New York-born actor, known for his work in film and television, was born in 1928 and signed with Columbia Pictures at the start of his teenage career. Dubbed "boyish-looking" for his youthful appearance, he began his acting career playing earnest young cadet types in war films such as From Here to Eternity (1953) and The Caine Mutiny (1954).
Notably, James Cagney took a liking to the young actor and featured him prominently in two of his subsequent films. In These Wilder Years (1956),Dubbins played Cagney's long-lost adopted son, and in the western Tribute to a Bad Man (1956),he formed an unlikely romantic triangle with cattle boss Cagney and senorita Irene Papas.
Dubbins also appeared in The D.I. (1957),a Dragnet-styled military film where he played a private under the mercy of Jack Webb's title character. He went on to play a frequent suspect in several episodes of the Dragnet 1967 (1967) series.
As the 1950s came to a close, Dubbins was part of the cast in the Jules Verne sci-fi picture From the Earth to the Moon (1958). Although he never achieved box office stardom, he remained a reliable asset on television, taking on a host of character roles over the years.
He appeared in a good number of smaller parts in films such as The Prize (1963) and The Learning Tree (1969),showcasing his versatility as a character player who could play both good guys and bad guys. Dubbins retired completely in the late 1980s after filming episodes of Dynasty (1981),Highway to Heaven (1984),and Knots Landing (1979).
Tragically, Dubbins succumbed to cancer less than a decade later in 1991 at the age of 63, bringing an end to his long and varied acting career.
