ACTOR HAS PLENTY OF LINES FOR SENIORS.

Byline: BETTIE RENCORET Senior Columnist

Dick Van Patten challenged seniors to stay active as he spoke last week at Seniors Expo 1998 at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds.

The energetic star, who will turn 70 in December, bounded on stage and took command of the microphone.

``I'm very happy to be here,'' he boomed. ``Actually, at my age I'm very happy to be anywhere.''

Van Patten, who starred as Tom Bradford in the television series ``Eight Is Enough'' and has appeared in countless other roles, was the keynote speaker at this year's expo, an annual event sponsored by the High Desert Medical Group.

Included during the day were health care exhibits, door prizes, flu shots and entertainment every half-hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Van Patten stressed the benefits of both physical and mental health as he challenged his audience to exercise.

``The secret of life is circulation,'' he said. ``You have to get out of bed in the morning and get moving. You can't stay young just lying around on the couch all day.''

Van Patten says he plays tennis in a foursome with show-business friends every Saturday morning, walks a lot and manages to stay fit.

Van Patten started in show business as a child star at age 7. He said his early acting years were happy.

``It really bothers me when I hear all the talk about child actors being on drugs and all the other things that are supposed to happen to them,'' he said. ``Well, maybe a handful of the kids have had terrible lives, but not most. Think about all the others: Shirley Temple Black, Richard Thomas, Richard Crenna, Ron Howard.

``I loved it. I wanted to act, and Mother encouraged me. I've got a terrific life, and I can thank my aggressive mother for that.''

Van Patten recalled working with stage greats like Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne and Tallulah Bankhead.

Bankhead had no inhibitions and absolutely no modesty, he said. One day, after they had done a scene together, she called him into her dressing room to tell him she didn't think he was playing it right and suggested he ``try it this way.'' She proceeded to explain how she interpreted the lines.

``She was telling me all this while she was standing there stark naked,'' he said. ``I was only 14 years old! I did everything I could think of to be blase and act like I didn't notice.

``But then I kept getting the part wrong, so she'd call me back in again.''

Van Patten and his wife, Pat, a former June Taylor dancer, whose marriage is one of the longest-running in stardom at 45 years, have known each other since they were children.

In ensuing ceremonies, Dorothy Flitton of Lancaster was named Senior of the Year for 1998 for her untiring efforts to help people, especially children.

As she accepted her many awards and left the stage carrying her bouquet of long-stemmed red roses, she murmured: ``I'm shocked. It's just like getting an Academy Award.''

Other nominees were Ralph ``Sparky'' Sparks, Richard Rovoal, Eugene Hill and Evelyn Guenther.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

PHOTO Actor Dick Van Patten signs autographs at Seniors Expo 1998.

Bettie Rencoret/Daily News