moved to Taos, New Mexico, and had a son, Austin, in 1983 before divorcing in 2004.

Dean Stockwell’s passing in November 2021 marked the end of an era. His contributions to film, television, and the arts remain a testament to his talent and versatility. He died of natural causes in Whangārei, New Zealand, at the age of 85.