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. Four years later, 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. Benedict made a cameo appearance in the 2010 film adaptation of The A-Team as Pensacola Prisoner Milt.
In 1987, Benedict took the title role of Shakespeare’s Hamlet at the Abbey Theatre. Both his performance and the entire play were drubbed by critics. In 2010, Dirk starred in Prescription: Murder playing Lieutenant Columbo along withPatrick Ryecart and George Telfer.
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. Goldene Zeiten (Golden Times) by Peter Thorwardt. 1989 saw Benedict in the TV movie Trenchcoat in Paradise.
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. Born Dirk Niewoehner March 1st of 1945 in Helena, Montana. Dirk Benedict is a personal favorite actor of mine.
