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Dirk Blocker

Highest Rated: 95% Short Cuts (1993)

Lowest Rated: 14% Cutting Class (1989)

Birthday: Jul 31, 1957

Birthplace: Hollywood, California, USA

When he scored his first acting gig at the young age of 16, Dirk Blocker couldn't have known for sure that he was setting the stage for the rest of his life. Inheriting the trade from his TV star father Dan Blocker, Dirk made his way into every small screen series imaginable, going on to land parts in films as well. Blocker landed his biggest part of all in his late 50s: the actor climbed aboard the comedy series "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (Fox 2013-), cementing his legacy as second-rate police officer Michael Hitchcock. After committing decades to show business as a reliable character actor and supporting player, Blocker discovered in the bumbling Hitchcock the kind of celebration any actor longs to find. Dennis Dirk Blocker was born on July 31, 1957 in the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Given his hometown and the show business renown of his father Dan Blocker, star of the TV series "Bonanza" (NBC 1959-1973), Dirk was virtually fated for a career in acting. He joined his father onscreen for the first time in a 1964 car commercial, taking to professional performance a decade later. Blocker's acting debut took way on a fifth season episode of the medical drama series "Marcus Welby, M.D." (ABC 1969-1976), which he followed quickly with turns on likewise popular programs including "Little House on the Prairie" (NBC 1974-1983) and "Phyllis" (CBS 1975-77). Blocker landed his first regular role at age 19, playing Lt. Jerry Bragg on the military drama series "Baa Baa Black Sheep" (NBC 1976-78), also known as "Black Sheep Squadron." Following the termination of his series, Blocker aimed to make the move to the big screen. He made his debut in the family comedy "Midnight Madness" (1980), appearing thereafter in the thriller "Raise the Titanic" (1980). His first picture of true renown, however, was the Steven Spielberg-produced horror film "Poltergeist" (1982), in which he played the supporting character Jeff Shaw. The decades to follow treated Blocker to a steady flow of small parts in film and television. Following a costarring turn on the short-lived medical drama "Ryan's Four" (ABC 1983), Blocker appeared briefly in such movies as "Starman" (1984), "Trouble in Mind" (1985), "Made in Heaven" (1987), "Prince of Darkness" (1987), "Born to Race" (1988), "Pink Cadillac" (1989), and "Cutting Class" (1989). Blocker paved his run through the '90s with work on series including "Matlock" (ABC 1986-1995), "Doogie Howser, M.D." (ABC 1989-1993), "Murder She Wrote" (CBS 1984-1996), "Walker, Texas Ranger" (CBS 1993-2001), as well as a recurring part on the short-lived soap opera "Pacific Palisades" (Fox 1997). Blocker's career slowed down a bit upon the arrival of the 2000s; over the decade, he made infrequent television appearances on shows including "ER" (NBC 1994-2009), "Deadwood" (HBO 2004-06), and "Criminal Minds" (CBS 2005-). However, Blocker earned his biggest part yet in 2013, rounding out the ensemble cast of the comedy series "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (Fox 2013-) as inept Det. Michael Hitchcock, partner to the equally incompetent Det. Scully, played by character actor Joel McKinnon Miller.

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Highest rated movies

95% 88% Short Cuts
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88% 79% Poltergeist
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81% 62% Trouble in Mind
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65% 52% The Border
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38% 29% Raise the Titanic
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14% 22% Cutting Class
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60% Bonanza: Under Attack
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25% Night of the Scarecrow
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Flying Misfits
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Ryan's Four
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Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Advance & Retreat Dan (Character) - 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet McBride: The Chameleon Murder Det. Jake Fitzsimmons (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet 67% Inherit the Wind Sheriff Sam Gibson (Character) - 1999
No Score Yet 60% Bonanza: Under Attack Unknown (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet 25% Night of the Scarecrow George (Character) - 1995
95% 88% Short Cuts Diner Customer (Character) $6.1M 1993
14% 22% Cutting Class Coach Harris (Character) - 1989
No Score Yet 60% Born to Race Bud (Character) $19.5K 1988
81% 62% Trouble in Mind Rambo (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ryan's Four Unknown (Character) - 1983
88% 79% Poltergeist Jeff Shaw (Character) $121.8M 1982
65% 52% The Border Beef (Character) - 1982
No Score Yet 14% Two of a Kind Barry (Character) - 1982
38% 29% Raise the Titanic Merker (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet Flying Misfits 1st Lt. Jerome "Jerry" Bragg (Character) - 1976
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bridger Joe Meek (Character) - 1976
No Score Yet No Score Yet Black Sheep Squadron 1st Lt. Jerome "Jerry" Bragg (Character) - 1976

TV

Credit
95% 88% Brooklyn Nine-Nine Detective Michael Hitchcock (Character),
Unknown (Guest Star)
2013-2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hollywood Game Night Guest 2019
No Score Yet 83% Criminal Minds Unknown (Guest Star) 2009
92% 95% Deadwood Jay Johnson (Guest Star) 2004
No Score Yet 85% ER Mr. Groder (Guest Star) 2000
74% 86% The X-Files Mayor Gilmore (Guest Star) 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Practice Unknown (Guest Star) 1999
57% No Score Yet Gun Unknown (Character) 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Pacific Palisades Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Walker, Texas Ranger Unknown (Guest Star) 1995
No Score Yet 89% Murder, She Wrote Sheriff Jim Monday (Guest Star) 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Matlock Unknown (Guest Star) 1992
No Score Yet 90% Quantum Leap Tom (Guest Star) 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet 21 Jump Street Unknown (Guest Star) 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet Newhart Unknown (Guest Star) 1988
No Score Yet 70% MacGyver Unknown (Guest Star) 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hunter Randall Fane (Guest Star) 1987-1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet Simon & Simon Steve Belinsky (Guest Star) 1987
No Score Yet 87% M*A*S*H James Mathes (Guest Star) 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet Beyond Westworld Unknown (Guest Star) 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet B.J. and the Bear Unknown (Guest Star) 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet CHiPs Unknown (Guest Star) 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet Baa Baa Black Sheep 1st Lt. Jerome 'Jerry' Bragg (Character) 1976-1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet Little House on the Prairie Abel Makay (Guest Star) 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet Marcus Welby, M.D. Benji (Guest Star) 1974