Mark Patton

On a whim, Mark Patton made the decision to come to New York and pursue a career as an actor, having previously performed in high school and as part of a repertory company. He was able to land appearances in advertisements, and before long, made his cinematic debut with "Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean," a 1982 drama about a group of women whose lives are all connected to matinee star James Dean. Patton had a small supporting role in the film, which was directed by Robert Altman. Following the critical success of "Come Back...," he appeared in his second film, the science fiction-themed "Anna to the Infinite Power," which was released in '83.

Around this time, Patton also got an audition for a horror flick called "A Nightmare on Elm Street." However, the role he tried out for went to another young actor named Johnny Depp. But a few years later, Patton was cast as the lead for the sequel, "A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge," in which he played Jesse Walsh, a teenager manipulated by boogeyman Freddy Krueger into murdering people. Although the film sold well, it marked the actor's last movie role for the foreseeable future. However, he did make a few television appearances, including an episode of "CBS Schoolbreak Special" in '86 before fading from public view.