Dirk Benedict
Dirk was born Dirk Niewoehner on March 1st, 1945, in Helena, Montana. He is the son of Priscilla Mella, an accountant, and George Edward Niewoehner, a lawyer. He grew up in the small town of White Sulphur Springs and enjoyed all the trappings of youth only a small town can offer learning to hunt, fish, and enjoy sports, especially football. While in his freshman year at Whitman College in Walla Walla Washington, Dirk was first exposed to acting on a "dare" by his college buddies and fell in love with the stage. Hollywood was on the horizon. He graduated from Whitman in 1967.
Dirk's film debut was in the 1972 film Georgia, Georgia, which was entered into the 23rd Berlin International Film Festival. When the New York run for Butterflies Are Free ended, he received an offer to repeat his performance in Hawaii, opposite Barbara Rush. While there, he appeared as a guest lead on Hawaii Five-O. The producers of a horror film called Ssssss saw Dirk's performance in Hawaii Five-O and promptly cast him as the lead in that movie. He next played the psychotic wife-beating husband of Twiggy in her American film debut, W. Dirk starred in the television series Chopper One which aired for one season in 1974. He also made an appearance in Charlie's Angels.
Dirk's career break came in 1978 when he appeared as Lieutenant Starbuck in the movie and television series Battlestar Galactica.
Four years later, Dirk gained further popularity as con-man Lieutenant Templeton "Face" Peck in 1980s action television series, The A-Team. He did not appear in the pilot film - creators Stephen J. Cannell and Frank Lupo had wanted him from the beginning, but the network executives insisted that they wanted a different sort of actor in the role. Tim Dunigan won the part; but upon completion of the pilot, the executives decided that he wasn't quite right for the role, and it was given to Dirk. He played "Faceman" from 1982 to 1986.
Dirk has also performed in live theater. In 1987, he took the title role of Shakespeare's Hamlet at the Abbey Theatre. In 2010, Dirk starred in "Prescription: Murder" playing Lieutenant Columbo along with Patrick Ryecart and George Telfer.
In 2000, Dirk wrote and directed his first screenplay, Cahoots.
In 1986, he married Toni Hudson, an actress, with whom he has two sons, George and Roland. They divorced in 1995. In 1998, Dirk learned that he also has another son, John, from an earlier relationship.
In 1975, Dirk was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He rented a cottage and chose a life of seclusion and decided to commit to a macrobiotic diet and physical training along with fasting instead of going for the operation. He published a book on his experience called Confessions of a Kamikaze Cowboy to give more public awareness to the alternative treatment.
What does Dirk believe about God? About life after death? About Jesus Christ? We don't know. We DO know that he needs a personal relationship with Jesus in order to enter Heaven for eternity. Please pray with me, this week, that our Father will reveal His Son to Dirk.
--Heidi