Celebrity Nooz: Dirk Benedict

Dirk Benedict (Actor) - The A-Team

Updated: 2/19/20

Name: Dirk Benedict

Birth Name: Dirk Niewoehner

Born: March 1, 1945, Helena, Montana

Claim To Fame: Dirk Benedict is an American movie, television and stage actor and author. He is best known for playing the characters Lieutenant Templeton "Faceman" Peck in The A-Team television series and Lieutenant Starbuck in the original Battlestar Galactica film and television series.

Family Life: He married actress Toni Hudson in 1986 and they later divorced in 1995. They have two sons together: George and Roland. In 1998, Benedict learned that he also has another son, John Talbert (born 1968), from an earlier relationship.

Info: Born to Priscilla Mella, an accountant, and George Edward Niewoehner, a lawyer.

He grew up in White Sulphur Springs, Montana.

Graduated from Whitman College in 1967.

Is a member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.

Is a prostate cancer survivor. Cured it by moving to a secluded cottage and following the rules of his macrobiotic diet.

Benedict published an autobiography, Confessions of a Kamikaze Cowboy: A True Story of Discovery, Acting, Health, Illness, Recovery, and Life.

Wrote the book "And Then We Went Fishing: A Story of Fatherhood, Fate and Forgiveness".

Trivia: Benedict allegedly chose his stage name from a serving of Eggs Benedict he had prior to his acting career.

Benedict was in the New York run of Butterflies Are Free, he received an offer to repeat his performance in Hawaii, opposite Barbara Rush.

While in Hawaii for an appearance on Hawaii Five-0, the producers of a horror film called Ssssss saw his performance on the show and cast him as the lead in that movie.

His big career break came in 1978 when he appeared as Lieutenant Starbuck in the movie and television series Battlestar Galactica.

He again found fame four years later when he starred as Lieutenant Templeton "Face" Peck in 1980s action television series, The A-Team. He played "Faceman" from 1982 to 1986 (although the series didn't air until January 1983, and the final episode wasn't shown until 1987 re-runs).

In 1987, Benedict took the title role of Shakespeare's Hamlet at the Abbey Theatre in Manhattan. Both his performance and the entire production were lambasted by critics.

Helped write the 'love scene' between his and Patsy Kensit's character in Blue Tornado (1991).

In 2000, Benedict wrote and directed his first screenplay, Cahoots.

Benedict was a contestant on the 2007 U.K. series of Celebrity Big Brother, and made his big entrance on the first night in a replica of the A-Team van.

Posed for a picture with actress Katee Sackhoff at a coffee shop, leading to the picture being titled, "Starbuck with Starbuck at Starbucks!".

In 2010, he starred as Lieutenant Columbo in the film Prescription: Murder.

Where Are They Now: After almost a decade, Benedict returned to feature work playing Jack Strange in 2019's Space Ninjas. Now, it's rumored that he's been cast in the TV Mini-Series 'After Hell', which is currently in production; So keep an eye out for that.

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