Well known of course for his role as Starbuck in "Battlestar Galactica", Dirk is probably equally as well known for his role as Templeton "Face" Peck in "The A-Team."
Dirk's first film "Georgia, Georgia" debuted in 1972 & he followed up with a string of television and film appearances, notably alongside Linda Blair in "Ruckus" & notably as Jake Barnes in the 1996 film "Alaska".
Dirk is also the author of several books, the first of which "Confessions of a Kamikaze Cowboy: A True Story of Discovery, Acting, Health, Illness, Recovery, and Life" which was published in 1991.
Shawn: What was your first Con experience?
Dirk: I can't remember, sometime around '98. In Florida. I was sure people thought I was Harrison Ford...why else would they be coming to see me???
Shawn: How did it go?
Dirk: I was stunned that people remembered me. The very first "fan" I met at this convention was in an elevator on the way to the signing area and she did a double take as she recognized me & said, "Whatever happened to you?" I'm not sure what she meant. Did she wonder why she didn't see my on TV anymore (I also wonder that) or was it that I looked..."older"? But I never forgot and quite often sit in front of the fire during the winter, with a cigar and whiskey and wonder, "What the hell happened to me?"
Shawn: How about the best Con you've been to?
Dirk: Most of them have been quite good...seriously...and the fans are wonderful, though I STILL don't know how or why they remember me. I suppose I'd choose the show I did in Salt Lake City in the summer of 2013. It was an inaugural show, had 45,000 people attend and so smoothy I wanted to hire the promoter, Dan Farr, to run my life. I was hoping Marie (Osmond) would come to see me but alas it was not to be. Why are you never remembered by those you WANT to remember you?
Shawn: How about the worst Con?
Dirk: A show in Denver about 10 years ago. I think 400 people showed up. Most of them NOT to see me. I spent most of my time in the bar.
Shawn: How about the strangest or most unusual fan you've encountered at a Con?
Dirk: I think all fans are strange and unusual, as are all actors. All people. Once you scrape the surface. The wonderful thing about "fans" is, they aren't afraid to show it...for the most part. There's no such thing as an "ordinary" person...you just need to get to know them, which I try to do in some small way at shows...even if is for a minute or so to do it.
Shawn: Have you had any actual bad experiences at a Con?
Dirk: I've been stranded at the hotel after the show was over a couple of times. And one time the promoter absconded with all my (and a few other actor's) money. About a month later...an envelope full of cash arrived at my home in Montana. Yikes!
Shawn: What would you do differently if you were running a Con?
Dirk: I'd give Dirk Benedict an hour and a half to do his "talk"...so he can truly get everything off his chest. Of course we'd have to charge admission. And hire lawyers?
Shawn: Have you ever wanted to get an autograph from anyone?
Dirk: Nope and I'm not sure why. Fred Astaire gave me his, George Peppard gave me his & Dwight Schultz keeps promising to give me his, but other than that, I've led an autograph free life. Do you know I don't have one picture of myself from any of the films or TV shows I've done hanging in my home. I think it's because I don't like looking back...which makes doing conventions painful in a way...and driving dangerous as hell.
Shawn: What are you currently working on?
Dirk: Trying to make the answers to these questions interesting...and finding a woman who can put up with my scatological, eclectic life-style.
Shawn: OK, how about future projects then?
Dirk: Learning how to embrace celibacy as a way of life. Oh, yoiu mean professionally...
Nope. make me an offer. I'd like to do some acting, now that my kids have found more interesting people to hang out with and I have time to do whatever I want. And then there is "The Third Book"...of which the procrastination of wriing...keeps me up at nights. But it is a wonderful excuse to drink.
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