Debra Lee Blocker is an American celebrity, known as the daughter of the late Dan Blocker, an actor and television star. Born in 1953, she is 70 years old as of 2023. Her parents are Dan Blocker and Dolphia Parker, and she has three siblings, Danna Lynn Blocker, David Blocker, and Dirk Blocker.
Her Father, Dan Blocker
Bobby Dan Davis Blocker was born in De Kalb, Texas on December 10th, 1928. He attended the Texas Military Institute, Hardin-Simmons University, and Sul Ross State University, where he earned a degree in speech and drama and played football. After earning his master’s degree in the dramatic arts, he worked as a rodeo performer and bouncer, then taught high school English and drama in Sonora, Texas, and sixth-grade teacher and coach in Carlsbad, New Mexico. Eventually, he moved to Los Angeles and began acting.
During the Korean War, he was drafted into the US Army and served in F Company, 2nd Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment, and 45th Infantry Division. He was awarded the Purple Heart and various medals and badges, including the National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, United Nations Service Medal, Korean War Service Medal, and Combat Infantryman Badge.
In 1957, Don Blocker appeared in a Three Stooges short, Outer Space Jitters, playing the Goon. He also had appearances in various TV series, such as Gunsmoke, Have Gun Will Travel, Wagon Train and The Rebel, in which he played characters ranging from blacksmiths and cattlemen to criminals and rodeo performers.
Dan Blocker made his big break in 1959 when he was cast as Eric “Hoss” Cartwright in the NBC television series Bonanza and starred in 415 episodes until his death. He also starred alongside Frank Sinatra in both the 1963 comedy Come Blow Your Horn and the 1968 Tony Rome film sequel Lady in Cement. In addition to his acting work, Blocker received partial ownership in a successful chain of Bonanza Steakhouse restaurants (Ponderosa Steakhouses) in exchange for acting as their commercial spokesman and making personal appearances at franchises. He also appeared on The Flip Wilson Show comedy hour and in the 1970 film The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County.
Dan Blocker passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 43 due to complications from gallbladder surgery. Bonanza honored his memory by including his death in the show’s storyline which ended the following year.
Her Brother, Dirk Blocker
Dennis Dirk Blocker is an American actor best known for his starring role in Brooklyn Nine-Nine from 2013-2021. He has also had numerous guest roles on TV and film credits in Midnight Madness (1980), Raise the Titanic (1980), The Border (1982), Poltergeist (1982), Starman (1984), and Trouble in Mind. Blocker published a book in 2017, Master and the Little Monk.
Her Brother, David Blocker
David Blocker is an American film producer, most well-known for his work on Don King: Only in America, which won him an Emmy in 1998. Blocker was born on May 4, 1955, and his career began in 1984 with the production of Choose Me and has since included a number of films such as Trouble in Mind, Made in Heaven, The Moderns, Love at Large, Equinox, Blink, Traveller, Breakfast of Champions, 15 Minutes, Frailty, Dark Blue, The Greatest Game Ever Played, Into the Wild, and Executive producer of Hannah Montana: The Movie.
