If you spent any time on Nickelodeon between 2014 and 2018, you know exactly who Dicky Harper is. He was the "cool" one. The stylish one. The one who—honestly—usually ended up being the reason the Harper quadruplets' plans went completely sideways.
But if you’ve tried to rewatch the show lately, you might have noticed something weird. By the time the fourth season rolled around, Dicky just... disappeared. No big send-off. No tearful goodbye. He was just gone, leaving fans to wonder who actually played the character and where he went.
The Face Behind the Hair: Mace Coronel
The actor who played Dicky Harper is Mace Coronel.
Born in early 2004, Coronel was just a kid when he landed the role that would make him a household name for the Gen Z crowd. Before he was a Harper, he actually had a stint on the legendary soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, playing R.J. Forrester. It’s kinda funny thinking about a future Nickelodeon star doing the dramatic soap thing, but it clearly gave him the chops he needed.
Mace played Dicky for almost the entire run of Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn. He brought this specific brand of easy-going, slightly dim-but-lovable energy to the screen. He was the third-born quad, the one obsessed with his hair, and the one who arguably had the most natural comedic timing of the group.
A Career Beyond the Quads
Mace wasn't a one-trick pony. While he was filming for Nick, he was popping up in other places too:
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- Santa Hunters (2014): A TV movie about kids trying to trap Santa Claus.
- Ho Ho Holiday Special: Basically a requirement for every Nick star at the time.
- That '90s Show: This is where he really "grew up" in the eyes of the public, playing Jay Kelso (the son of Michael Kelso and Jackie Burkhart).
What Happened to Dicky Harper in Season 4?
This is the part that still bugs people. Toward the end of the show's fourth season, Dicky Harper vanished.
He wasn't in the series finale. For a show literally titled with his name, that's pretty wild. Rumors swirled for years about "creative differences" or drama on set. Honestly? It was a bit of both.
In late 2017, Mace Coronel and Nickelodeon reached a mutual agreement to part ways. Mace wanted to pursue more "serious" or diverse acting projects, and the show was already facing some behind-the-scenes tension. Reports at the time suggested the cast didn't always get along perfectly—which, let's be real, happens when you stick four teenagers in a room together for 12 hours a day for years.
The writers handled his exit by saying Dicky went to live in Australia as an exchange student. It was a classic sitcom "write-off." They even brought in a new character named Britt (played by Jack Sullivan) to fill the void, but for most fans, the dynamic just wasn't the same.
The Jim Carrey Confusion
Sometimes, when people search for "who played Dicky Harper," they get confused with a totally different Dick Harper.
In the 2005 movie Fun with Dick and Jane, Jim Carrey plays a character named Dick Harper.
Different vibe.
Different age.
Totally different storyline involving corporate fraud and armed robbery.
If you’re looking for the kid with the great hair from the Harper family, you’re definitely looking for Mace Coronel. If you’re looking for a guy who tries to rob a Starbucks with a water pistol, that's Jim Carrey.
Where is Mace Coronel Now?
As of 2026, Mace has successfully avoided the "child star curse."
He’s leaned heavily into more mature roles. His performance in That '90s Show proved he could handle the pressure of a massive reboot. He’s also been vocal about his love for indie filmmaking and photography.
You won't find him doing the "Nick star" circuit much these days. He’s carved out a path that feels a lot more intentional and a lot less "manufactured."
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Key Takeaways for Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of the Harper quads or Mace's career, here's the best way to do it:
- Watch the Early Seasons: To see Mace at his most "Dicky," stick to seasons 1 and 2. This is before the character became a bit of a caricature of himself.
- Check out That '90s Show: If you want to see how he transitioned into a leading man role, Jay Kelso is the perfect bridge.
- The Finale Gap: If you watch the series finale of NRDD, just be prepared for the Dicky-shaped hole in the plot. It’s bittersweet, but knowing Mace left to pursue bigger things makes it easier to swallow.
The legacy of Dicky Harper remains one of the high points of 2010s Nickelodeon comedy. Whether he was fighting with Nicky or trying to act cooler than Dawn, Mace Coronel made the character a standout that people are still searching for over a decade later.