Quantum Leap and Battlestar Galactica’s Dean Stockwell passed away

Legendary sci-fi actor Dean Stockwell has passed away.

Numerous outlets are reporting that Dean Stockwell of Quantum Leap and Battlestar Galactica has passed away at the age of 85. The iconic actor passed away on Sunday at his home, peacefully, from natural causes. Many fans will surely recognize him from something he’s been in, as he had a long and distinguished career that has stretched decades.

He started acting in the 1940s, with his first movie being the 1945 fantasy, comedy film “The Horn Blows at Midnight”. Fantasy and science fiction would truly define his career later in life but his early movies were mostly dramas and noir-type films.

He would start to appear in science fiction properties in the 1960s, landing in the 80th episode of the Twilight Zone, “A Quality of Mercy”. Following that he would appear in two different Alfred Hitchcock series, Mission Impossible, Night Gallery, and Orson Welles Great Mysteries.

Dean Stockwell would take off in the 1980s.

Despite being in his late 40s/early 50s by the time the 80s hit, Stockwell would end up having his most mainstream success of his career. He landed a role in the 1984 version of Dune. Following that he landed the most notable role of his career as Albert “Al” Calavicci in Quantum Leap, the best friend of Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula).

From there he would return to the Twilight Zone when the show was rebooted in the late 80s, as well as the role of Duke Nukem (not that Duke Nukem) on Captain Planet and the Planeteers cartoon, as well as a brief guest spot on Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Stargate SG-1, Nowhere Man, and as an older Tim Drake on Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.

Yet, many fans on this site may remember him most as the duplicitous as the Number One Cylon, aka John Cavil on the Ronald D. Moore led Battlestar Galactica.

Stockwell may be gone but his impact on science fiction will never be forgotten.

Thank you, Mr. Stockwell, for all the memories.