Los Angeles (AP) – Richard Chamberlain, the beautiful hero of the 1960s television series “Dr Kildare” who found a second career as a award -winning “king of the mini -series”. He was 90 years old.
Chamberlain died on Saturday evening in Waimalo, Hawaii, of complications following a stroke, according to his publicist, Harlan Boll.
“Our beloved Richard is with the Angels now. He is free and who hovers to these relatives ahead of us,” said Martin Rabbett, his longtime partner, in a press release. “How much we were blessed to have experienced such an incredible and loving soul. Love never dies. And our love is under his wings lifting him at his next great adventure. ”
Large, with classic beauty and a romantic style, Chamberlain became an instant favorite with teenagers as a compassionate doctor of the television series which was broadcast from 1961 to 1966. The photoplay magazine appointed it the most popular male star for three years in a row, from 1963 to 1965.
It was not until 2003 that he publicly recognized what Hollywood initiates had long known that he was gay. He made the revelation of his autobiography, “Shattered Love”.
The actor became known as “King of the TV Miniseries” in 1978 when he won the main role in “Centennial”, an epic production of 24 hours and based on the sprawling novel by James Michener. He followed this in 1980 with “Shogun”, another costly epic mini-series based on James Clavell’s time on an American visitor in Japan.
He marked his biggest mini-series success in 1983 with another long drama, “The Thorn Birds”, based on the bestseller of Colleen McCullough. He played Father Ralph de Bricassart, a Roman Catholic priest in Australia who fell in love with the beautiful Meggie Cleary (Rachel Ward). ABC production, which also featured Barbara Stanwyck, would have attracted 100 million viewers.
Chamberlain won Golden Globes for his work in “Shogun” and “The Thorn Birds”. For years earlier, he received one for “Dr Kildare”.
When the public began to lose interest in the mini-series, Chamberlain turned to the theater, where he showed a beautiful singing voice. He appeared under the name of Henry Higgins in a Broadway renewal in 1994 of “My Fair Lady” and as Captain Von Trapp in a 1999 renewal of “The Sound of Music”.
He resumed his role as De Bricassart in the 1996 TV movie “The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years”.
He also appeared in many films, including “The Music Lovers” (as Tchaikovsky), “The Madwoman of Chaillot”, “The Totting Inferno” and “The Three Musketeers” and its consequences.
The “Kildare” series was based on a series of successful films from the 1930s and 1940s who had played Lew Ayres in the title role.
The Hunky and American appearance of Chamberlain made him a star overnight. Another medical show that made its debut the same season, “Ben Casey”, was also a Smash and made his main man, the beautiful Vince Edwards, a star too.
The “Ben Casey Shirt” became a fashion element, the theme songs of the two shows made the pop top 40 (the Kildare song interpreted by Chamberlain himself) and there was even a pop song entitled “Dr Kildare! Dr Casey! You are wanted for consultation ”.
But in his book, Chamberlain told how he was forced to hide his sexuality. He would escort glamorous actresses for the first of films and other public events at the request of studio leaders and dodges the questions of journalists on the reasons why he had never married a stock response: “marrying would be great, but I am terribly occupied.”
“When I grew up, being gay, being a wet hen or something like that was Verboten,” he said in an interview with NBC. “I didn’t really like this part of me intensely and intensely feared it.”
The book also described a troubled childhood and an alcoholic father, and Chamberlain said that writing had finally lifted a heavy emotional burden. He also expressed his relief that he no longer hides his sexuality.
“I played a cat and mouse match with the press game,” said Chamberlain.
Born George Richard Chamberlain in Beverly Hills on March 31, 1934, the actor initially studied at Pomona College to become a painter. But after his return from the army, where he had been infantry during the Korean War, Chamberlain decided to try to act.
He studied voice and drama, and after appearing in roles invited in a handful of television shows and in the 1960 film “The Secret of the Purple Reef”, he won the role of Dr Kildare.
When “Dr Kildare” was canceled, he first had trouble shaking the image of the handsome young doctor.
He moved to England for a while to find work and perfect his actor skills. During his stay, he appeared in three of the films of director Richard Lester, “Petulia” (1968), “The Three Musketeers” (1973) and “The Four Musketeers” (1974). He found Lester in 1989 for “The Return of the Musketeers”, playing once again Aramis.
In 1969, Chamberlain played the title role in “Hamlet” at the Birmingham Repertory Company of England and repeated it in a television adaptation which appeared on NBC in the United States. He also appeared as Octavius in a cinematographic version of “Julius Caesar”, who played Charlton Heston and Jason Robards.
He continued to act well in the 21st century, appearing in television programs such as “Will & Grace”, “The Drew Carey Show” and “Toured by An Angel”.
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Bob Thomas, a long -standing journalist by the Associated Press who died in 2014, was the main editor of this Billology.
