WPT Career Stats
| Stat |
Value |
Rank |
| Career Earnings |
$0 |
3483 |
| Cashes |
0 |
3320 |
| Final Tables |
0 |
550 |
| Titles |
0 |
112 |
| Tournaments Played |
6 |
1268 |
|
Dick Van Patten, the father of WPT commentator Vince Van Patten, has been a fixture in American entertainment since he was a young child acting on Broadway in the 1930s. In the 1940s, he branched out to movies and, later, television. In one of his most famous roles, Van Patten played the father in the 1970s and 80s TV series, Eight is Enough.
Dick Van Patten says his acting career is what got him into poker. The stagehands on Broadway actually taught him to play at a very young age. He learned to use his acting skills at the poker tables. Van Patten says he prefers the old-school poker games of Five Card Stud and Seven Card Stud, but he's learning to like the more popular Texas Hold 'em. By the time his youngest son, Vince, came along, Van Patten was holding home games in the family kitchen three nights a week. That's how he passed the love of the game onto his son. Van Patten says he thought the game would teach his youngest son a lot about life.
Van Patten continues to play in home games and hosts poker tournaments to raise money for charity. He continues to act and play tennis. Van Patten is now also a businessman, selling the high-end dog food, Natural Balance.
