Dolphia Parker: What happened to Dan Blocker’s wife?

Dolphia Parker is the wife of Dan Blocker. Dolphia Parker’s husband was an American television actor and Korean War veteran, who played Hoss Cartwright in the long-running NBC Western television series Bonanza. He appeared in a Three Stooges short, Outer Space Jitters, playing the Goon, billed as “Don Blocker”. The actor also made two appearances on Gunsmoke; first as a cavalry lieutenant in “Alarm at Pleasant Valley” (S1E39) and in “Thoroughbreds”.

Dolphia Parker: Bio Summary

Who is Dan Blocker’s wife?

Not much about Dan Blocker’s wife Dolphia’s early life is documented. As a result, crucial details are not available. However, Amomama revealed she was born on an Oklahoma ranch, where her parents raised quarter horses. Dolphia Parker’s husband on the other hand was born on December 10, 1928, in De Kalb, Texas, and passed away on May 13, 1972, at the age of 43.

How did Dan Blocker meet his wife?

Dan Blocker met his wife Dolphia Parker while she was a student at Sul Ross State University, Alpine Texas. Dolphia worked as part of a stage crew for the play “Arsenic and Lace” and met her husband under unpleasant circumstances. While the play was going on, Blocker was making fun of the cast members, and Parker was forced to ask him to leave the auditorium.

The couple later met and bonded over common interests and eventually tied the knot on 25 August 1952. The two love birds later moved to Los Angeles together when Blocker’s acting career was taking off after she encouraged her to pursue acting instead of football. Parker and Blocker remained married until May 1972 when Dan Blocker passed away.

Dolphia Parker and her husband were the parents of 4 children. Their children- Hollywood actor Dirk Blocker, Hollywood producer David Blocker, and twin daughters Debra Lee (artist) and Danna Lynn. David Blocker won a 1998 Emmy for producing Don King: Only in America. Blocker and his family were Free Methodists.

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When their children were young, Blocker decided to give his children a more international upbringing so for some time, he rented a house in Switzerland to send his kids to school in the European country. It was during this time the U.S. was involved in the Vietnam War, and the actor moved his family to Switzerland because he did not agree with his country’s political position.

In an interview with Bobbie Wygant in 1971, the Bonanza actor shared- “Well, we leased a house there for two years so the kids could go to school there without having to board,” he said. It’s not clear which school(s) the Blocker kids attended, but the European country is known for having several elite schools.

When Dan Blocker and his wife Dolphia Parker would take the children out for ice cream, they would inevitably be surrounded by fans who wanted to catch a glimpse of the famous man and his family. The actor said: “A man never appreciates his privacy until he’s lost it. And it bugs me, it really bugs me. I try to keep the family normal, unaffected by Father’s so-called celebrity. It’s a losing battle.”

Dan Blocker’s wife, Dolphia Parker was in her 20s when she became Blocker’s wife and their marriage lasted for about two decades. So, she was roughly 40 years old when she became a widow and could have remarried if she wanted to. It is widely believed that she has remained single since she lost her husband to pulmonary embolism.

Is Dan Blocker’s wife Dolphia Parker still alive?

Dolphia loved being out of the limelight and has been doing so for years. There have not been any reports of her death. In fact, she has not granted any interviews or made any news headlines in years. Since the Bonanza actor passed, much hasn’t been heard about his wife in the public domain.

When Dan was alive, Dolphia Parker was relentless about keeping her private life private. This only intensified after the untimely death of the actor. Hardly can anyone tell what she has been up to since then nor is it known if she is still alive or not. However, many fans believe she is still alive as of 2024.

What happened to Dan Blocker?

On May 13, 1972, Dolphia Parker’s husband, Blocker died in Los Angeles, at age 43, of a pulmonary embolism following gallbladder surgery at Daniel Freeman Hospital. A news item provides these specifics: “Blocker went into the hospital for gall bladder surgery, developed a blood clot in his lung, and died”.

The writers of Bonanza took the unusual step of referencing a major character’s death in the show’s storyline that autumn. A 2011 report added that “this was to be the first time in television history that a show had dealt with, or even mentioned, the death of one of its characters”. Specifics as to the death were not discussed in the series, but some years later, in a subsequent series, Bonanza: The Next Generation one character stated that “Hoss drowned trying to save another man’s life”.

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Blocker’s remains were interred in a family plot in Woodmen Cemetery, in De Kalb, Texas. The common gravesite is marked by a plain stone with the name “B. Dan D. Blocker” engraved; three family members are buried beside him – his father, mother, and sister.

The Blocker name remains a popular one in Hollywood thanks to Dolphia Parker’s two sons with Dan who has built a career in showbiz. There is no doubt that their decision to follow their late father’s footprint has helped in keeping Dan Blocker’s legacy alive.