Dan Blocker Quick Info
Height6 ft 4 in
Weight166 kg
Date of BirthDecember 10, 1928
Zodiac SignSagittarius
Date of DeathMay 13, 1972

Dan Blocker was an American actor whose breakout role was playing the fan-favorite character of Eric ‘Hoss’ Cartwright on the successful NBC television series, Bonanza (1959-1972). Additionally, he had also starred in films like Come Blow Your Horn (1963), Lady in Cement (1968), Something for a Lonely Man (1968), The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County (1970), etc.

Born Name

Bobby Dan Davis Blocker

Nick Name

Dan

Age

He was born on December 10, 1928.

Died

Dan passed away from pulmonary embolism in Los Angeles on May 13, 1972, at the age of 43 years.

Sun Sign

Sagittarius

Born Place

De Kalb, Texas, United States

Nationality

American

Occupation

Actor

Family

  • Father – Ora ‘Shack’ Blocker (Farmer)
  • Mother – Mary Arizona (Davis) Blocker
  • Siblings – He had 1 sister.

Net Worth

At the time of his death, Dan Blocker’s net worth was $5 million according to CelebrityNetWorth.com.

Build

Large

Height

6 ft 4 in or 193 cm

Weight

166 kg or 366 lbs

Girlfriend / Spouse

Dan Blocker had dated –

  • Dolphia Parker (1952-1972) – On August 25, 1952, he tied the knot with Dolphia Parker. The couple had raised 4 children together: 2 sons named David Blocker (b. 1955) and Dirk Blocker (b. July 31, 1957) and 2 identical twin daughters named Debra Lee Blocker (b. 1953) and Danna Lynn Blocker (b. 1953). Their marriage lasted for nearly 20 years until Dan’s death in 1972.
  • Race / Ethnicity

    White

    Hair Color

    Dark Brown

    Eye Color

    Blue

    Sexual Orientation

    Straight

    Distinctive Features

    • Towering height and strong built
    • Genial personality

    Religion

    Free Methodist Christianity

    Dan Blocker Facts

  • He was discovered by an agent while vacationing with his family in Hollywood. The agent spotted him while he was making calls in a phone booth and dressed in Western garb replete with a cowboy hat and boots.
  • Dan reportedly weighed 14 lbs at birth and, as such, had become the biggest baby to be born in Bowie County, Texas. By the time he turned 12, he already stood at 6′ tall and weighed around 200 lbs.
  • His close friend, director Robert Altman had initially cast him in the role of Roger Wade in his neo-noir film, The Long Goodbye (1973). Sadly, he passed away before filming could commence and Sterling Hayden had to be cast in the role instead.
  • Dan worked as a teacher at the Sonora High School in Texas for a few years in the 1950s before getting his big break in Hollywood.
  • He had served in the Korean War as a first sergeant with the 45th Oklahoma Division. He was awarded a ‘Purple Heart’ for his bravery in combat.
  • The legendary director Stanley Kubrick wanted Blocker to play the role of Major ‘King’ Kong in his acclaimed black comedy, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964). But, his agent rejected the script for being ‘too pinko’ and the character was eventually essayed by Slim Pickens.
  • A 1-mile stretch of coastline located at 26000 Pacific Coast Highway in North Malibu, California is named the Dan Blocker Beach in his honor.
  • Featured Image by TV Studio / Wikimedia / Public Domain

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