Actor Dick Van Patten, Star of 'Eight is Enough,' Dies at 86

Dick Van Patten, the star of TV's “Eight is Enough,” has died. He was 86. The cause of death is not yet known. He first appeared on Broadway at age 7. He also starred in several movies, including 'Space Balls' and 'Robin 

Dick Van Patten shown Oct. 13, 1987 will be in the television reunion of Eight Is Enough: Reunion. The family will come together to celebrate Patten's character, Tom Bradford's 50th birthday, in a two-hour NBC movie. DICK2. BOB BROWN 

An animal enthusiast, Van Patten co-founded Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Pet Foods in 1989. He's also behind the National Guide Dog Month, which started in 2008 to raise awareness and money for non-profit guide dog schools in the United States.

An animal enthusiast, Van Patten co-founded Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Pet Foods in 1989. He's also behind the National Guide Dog Month, which started in 2008 to raise awareness and money for non-profit guide dog schools in the United States.

Dick Van Patten, best known for playing the dad on the classic TV show "Eight Is Enough," died Tuesday morning in Santa Monica. Van Patten's rep released…