John Richard Patterson

John Richard Patterson (17 May 1945 – 29 January 1997) was the founder of the UK-based computer dating service Dateline. The Guardian called him "history's most successful Cupid," while The Times characterized Dateline as "probably the largest, longest established and most successful computer dating service in the world."

The company was highly successful, eventually becoming "the world's biggest and most enduring introduction service" in the 1980s and 1990s. Dateline relied heavily on advertising, taking out the first full-page ads for a dating service in newspaper and magazines during the early 1970s, and becoming known for its catchphrase, "You too can find love." In 1974, Patterson bought out and absorbed Com-Pat, his only major competitor and the first computer dating service in the UK, started in 1964 by Joan Ball. He struggled with alcoholism later in life, and died of a heart attack in 1997.

After Patterson's death, Dateline was sold to the Columbus Publishing Group in 1998, for £1.45 million.