Son of actor Dick Van Patten (full name at birth: Richard Byron Vincent Russell Van Patten, Jr.) and Pat Poole.
Was rumored in tabloids to be romantically linked to Farrah Fawcett in the
late '70s. The rumor started because they spent a great deal of time
together as they shared a love for playing tennis.
Former Pro-Tennis player (n.41 in the world rank in 1981). Defeated John McEnroe in a semifinal at the ATP Tokyo Indoor Draw in late October 1981, but lost to Mark Edmonson in the final.