David Dukes’ film career encompassed 35 movies. Throughout his career (1970s – 1990s), he was a television guest star, notably as the man who attempted to rape Edith Bunker on All in the Family, and as a blind bully on Three’s Company. During the 1980s, Dukes appeared in the dual miniseries The Winds of War and War and Remembrance. He received an Emmy nomination for best supporting actor for his role in The Josephine Baker Story (1991) and appeared as Arthur Miller in Norma Jean & Marilyn (1996). He was a regular in the first season of Sisters, playing the transvestite doctor husband of oldest sister, Alex (Swoosie Kurtz). Dukes’ role became a recurring character in subsequent seasons. On Dawson’s Creek, he had the recurring role of Mr. McPhee, father to Jack (Kerr Smith) and Andie (Meredith Monroe) from the second through fourth seasons. David Dukes had considerable stage experience, first appearing on Broadway in 1971. He later appeared in a revival of Molière’s The School for Wives. Dukes’ theatrical accomplishments found him in such colorful roles as Dracula, Doctor Frankenstein, and Antonio Salieri in the original production of Amadeus —replacing Ian McKellen. He won plaudits when he replaced John Lithgow in the original production of David Henry Hwang’s play M. Butterfly and a Tony nomination in 1980 for best featured actor in a play for Bent.

David Dukes recorded several audiobooks, most notably Isaac Asimov’s unabridged Prelude to Foundation. Dukes died of a heart attack in Spanaway, Washington, while on location shooting the Stephen King mini-series, Rose Red. His widow Carol Dukes’ experiences with the Pierce County, Washington, medical examiner’s office were so frustrating that she publicly spoke out against the office’s lack of cooperation. The ME’s office would not let her see her husband’s body; did not inform her of her rights or honor some of the rights she did try to exercise; and failed to detect evidence of a previous heart attack during his autopsy. Dukes is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.