Dirk Benedict

Blessed with a classically handsome profile and a knack for playing charming rogues, actor Dirk Benedict entered the pantheon of historic television personalities as not one, but two iconic characters. After making an entry into film with B-movie fare like the reptilian horror tale "Sssssss" (1973), Benedict landed one of his two most enduring roles when he was cast as the devil-may-care fighter pilot Starbuck on "Battlestar Galactica" (ABC, 1978-79). Although the show met with an early demise, the actor quickly went on to even greater stardom as conman Templeton "Faceman" Peck on the action-adventure "The A-Team" (NBC, 1983-87). During and after "The A-Team," Benedict took on occasional film work, in such roles as a down-on-his-luck manager in the pro-wrestling comedy "Body Slam" (1986) and as a downed pilot whose only hope of survival lies in his two young children locating him in time in the rugged family adventure "Alaska" (1996). Benedict remained busy on American and international television, most notably on a controversial season of the U.K.'s "Celebrity Big Brother" (BBC One/Channel 4, 2001- ). Although he was a vocal critic of the series reboot of "Battlestar Galactica" (Sci Fi Channel, 2004-09), Benedict showed his approval of the feature film version of "The A-Team" (2010) by making an appearance alongside actor Bradley Cooper, taking over the role of Faceman. With a pair of beloved, classic television series to his credit, Benedict long ago had earned the adoration of generations of fans.