Dooley was a keen cartoonist as a youth and drew a strip for a local paper in Parkersburg, West Virginia. He joined the Navy before discovering acting while at college. Moving to New York, he soon found success as a regular on the stage. Also having an interest in comedy, Dooley was a stand-up comedian for five years, as well as having brief stints as a magician and as a clown. Not afraid of trying different areas of entertainment, he has also worked as a writer. After appearing in many movies, including most notably Popeye (1980), Dooley has appeared as recurrent characters on various shows, including Angela, 15 ans (1994), Dream On (1990), Une maman formidable (1993), and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993).
