Dirk Benedict - Career

Career

Benedict's film debut was in the 1972 film Georgia, Georgia. 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 Benedict'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. Benedict starred in the television series Chopper One which aired for one season in 1974. He also made an appearance in Charlie's Angels.

Benedict's career break came in 1978 when he appeared as Lieutenant Starbuck in the movie and television series Battlestar Galactica. In 1979 Benedict starred in the ensemble movie Scavenger Hunt. In 1982, Dirk gained further popularity as con-man Lieutenant Templeton "Face" Peck in 1980s action television series, The A-Team. He played "Faceman" from 1982 to 1986 (although the series didn't air until January 1983, and the final episode wasn't shown until 1987 re-runs). The second season episode, "Steel," includes a scene at Universal Studios where Face is seen looking bemused as a Cylon walks by him - an in-joke to his previous role in Battlestar Galactica. The clip is incorporated into the series' opening credit sequence from the third season onward.

In 1986 Dirk Benedict starred as a low-life band manager "Harry Smilac" in the movie Body Slam along with Lou Albano, Roddy Piper, and cameo appearances by Freddie Blassie, Ric flair, and Bruno Sammartino. His character Smilac ends up managing the pro-wrestler "Quick Rick Roberts" (Piper) and faces opposition by Captain Lou and his wrestling tag-team "the Cannibals".

In 1987, Benedict took the title role of Shakespeare's Hamlet at the Abbey Theatre. Both his performance and the entire production were drubbed by critics.

1989 saw Benedict in the TV movie Trenchcoat in Paradise.

In 1991, Benedict starred in Blue Tornado. Played Alex, call sign Fire Bolt, a fighter pilot.

In 1993, Benedict starred in Shadow Force.

In 2000, Benedict wrote and directed his first screenplay, Cahoots.

In 2005, he played an impostor, pretending to be an 80s movie star who wants to moderate a charity performance in Goldene Zeiten (Golden Times) by Peter Thorwardt.

Dirk appeared as a contestant on the 2007 U.K. series of Celebrity Big Brother. He arrived on the first night in a replica of the A-Team van, smoking a cigar and accompanied by Post & Carpenter's A-Team theme tune.

In 2010, Dirk starred in Prescription: Murder playing Lieutenant Columbo along with Patrick Ryecart and George Telfer. Benedict also made a cameo appearance in the 2010 film adaptation of The A-Team as Pensacola Prisoner Milt.