Dirk Benedict (1979)

During the 1978/1979 television season, Dirk Benedict stared in one of his most-memorable roles as Lt. Starbuck in Battlestar Galactica. Ironically, just a few months later, Benedict came to Elitch’s Theatre and stared in The Rainmaker as…Bill Starbuck. Several years later, Benedict would go on to his most-recognizable role as Templeton Peck in The A-Team.

“In a minor scene, set in the corner of a barn, the script of The Rainmaker called for Benedict to take off his shirt. Prolonged whistles and stomps…erupted from the audience, and Benedict hung his head while he waited.”
[Rocky Mountain News, July 27, 1979]

Benedict’s Bio from the 1979 Historic Elitch Theatre Program for The Rainmaker:

DIRK BENEDICT (Bill Starbuck). It’s difficult to believe that one of television’s newest and most talented stars had no thoughts of an acting career or Hollywood while growing up. But for Dirk Benedict, who plays Lt. Starbuck in ABC-TV’s top-rated science-fiction series, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, this is true. Dirk was born and raised in White Sulphur Springs, Montana, a small town which had no movie theatres and no television during his high school years. While people in other towns were being entertained by films and TV, the residents of White Sulphur Springs spent their leisure time with their families or fishing, hunting, and skiing.

Dirk lettered in three sports in high school and was elected to the All-State football team in his senior year. His dreams were to be a football star, not a Hollywood star.

It was at Whitman College, in Walla Walla, Washington, that the theatre first became a part of Dirk’s life. During his freshman year there he accepted his football buddies’ dare to audition for the Spring musical which resulted in his being given the lead role of Gaylord Ravenal in SHOWBOAT. The next three years were filled with many more leads in musical productions.

Upon graduation, with a degree in Fine Arts, Dirk began a two-year training program under the tutelage of John Fernald, Principal of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London for over fifteen years. After fulfilling the rigorous demands of the all-English staff of John Fernald’s school, Dirk was offered the opportunity to work in Mr. Fernald’s repertory company. He followed this with a season at the Seattle Repertory Company and another in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In between seasons Dirk did summer stock in Houghton Lake, Michigan where he played such roles as Edmund in KING LEAR, Johnny Tarleton in MISALLIANCE, Ensign Pulver in MISTER ROBERTS and the lead in Neil Simon’s STAR-SPANGLED GIRL.

Through all this Dirk maintained an active interest in music, playing the pia- no, trombone and singing. He helped form a Dixieland Jazz Band in Seattle but, prior to its debut, Dirk took a short break to visit New York and meet an agent recommended by his college professor. The rest of the group may still be waiting because Dirk never made it back to Seattle. In New York his new agent sent him to an audition, and he landed a role in ABELARD AND HELOISE, starring Diana Rigg and Keith Mitchell, which played both Broadway and Los Angeles. Two weeks after the show closed on Broadway, Dirk was on his way to Sweden for his first taste of Europe and his first film, GEORGIA, GEORGIA, in which he co-starred with the late Diana Sands. This film, about draft resisters, shot entirely in Sweden, was written by the well-known black writer Maya Angelou. In Sweden Dirk lost his heart to Miss Sweden, discovered Akavit and began a new way of eating based on whole grains and vegetables. Upon returning to America Dirk replaced Keir Dullea in BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE on Broadway where he worked with the ever-young Gloria Swanson, who played his mother. This close relationship has continued and Miss Swanson calls Dirk regularly to reprimand him for his tendencies to be a rather unruly son, however, she never fails to prepare wonderful vegetarian meals when they are together. When BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE closed, Dirk received an offer to do the play in Hawaii with Barbara Rush which he accepted and while there appeared as a guest lead on HAWAII FIVE-O.

On his way back to New York, Dirk- stopped off in Hollywood to visit friends and while he was there the producers of the psycho-thriller film, SSSSSSSS, saw his performance in HAWAII FIVE-0. As a result, they cast Dirk as the lead in that movie, in which he was transformed into a King Cobra. Dirk next played the psychotic wife-beating husband of Twig- gy in her first American film, “W.”

Dirk next starred in the television series CHOPPER ONE on ABC, and after the show was cancelled he decided to do some long-postponed writing, and so retreated to his cabin in the Montana mountains for almost a year. This time proved very productive as two of the properties were optioned by a well- known producer. Dirk has since written another screenplay and is working on his first novel which will be set in Montana.

He spent the summer of 1977 touring the East in LI’L ABNER in which he played Li’l Abner to Lucie Arnaz’s Daisy Mae. It marked Dirk’s return to singing after several years of television, film and non-musical theatre productions, and is a side of his career he hopes to expand. He has just signed with Atlantic Records and will begin work on his first album within the next few months. In addition, he hopes to perform live in nightclubs as soon as his TV production schedule permits.

Dirk’s great success in BATTLESTAR GALACTICA has come as a very pleasant surprise to him but, while enjoying his unexpected stardom, he loves to escape to his Montana ranch whenever he gets a free weekend. Dirk is still very much a country boy.
[1979 Historic Elitch Theatre Program for The Rainmaker]