Actor Richard Chamberlain who found fame in the TV series Dr Kildare, before going on to star in epic miniseries including Shogun and The Thorn Birds has died at the age of 90.
Chamberlain died Saturday night in Waimanalo, Hawaii, of complications following a stroke, publicist Harlan Boll told The Hollywood Reporter. He would have celebrated his 91st birthday today.
The actor kept his sexuality a secret until he came out in 2003 autobiography. He had been outed by a French magazine in 1989, but did not make any public confirmation until the publication of his book.
“Our beloved Richard is with the angels now,” Chamberlain’s longtime partner, Martin Rabbett, said in a statement. “He is free and soaring to those loved ones before us. How blessed were we to have known such an amazing and loving soul. Love never dies. And our love is under his wings lifting him to his next great adventure.”
Babbett and Chamberlain’s relationship began in 1977. They played brothers in the 1986 film Allan Quartermain and the Lost City of Gold. The couple separated in 2010 but remained close friends, they had reunited by the time of Chamberlain’s death.
Chamberlain was born in Los Angles and served in the US military from 1956 until 1958 stationed in post-war Korea. Upon returning to the USA he co-founded a Los Angeles theatre group and began making guest appearances on television shows.
His big break came with the TV show Dr Kildare which ran for five seasons in the early 1960s. The popular show featured many guests stars who would go on to become household names including James Earl Jones, Charles Bronson, Leonard Nimoy, Sam Waterson, Linda Evans, Olympia Dukakis, and established film stars including Lauren Bacall, Joan Blondell, and Mary Astor.
After the show wrapped Chamberlain spent time on stage. He starred in the ill-fated musical version of Breakfast at Tiffany’s which closed on Broadway after just four previews. He found greater success in the United Kingdom where he worked in repertory theatre.
He made several notable film appearances in the 1970’s appearing in The Three Musketeers (1973) and its sequel The Four Musketeers (1974). He joined the star-studded cast of 1974’s The Towering Inferno appearing alongside Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn, Fred Astaire, Faye Dunaway and Robert Wagner.
At the dawn of the 1980’s his career entered a new phase where he starred in epic miniseries. The television adaptation of James Clavell’s Shogun came in 1980, and in 1983 he starred as Father Ralph de Bricassart in The Thorn Birds in 1983.
Based on the 1977 novel by Australian author Colleen MCCullough the series was set in Australia but was actually filmed in the USA. The cast included Rachel Ward, Jean Simmons, Mare Winningham, Piper Laurie, Christoper Plummer and Barbara Stanwyck.
In the mid 1980’s he appeared as adventurer Allan Quartermain in two films that were popular in the home video market. The films were clearly designed to cash in on the success of the Indiana Jones films with similar posters promoting the movies. Sharon Stone starred as his sidekick Jesse Huston.
In 1988 he played Jason Bourne in the television adaption of the Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Identity, starring alongside Charlie’s Angels‘ Jaclyn Smith.
Chamberlain continued making guest appearances in popular television series including Hustle, Will & Grace, Desperate Housewives, Nip / Tuck, Leverage, and Twin Peaks: The Return. He also appeared in many stage musicals including Spamalot, The Sound of Music, and My Fair Lady.
