Dean Stockwell dead: Quantum Leap star's career in movies and TV photos

01 of 19

Anchors Aweigh (1945)

ANCHORS AWEIGH, from left: Frank Sinatra, Dean Stockell, 1945 — Everett Collection

Dean Stockwell left behind a legacy of Hollywood excellence when he died Nov. 7 at age 85. Long before he fronted iconic productions like Quantum Leap and Battlestar Galactica, Stockwell kicked off his career opposite titanic stars Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra, the latter of which poses here with the child star in a still from the Best Picture-nominated 1945 film Anchors Aweigh.

02 of 19

Down to the Sea in Ships (1949)

Close-up of Dean Stockwell — Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images

Henry Hathaway cast the budding star in his 1949 action-adventure tale Down to the Sea in Ships, in which he played the grandson of a ship captain (Lionel Barrymore) who accompanies the hardened seafarer on a whaling trip.

03 of 19

The Secret Garden (1949)

Brian Roper And Margaret O'Brien In 'The Secret Garden' — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Getty Images

Stockwell helped bring Frances Hodgson Burnett's beloved novel to life in the storied role of Colin Craven opposite Brian Roper (left) and Margaret O'Brien (center).

04 of 19

Compulsion (1959)

COMPULSION, Dean Stockwell, 1959, TM and Copyright ©20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved. — Everett Collection

The Cannes Film Festival bestowed one of the most prestigious acting honors in the world upon Stockwell and his Compulsion costar Orson Welles, when the pair shared the Best Actor prize at the elite cinema event for their performances in Richard Fleischer's drama about two law students on trial for murder.

05 of 19

The Killers (1959)

Buick Electra Playhouse — CBS via Getty Images

Stockwell poses with Ernest Hemingway on the set of the TV adaptation of the writer's The Killers.

06 of 19

Sons and Lovers 1960

Dean Stockwell In 'Sons And Lovers' — 20th Century-Fox/Getty Images

Oscar success struck again for Stockwell, whose 1960 drama earned Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay atop a victory for Best Cinematography.

07 of 19

Long Day's Journey Into Night 1962

LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, Dean Stockwell, Katharine Hepburn, 1962 — Everett Collection

Screen legend Katharine Hepburn played the matriarch of a dysfunctional family in this classic tale featuring Stockwell in a supporting role.

08 of 19

Psych-Out 1968

PSYCH-OUT, Jack Nicholson, Dean Stockwell, 1968 — Everett Collection

Jack Nicholson (left) and Susan Strasberg appeared with Stockwell in this countercultural drama that chronicled a deaf runaway who traverses San Francisco's hippie population in search of her missing brother.

09 of 19

Dune (1984)

Stockwell joined an iconic sci-fi lineage when he appeared in David Lynch's bold cinematic take on the iconic Frank Herbert novel, in which he played the traitorous Dr. Wellington Yueh.

10 of 19

Paris, Texas (1984)

PARIS, TEXAS, Dean Stockwell, 1984, (c)Paramount/courtesy Everett Collection — Everett Collection

Considered by many to be one of the greatest films of the 1980s, Paris, Texas united Stockwell with director Wim Wenders for a sprawling drama that also won the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or — widely considered to be the most esteemed prize in global cinema.

11 of 19

Blue Velvet (1986)

BLUE VELVET, Dean Stockwell, 1986, (c) De Laurentiis Group/courtesy Everett Collection — Everett Collection

Lynch reteamed with Stockwell for his 1986 cult favorite Blue Velvet as a criminal who memorably lip-syncs a haunting cover of the Roy Orbison classic "In Dreams."

12 of 19

Tucker (1988)

TUCKER, Jeff Bridges, Dean Stockwell, 1988. © Paramount Pictures/ Courtesy: Everett Collection — Everett Collection

Francis Ford Coppola cast Stockwell as Howard Hughes in his 1988 biopic about car designer Preston Tucker (Jeff Bridges).

13 of 19

Married to the Mob 1988

MARRIED TO THE MOB, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dean Stockwell, 1988, (c) Orion/courtesy Everett Collection — Everett Collection

After decades in the movie business, Stockwell finally landed his first Oscar nomination for his work as a mafia don opposite Michelle Pfeiffer in late filmmaker Jonathan Demme's crime-comedy.

14 of 19

The Land Before Time premiere, November 12, 1988

"The Land Before Time" Los Angeles Premiere — Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage

Stockwell attends the premiere of the animated dinosaur flick The Land Before Time with his wife, Joy, his daughter, Sophia, and his son, Austin.

15 of 19

Quantum Leap (1989)

Dean Stockwell & Scott Bakula of "Quantum Leap" — George Rose/Getty Images

Though he'd built up a respectable career in movies, Stockwell is perhaps best known for his role in the classic NBC TV series Quantum Leap, on which he starred for five seasons as Navy admiral Albert "Al" Calavicci opposite Scott Bakula.

16 of 19

With David Lynch in 2004

CineVegas 2004 - David Lynch Receives the CineVegas Vanguard Director Award - Arrivals and Green Room — Arun Nevader/WireImage

Stockwell reunited with his Dune and Blue Velvet director David Lynch in this 2004 photo.

17 of 19

With Dennis Hopper in 2004

CineVegas 2004 - Portrait Studio Day 6 — M. Caulfield/WireImage

Stockwell was friends with the late Dennis Hopper, seen here in a photo from 2004.

18 of 19

Battlestar Galactica, (March 2006)

Stockwell returned to the sci-fi genre in Syfy's Battlestar Galactica, appearing in the main role of John Cavil, a humanoid Cylon, from 2006 to 2009.

19 of 19

NCIS: New Orleans (2014)

For his penultimate screen credit, Stockwell reunited with his Quantum Leap costar Scott Bakula on a 2014 episode of the latter's CBS show NCIS: New Orleans titled "Chasing Ghosts."