Daniel Clifton Pratt was the father of American actor Chris Pratt. He was not an actor or Hollywood personality. He was a working-class family man whose jobs included iron-ore mining, gold mining, contracting, and home remodeling. He and his wife, Kathy Pratt, raised three children: Angie, Daniel “Cully” Pratt, and Chris Pratt.
Daniel died in 2014 after living with multiple sclerosis for many years. Public interest in his life comes largely from Chris Pratt’s interviews about his childhood, his father’s strong personality, and their loving but complicated relationship.
Who Was Daniel Clifton Pratt?
Daniel Clifton Pratt, often called Dan Pratt, was an American miner and contractor best known as Chris Pratt’s father. Unlike his famous son, he lived outside the entertainment industry and maintained a private life.
Most publicly available information about Daniel comes from interviews Chris gave after becoming a successful actor. Those conversations describe a practical, hardworking man who could operate machinery, build things, repair homes, and solve physical problems.
Chris has also spoken honestly about the difficult parts of their relationship. His account does not present Daniel as either a perfect father or a one-dimensional troubled parent. Instead, it shows a proud, capable man who found it hard to adjust when illness affected his independence and ability to work.
Daniel Clifton Pratt at a Glance
- Full name: Daniel Clifton Pratt
- Known as: Dan Pratt or Dan Pratt Sr.
- Best known for: Being Chris Pratt’s father
- Occupation: Miner, contractor, and home remodeler
- Wife: Kathy Pratt
- Children: Angie Pratt, Daniel “Cully” Pratt, and Chris Pratt
- Birthplace: Virginia, Minnesota, according to public memorial information
- Death: June 30, 2014, according to a public memorial record
- Age at death: 60
- Health condition: Multiple sclerosis
A public memorial page lists Daniel’s birth as October 1, 1953, and his death as June 30, 2014. Because Daniel was a private person and no detailed official biography has been widely published, exact personal details should be attributed carefully rather than treated like celebrity profile data.
Daniel Clifton Pratt’s Early Life
Growing Up in Virginia, Minnesota
Public memorial information identifies Virginia, Minnesota, as Daniel Clifton Pratt’s birthplace. The city is located in Minnesota’s Iron Range, a region historically associated with iron-ore mining.
That background connects naturally with Daniel’s later work. Chris Pratt told Vanity Fair that his father worked as a taconite miner in Minnesota. Taconite is a low-grade iron-bearing rock processed to produce iron-ore pellets.
There is little reliable public information about Daniel’s childhood, education, or early family circumstances. Articles that provide detailed stories about his school life, hobbies, or teenage years without identifying a credible source should be treated cautiously.
Moving to Alaska and Washington
Daniel’s work affected where the Pratt family lived. Chris said his father moved the family from Minnesota to Alaska to pursue work in gold mines. According to Chris, the family was willing to relocate when a new employment opportunity appeared.
After several years of moving, the family settled in Lake Stevens, Washington, when Chris was around six or seven years old. Lake Stevens became the place Chris later described as his hometown. [Insert Link to Authoritative Source Here]
These moves suggest that Daniel’s career was tied closely to the physical labor and mining opportunities available at the time. They also help explain why Chris frequently describes his childhood as working-class rather than connected to wealth or the entertainment business.
What Did Daniel Clifton Pratt Do for a Living?
His Work in Mining
Daniel worked in more than one type of mining. In Minnesota, he worked in the taconite and iron-ore industry. The family later moved to Alaska so he could find work in gold mining.
This was demanding employment that depended on physical strength, practical knowledge, and the ability to operate heavy machinery. Chris’s descriptions of his father consistently focus on those qualities.
Daniel was therefore not simply “Chris Pratt’s dad.” Before his son became famous, he had spent years supporting his family through physically demanding jobs that required them to move when employment conditions changed.
Contracting and Home Remodeling
Daniel later worked as a contractor and in home remodeling. Chris described him as someone who was good at building things and finding solutions to practical problems.
He was also confident around machinery. Chris recalled that his father would sometimes accept a task involving unfamiliar equipment and work out how to operate it as he went. This reflected the self-reliant personality that Chris associated strongly with him.
That confidence could be valuable in contracting work, where each property may present a different repair, construction, or mechanical problem. It also became part of the way Chris understood his father: capable, resourceful, physically strong, and reluctant to admit weakness. [Insert Link to Authoritative Source Here]
Daniel Clifton Pratt’s Wife and Children
His Marriage to Kathy Pratt
Daniel was married to Kathy Pratt, Chris Pratt’s mother. Public profiles of Chris report that Kathy worked at a Safeway supermarket while Daniel took mining, contracting, and remodeling jobs.
The family did not come from Hollywood wealth. Chris has spoken about financial difficulties during his teenage years, including the loss of the family home. His mother continued working, while changes in Daniel’s health affected the family’s circumstances.
Some biography sites publish a precise wedding date, detailed relationship timeline, or claims about the couple’s private finances. Those details are not consistently supported by reliable public records.
Angie, Cully, and Chris Pratt
Daniel and Kathy had three children:
- Angie Pratt
- Daniel “Cully” Pratt
- Christopher Michael Pratt
This is the source of one common search misunderstanding. Daniel Clifton Pratt and Daniel “Cully” Pratt are not the same person.
Daniel Clifton Pratt was Chris Pratt’s father. Daniel “Cully” Pratt is Chris’s older brother. Chris has credited Cully with supporting him when they were young and inspiring his interest in performing after Chris saw him appear in a musical.
Daniel Clifton Pratt’s Relationship With Chris Pratt
Why Chris Described Their Relationship as Complicated
Chris Pratt has called his relationship with his late father “fairly complicated.” He has described Daniel as an old-school father who believed toughness was necessary and did not express emotions easily.
Chris and his brother felt that this upbringing made them more resilient. At the same time, Chris has acknowledged that the emotional hardness within the family had painful consequences.
This balanced account matters because many celebrity biography pages simplify Daniel into either an inspirational father or a distant, difficult parent. Chris’s own words suggest both affection and tension. He respected his father’s abilities but struggled with the way Daniel handled vulnerability, illness, and family relationships.
How Daniel Showed Pride in Chris
Daniel did not always express pride directly, but Chris believed his father was proud of his acting career.
During Daniel’s later years, he watched the television programs and movies in which Chris appeared. Chris felt that acting became a way to communicate with his father when direct emotional conversations were difficult.
This detail adds depth to their relationship. Daniel may not have responded with open praise, but his attention to his son’s work showed that Chris’s success mattered to him.
What Chris Learned After Losing His Father
Daniel died while Chris was working on Jurassic World. Chris was in New Orleans when he received the news and later admitted that he initially dealt with his grief privately rather than openly discussing it with the people around him.
In later interviews, he spoke about the regret people may feel after losing a parent. That regret can include wishing they had understood the relationship more clearly or made better use of the time they had together.
Chris also noticed parts of his father in himself, including similarities in appearance, speech, and behavior. Losing Daniel did not erase the difficulties between them. It gave Chris a different perspective on how deeply a parent can continue to influence an adult child.
Daniel Clifton Pratt’s Illness and Death
His Experience With Multiple Sclerosis
Daniel lived with multiple sclerosis, commonly known as MS. Chris said his father was diagnosed around his senior year of high school, although Daniel may have experienced symptoms before openly discussing the condition.
Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable disease affecting the central nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Its course and severity vary greatly from one person to another. [Insert Link to Authoritative Source Here]
Chris reported that his father’s condition eventually affected his ability to walk and perform the physical work that had shaped his identity. Daniel found that loss of independence especially hard to accept.
According to Chris, his father resisted medication and physical therapy. This information reflects Chris’s account of his family’s experience and should not be used to make general judgments about people living with MS.
When Did Daniel Clifton Pratt Die?
Daniel died in 2014. A public memorial record gives the date as June 30, 2014, and lists him as 60 years old.
At the time, Chris was filming Jurassic World. He later explained that he felt responsible for maintaining a positive atmosphere on set, so he separated his grief from his professional responsibilities and processed much of it privately.
Did Daniel Clifton Pratt Die From MS?
Several entertainment publications state that Daniel died from multiple sclerosis. Chris’s interviews confirm that his father had lived with MS for years and experienced serious physical decline.
However, a detailed public medical report or death certificate identifying the immediate medical cause has not been widely published. The most accurate wording is that Daniel died in 2014 after a long struggle with multiple sclerosis, rather than claiming a particular fatal complication.
It is also incorrect to assume that everyone with MS faces the same outcome. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke reports that most people with MS have a normal life expectancy, although the disease can cause severe disability and related complications in some cases.
How Daniel Pratt Influenced Chris Pratt
Work Ethic and Practical Resilience
Daniel’s influence can be seen in the way Chris talks about work, physical preparation, and solving problems under pressure.
His father’s career depended on using his hands, learning machinery, adapting to unfamiliar jobs, and moving the family when work required it. Chris later entered a completely different profession, but he has often approached acting roles with a similar emphasis on preparation and persistence.
That does not mean every part of Daniel’s parenting style was repeated. Chris has spoken about raising his own children differently, particularly by creating a less fearful and more openly expressive relationship.
Father-Son Themes in Chris Pratt’s Movies
Chris has said he is drawn to stories involving complicated father-son relationships. He connected that interest to Peter Quill’s family story in the Guardians of the Galaxy films and Garfield’s feelings of paternal abandonment in The Garfield Movie.
These roles allow him to explore emotions that connect with his own background. They are fictional characters, but themes such as separation, pride, abandonment, anger, and reconciliation carry personal meaning for him. [Insert Link to Authoritative Source Here]
Daniel Clifton Pratt’s Legacy
Daniel’s public legacy is closely connected to the life lessons Chris took from their relationship. He represented strength, physical ability, practical intelligence, pride, and stubborn independence.
One of the clearest symbols of that legacy is an old compass Chris inherited from his father. Chris takes it with him while hunting even though the compass no longer works. To him, it represents guidance that may be imperfect but still carries emotional value.
The story captures the complexity of their relationship. Daniel did not always provide clear emotional direction, yet Chris still carries his influence and memory with him.
Claims about buildings, youth centers, or community facilities being formally named after Daniel should be independently verified before publication. Reliable coverage of such a tribute is limited, and repeating it without documentation would weaken the accuracy of his biography.
Facts Versus Unverified Online Claims
Was Daniel Clifton Pratt an Actor?
No credible public source identifies Daniel as an actor. Interviews with Chris describe him as a miner, contractor, builder, and home remodeler.
Searchers sometimes make this assumption because Daniel is associated with a famous Hollywood family. He has no verified filmography or documented entertainment career.
Is Daniel Clifton Pratt’s Net Worth Known?
There is no reliable public estimate of Daniel Clifton Pratt’s net worth.
Figures published on celebrity biography websites appear speculative. Daniel was a private working man, not a public business owner or entertainer whose earnings and assets were regularly reported.
Are His Height and Personal Measurements Available?
Daniel’s height, weight, and other physical measurements have not been reliably documented. Websites presenting exact measurements generally do not explain where the information came from.
His biography should focus on facts supported by family interviews and credible records rather than filling gaps with invented profile data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Daniel Clifton Pratt?
Daniel Clifton Pratt was Chris Pratt’s father. He worked in mining, contracting, and home remodeling and lived largely outside the public eye.
Was Daniel Clifton Pratt an actor?
No. There is no verified acting career or filmography associated with him. His connection to Hollywood comes through his son, Chris Pratt.
What did Daniel Clifton Pratt do for a living?
He worked as a taconite miner in Minnesota, pursued gold-mining work in Alaska, and later worked as a contractor and home remodeler.
Who was Daniel Clifton Pratt’s wife?
His wife was Kathy Pratt, Chris Pratt’s mother. She worked at a Safeway supermarket while raising the couple’s three children.
How many children did Daniel Clifton Pratt have?
Daniel and Kathy Pratt had three children: Angie, Daniel “Cully” Pratt, and Chris Pratt.
When did Daniel Clifton Pratt die?
He died in 2014. A public memorial record lists June 30, 2014, as his date of death and states that he was 60 years old.
Did Daniel Clifton Pratt have multiple sclerosis?
Yes. Chris Pratt has spoken publicly about his father’s long experience with multiple sclerosis and how the condition affected his mobility, independence, and emotional well-being.
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