Biography
Bobby Dan Davis Blocker (born December 10, 1928) was a renowned American on-screen personality addressed as Dan Blocker. He was a talented American television actor and TV personality.
He was also a Korean War veteran who starred as Hoss Cartwright in the long-running NBC Western television series Bonanza from December 10, 1928, until May 13, 1972.
Dan Blocker died at the age of 43 on May 13, 1972, in Los Angeles, California, from a heart attack. He was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California, United States.
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| WIKI FACTS & ABOUT DATA | |
| Full Name: | Bobby Dan Davis Blocker |
| Stage Name: | Dan Blocker |
| Born: | 10 December 1928 (age 43 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | De Kalb, Texas, United States |
| Died: | 13 May 1972, Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Nationality: | American |
| Height: | 1.93 m |
| Parents: | Ora Shack Blocker, Mary David Blocker |
| Siblings: | Ora Virginia Blocker |
| Wife • Spouse: | Dolphia Parker (m. 1952–1972 |
| Girlfriend • Partner: | N/A |
| Children: | Dirk Blocker, David Blocker, Debra Lee Blocker, Danna Lynn Blocker |
| Occupation: | Actor • TV Personality |
| Net Worth: | US$5 million |
Early Life & Education
Dan Blocker was born in De Kalb, Texas, the United States, on the 10th of December 1928.
He was the son of Ora Shack Blocker (father) and Mary David Blocker (mother). As a boy, he attended Texas Military Institute. He had a sibling named Ora Virginia Blocker.
In 1940, he enrolled at the Hardin-Simmons University and Sul Ross State University, and afterwards, he earned a degree in speech and drama. In 1946, he attended Hardin–Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, which is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.
Dan Blocker transferred to Sul Ross State Teacher’s College in Alpine, Texas, in 1947 and graduated in 1950, where he was a good football player.
He received a master’s degree in dramatic arts after two years of military service. While a student, he worked as a rodeo performer and a bouncer in a nightclub.
Personal Life
Dan Blocker got married to Dolphia Parker, whom he met while studying at the Sul Ross State University.
The couple gave birth to four children named Dirk Blocker and David Blocker and two twin daughters who they named Debra Lee Blocker and Danna Lynn Blocker. Dirk Blocker is a Hollywood actor, and David Blocker is a Hollywood producer.
Career
During the Korean War, Dan Blocker was enlisted into the US Army. He received basic military training at Fort Polk, Louisiana. He served in Korea from December 1951 to August 1952 as an infantry sergeant with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. Due to his combat wounds, he was awarded the Purple Heart.
Dan Blocker was also awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal with two bronze campaign stars, the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, the United Nations Service Medal, the Korean War Service Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
Dan Blocker also featured as a blacksmith and a cattleman in episodes of David Dortort‘s NBC series titled The Restless Gun, which premiered in the year 1957. In the same year, 1957, he played the role of a bartender in an episode of the syndicated Western crime drama titled Sheriff of Cochise. The drama also starred other veteran actors such as John Bromfield.
Afterwards, he made a debut in the film, which was titled, Gunsight Ridge. In the Cheyenne episode Land Beyond the Law, which premiered in 1957, he played the role of a bandit minion named Pete.
Cause Of Death
Dan Blocker died of a pulmonary embolism during gallbladder surgery at Daniel Freeman Hospital in Los Angeles on May 13, 1972, at the age of 43.
According to a news report, Dan Blocker went into the hospital for gall bladder surgery, had a blood clot in his lung, and died afterwards.
Net Worth
Before his demise, Dan Blocker had a total net worth estimation of US$5 million, which was made solely from the entertainment industry.
Social Media
- Instagram handle: Not available
- Twitter handle: Not available
Filmography
- Lady In Cement
- The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County
- Outer Space Jitters
- Come Blow Your Horn
- Gunsight Ridge
- Bonanza
- Ride The Wind
- Swing Out, Sweet Land
- Cimarron City
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