Frank Spotnitz and
John Shiban, two producers of
The X-Files (1993) TV
series, studied under Dimsdale as screenwriting fellows at the
American Film Institute in 1990 and 1991. They have included tributes
to him in several episodes, including using Dimsdale's pseudonym of
Arthur Dales for the
Darren McGavin character first introduced in the
episode "Travelers." Dimsdale's name also appears as the byline in a
newspaper Fox Mulder is reading in the park at the end of
The X Files (1998).