Actor- The Man From Atlantis, Bobby Ewing on Dallas, Step by Step
Patrick Duffy’s tremendous world wide audience appeal has been gained through three highly successful series. Starting with “Man From Atlantis,” then his thirteen years starring as Bobby Ewing on “Dallas” (including the unprecedented ‘dream season’ which he is brought back from the dead in the famous shower scene), and finally in seven seasons of the popular half-hour situation comedy “Step by Step”, Patrick has consistently been an audience favorite.
All three series were not only hugely successful in the U.S., but have become benchmark programs all over the world as well. “Man From Atlantis” captured its place in history when it became the first American television series program to be aired in China.
Born in 1949, Patrick was raised in a small town of 600 people in Montana and moved to Seattle in 1961. He began the Professional Actors Training Program at the University of Washington under RAD and Old Vic Alumnus William Duncan Ross and Canadian theatre and movement teacher Arnie Zaslov. This was the first undergraduate professional school for actors in a major U.S. university. Over 1,200 people auditioned for this ‘second year’ of the program and Patrick was one of 12 selected. The four year program trained the actors in works from medieval morality play to the modern works, with the obvious emphasis on Shakespeare through Mr. Ross and theatre and movement with Mr. Zaslov.
Upon graduation Patrick was hired as Artist-in-Residence for the state of Washington where he performed with symphonies, opera and ballet companies. It was at this time he met and fell in love with his wife, Carlyn, a ballet dancer with the First Chamber Dance Company of New York. Patrick was narrating their performances on their U.S. tour.
At his wife’s urging, Patrick left the northwest to try his hand on the New York stages. After performing in an Off-Broadway production of William Inge’s play “Natural Affection” Patrick’s agent suggested he move to Los Angeles.
Before he appeared in television or films he performed for a season with the Old Globe Shakespeare Co. in San Diego. Patrick then returned to Los Angeles and guest-starred with Julie Harris in “The Last of Mrs. Lincoln” for PBS. In 1976 he was cast as Mark Harris in “Man From Atlantis”. One week after that show was cancelled he was cast in “Dallas”.
Between the beginning of ‘Man From Atlantis” and the ending of “Step by Step” Patrick was only out of work for a total of three weeks. Since beginning his T V career he has starred in well over a dozen Movies For Television and countless Specials. While on “Dallas” he began his directing career by directing 30 episodes of that series and 49 of “Step by Step”. He and his good friend Larry Hagman co-produced the final television movie of “Dallas”. In March of 2000 he made his London West-End debut in Yasmina Reza’s ART and has since returned for a season of the U.K.’s traditional PANTO.
Recently Patrick launched the new “Bingo in America”, and also starred for two years as Stephan Logan on CBS’s “The Bold and the Beautiful”. Now everyone should be watching for him on the unusual ‘Patrick Duffy and The Crab’ on YouTube and Facebook.
In his spare time Patrick has completed writing the first of a trilogy of science fiction books of the “Man From Atlantis” which is yet to be published.
Patrick and Carlyn have been married for 41 years and have two sons, Padraic a playwright, and Conor an actor-writer-producer both of whom live in Los Angeles. Patrick and his wife are permanent residents on their ranch in Oregon but often are in LA for work or visits with their children and grandchildren.
To have Patrick speak at your next event,
please contact karen@dsbeventsandtalent.com or call (303) 478-6652