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Telegraph
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Richard Chamberlain's 10 greatest roles
The death of the actor Richard Chamberlain at the age of 90 deprives his many admirers of the man once known as 'the king of the miniseries'. Over the course of a decades-spanning career, the suave and charismatic Chamberlain excelled at playing heroic and sensitive figures, albeit often with a dark side or concealed secrets. His success at portraying these demanding roles presumably came from his own closeted homosexuality, which would have destroyed his mainstream career had it been exposed in his Sixties and Seventies heyday. Like an American Dirk Bogarde, Chamberlain's career became more interesting as he cast off his matinee idol trappings in favour of more challenging roles, which, in retrospect, seem clearly designed to indicate to those in the know that there was more to him than the white-bread wholesomeness of Dr Kildare. In the last years of his life and career, after he confirmed he was gay in his 2003 autobiography Shattered Love, Chamberlain seemed more comfortable embracing a camper and more relaxed side on screen, his leading man days long behind him. Yet he continued to surprise, not least in his final television appearance, which was not some piece of stunt casting in a sitcom but a knowing cameo in David Lynch's 2017 Twin Peaks redux as Billy Kennedy, a high-ranking FBI supremo: proof that, even in his eighties, this versatile and always interesting actor was beloved by the best. Here are 10 of his most varied roles, from Tchaikovsky to Edward VIII – to say nothing, of course, of Dr Kildare and Father Ralph. 10. Dr James Kildare, Dr Kildare (1961 – 1966) After a series of undistinguished early roles, the handsome Chamberlain first achieved household name status in the immensely popular NBC medical drama which aired for five years in the Sixties. It saw him receive 12,000 fan letters a week, many of them asking for medical advice. Such was the popularity of both actor and character that he even recorded its theme as a single – The Stars Will Shine Tonight – which duly reached the top 10 in the US charts. It was not, in truth, the most demanding role that Chamberlain ever took on, although the much-parodied series should be given credit for attempting to deal with some reasonably serious issues – it was the first American show ever to explore epilepsy, for instance – and the actor's smooth bedside manner meant that the Golden Globe he eventually won was much deserved. 9. Jason Bourne, The Bourne Identity (1988) Two-and-a-half decades before Matt Damon and Doug Liman created one of the most iconic action heroes of the 21st century, Chamberlain, by then nearing the end of his leading man career, took the first stab at playing Robert Ludlum's amnesiac spy. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his now little-seen attempt at playing Jason Bourne, although this three-hour miniseries comes up short when compared to the subsequent Paul Greengrass-directed pictures. It's far closer to the original novels than the films were, and reflects the Cold War era in which they were written, and the now 55-year old Chamberlain is a more sombre, stately figure than Damon ever was. Still, he's always watchable, if never exactly magnetic (you can't imagine him engaging in a spot of parkour, for instance) and, as usual, Chamberlain conveys a chilly sense of reserve that marks him out as a natural spy. 8. David Danner, Petulia (1968) Richard Lester's romantic drama Petulia is a film entirely of its time, in its focus on an unhappy but glamorous late Sixties socialite – played, inevitably but superbly, by Julie Christie – and her burgeoning relationship with a progressive doctor played by George C Scott. Yet much of the film's interest and appeal comes from Chamberlain's cast-against-type performance as Christie's violently abusive husband, an architect named David Danner. It was clear that, after several years of being associated with the near-saintly Dr Kildare, Chamberlain wanted to take on more testing roles, and although he does not have a leading role here, his ability to delve convincingly into his dark side precipitated far more interesting parts in the early Seventies, and beyond. 7. Edward VIII, The Woman I Love (1972) Chamberlain spent a considerable part of his career working in the United Kingdom, where he played some of his greatest roles. It may have been seen as acclamation of his talent that he was cast as the country's most controversial 20th-century monarch, the spoilt, petulant Edward VIII. Although this television film prefers to present his love for Faye Dunaway's Wallis Simpson as a grand amour, rather than the selfishly destructive (and constitutionally damaging) disaster that it really was, Chamberlain manages to make Edward a sympathetic and glamorous figure, with his love for Mrs Simpson seeming wholly believable rather than (as in real life) the display of an obsessive masochism. Not until Guy Pearce in The King's Speech did anyone play this most inessential of monarchs better. 6. Roger Simmons, The Towering Inferno (1974) The Seventies was the peak time for big-budget, star-studded disaster pictures, and The Towering Inferno is fondly remembered by many as the peak example of the genre, not only for its then-groundbreaking visual effects but for the on and off-screen machismo that was brought about by the casting of the two biggest stars in Hollywood, Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. It was typical of Chamberlain, cast in the villainous role of Roger Simmons, a slimy electrical subcontractor whose cost-cutting leads to the eponymous conflagration in the film's San Francisco skyscraper, to come between the two main actors and waltz away with the picture. Although he did not win the critical plaudits – those, and the awards, went to Fred Astaire's sprightly conman – Chamberlain yet again revealed his ability to play a dark side in a charismatic yet deeply nefarious fashion, which would stand him in great stead for his most famous roles. 5. Lord Byron, Lady Caroline Lamb (1972) Lawrence of Arabia screenwriter Robert Bolt only directed one film, this biopic of Byron's most famous lover Lady Caroline Lamb. She was the one who famously described the aristocratic poet as 'mad, bad and dangerous to know', and so it was vital to cast an actor who could simultaneously convey seductive charisma and saturnine menace. Step forward Chamberlain, who said of his casting that 'I've been playing zanies and eccentrics for the past few years, so Byron is new for me. He was like this incredible pop star.' He steals the show entirely, both from cameo players like Laurence Olivier and Ralph Richardson and from the rather colourless Sarah Miles in the lead role; he makes you wish that the film had simply been called 'Byron' instead. Bolt subsequently disowned the unsuccessful picture, and understandably so, but Chamberlain's dashing poet-meets-pop star is worth the watch. 4. Tchaikovsky, The Music Lovers (1971) Chamberlain had repressed his homosexuality since the beginning of his career, so in retrospect it was a bold move to play the similarly closeted composer in Ken Russell's avant-garde musical drama, which explores his compromising marriage to his wife Nina (as played by Glenda Jackson) as well as his forbidden passion for Christopher Gable's Count Anton Chiluvsky. Even by Russell's standards, The Music Lovers is challenging stuff – largely devoid of dialogue, it regards instead on Tchaikovsky's music juxtaposed with Russell's signature surrealist, often highly sexualised imagery – which is why Chamberlain's dignified and charismatic performance, which stands in contrast to Jackson's atypically OTT work opposite him, remains some of his most underrated work in cinema. 3. John Blackthorne, Shōgun (1980) Now that the recent adaptation of James Clavell's Shōgun has won virtually every award going, there has been a tendency to regard the first version of it as something of an inferior dry run, which lacks the complexity and nuance (as well as extreme bloodshed) of the newer miniseries. This is fair, but there are many strengths to the earlier series too – it did not win a Golden Globe and Emmy for Best Limited Series for nothing – although its greater emphasis on the white character of Blackthorne rather than the true lead, Toshiro Mifune's Toranaga, reflects changing audience expectations over the past few decades. Chamberlain is, however, terrific in the beefed-up central role, conveying charisma, decency and heroism in equal measure. He deservedly won a Golden Globe, and the show's success would lead to his greatest role a few years later, as well as his more regrettable appearance as the adventurer Allen Quartermain in two B-movies that decade. 2. Aramis, The Three Musketeers/The Four Musketeers (1973/1974) If it is hard to distinguish Richard Lester's two Alexandre Dumas adaptations from one another, there is a simple reason for that: the pictures were filmed together, intended as one three-hour film, and then the producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind decided to release them as two features instead, thereby doubling the box office gross. If this was a commercially rather than artistically driven decision, it did at least allow audiences to savour more of Chamberlain's most successful cinematic performance, the poetic and debonair Aramis, whose refined and gentlemanly sensibilities are only equalled by his deadliness in a duel. Despite his American birth, Chamberlain was occasionally half-seriously discussed as a potential James Bond, and this (rather than his later Bourne) is the best indication of what he would have been like had he been (to date) the first gay actor to play 007. 1. Ralph de Brissecart, The Thorn Birds (1983) There could never be any serious doubt, however, as to which Chamberlain's most iconic and beloved role is, and his priest Ralph de Brissecart, who falls helplessly in forbidden love with Rachel Ward's Meggie Clearly, remains his most famous part. The Thorn Birds miniseries, based on Colleen McCullough's bestseller, was immensely successful on its initial broadcast, and although it may seem overblown and almost comically eventful to contemporary viewers, retains much of its guilty-pleasure appeal thanks to Chamberlain's Golden Globe-winning star role. The character of the priest tormented by all-too-human desires is hardly an original conception, but Chamberlain, perhaps mindful of his own secrets that he had kept throughout his life, makes Ralph sympathetic and even heroic in his forbidden passion. He reprised his role in another miniseries 16 years later, subtitled The Missing Years, but it is the original that will continue to endure for audiences.
South China Morning Post
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Richard Chamberlain, star of Shōgun, Dr Kildare, The Thorn Birds, dies at 90
Richard Chamberlain, the handsome hero of the 1960s television series Dr. Kildare who found a second career as an award-winning 'king of the miniseries', has died. He was 90. Advertisement Chamberlain died on Saturday night in Waimanalo, Hawaii of complications following a stroke, according to his publicist, Harlan Boll. 'Our beloved Richard is with the angels now. He is free and soaring to those loved ones before us,' Martin Rabbett, his lifelong partner, said in a statement. '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.' Tall, with classic good looks and romantic style, Chamberlain became an instant favourite with teenage girls as the compassionate doctor on the television series that was broadcast from 1961 to 1966. Photoplay magazine named him most popular male star for three years in a row, from 1963-65. Not until 2003 did he acknowledge publicly what Hollywood insiders had long known, that he was gay. He made the revelation in his autobiography Shattered Love. Advertisement The actor became known as 'king of the TV miniseries' in 1978 when he landed the starring role in Centennial, an epic production 24 hours long and based on James Michener's sprawling novel. He followed that in 1980 with Shogun, another costly, epic miniseries based on James Clavell's period piece about an American visitor to Japan.
The Guardian
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Richard Chamberlain, hero of Dr Kildare and ‘king of the miniseries' dies aged 90
Richard Chamberlain, the hero of the 1960s television series Dr Kildare who found a second career as an award-winning 'king of the miniseries,' has died. He was 90. Chamberlain died on Saturday night in Waimānalo, Hawaii of complications after a stroke, according to his publicist, Harlan Boll. Martin Rabbett, his lifelong partner, said in a statement: 'Our beloved Richard is with the angels now. 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.' Tall, with classic good looks and romantic style, Chamberlain became an instant favorite with teenage girls as the compassionate physician on the TV series that aired from 1961 to 1966. Photoplay magazine named him most popular male star for three years in a row, from 1963-65. Not until 2003 did he acknowledge publicly what Hollywood insiders had long known: that he was gay. He made the revelation in his autobiography, Shattered Love. The actor became known as 'king of the TV miniseries' in 1978 when he landed the starring role in Centennial, an epic production 24 hours long and based on James Michener's sprawling novel. He followed that in 1980 with Shōgun, another costly, epic miniseries based on James Clavell's period piece about an American visitor to Japan. He scored his greatest miniseries success in 1983 with another long-form drama, The Thorn Birds, based on Colleen McCullough's bestseller. He played Father Ralph de Bricassart, a Roman Catholic priest in Australia who falls in love with beautiful Meggie Cleary (Rachel Ward). The ABC production, which also starred Barbara Stanwyck, reportedly attracted 100 million viewers. Chamberlain won Golden Globes for his work on Shōgun and The Thorn Birds. Years earlier, he received one for Dr Kildare. When the public began to lose interest in miniseries, Chamberlain turned to the theatre, where he displayed a fine singing voice. He appeared as Henry Higgins in a 1994 Broadway revival of My Fair Lady and as Captain von Trapp in a 1999 revival of The Sound of Music. He reprised the role of de Bricassart in the 1996 TV movie The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years. He also appeared in numerous films, including The Music Lovers (as Tchaikovsky), The Madwoman of Chaillot, The Towering Inferno and The Three Musketeers and its sequels. Dr Kildare was based on a string of successful 1930s and 1940s films that had starred Lew Ayres in the title role. Chamberlain's hunky, all-American appearance made him an overnight star. Another medical show that debuted the same season, Ben Casey, was also a smash and made its leading man, the darkly handsome Vince Edwards, a star, too. The so-called 'Ben Casey shirt' became a fashion item, both shows' theme songs made the pop Top 40 (the Kildare song performed by Chamberlain himself) and there was even a pop song called Dr. Kildare! Dr. Casey! You Are Wanted for Consultation. But in his autobiography, Chamberlain recounted how he was forced to hide his sexuality. He would escort glamorous female colleagues to movie premieres and other public events at the request of studio executives and dodge reporters' questions about why he had never married with a stock reply: 'Getting married would be great, but I'm awfully busy now.' 'When I grew up, being gay, being a sissy or anything like that was verboten,' he said in an NBC interview. 'I disliked myself intensely and feared this part of myself intensely and had to hide it.' The book also described a troubled childhood and an alcoholic father, and Chamberlain said that writing it finally lifted a heavy emotional burden. He also expressed relief that he was no longer hiding his sexuality. 'I played a cat-and-mouse game with the press. Game over,' said Chamberlain, who for years was involved with fellow actor Martin Rabbett. Born George Richard Chamberlain in Beverly Hills on 31 March 1934, the actor originally studied at Pomona College to be a painter. But after returning from the army, where he had served as an infantry clerk in the Korean war, Chamberlain decided to try acting. He studied voice and drama, appearing in guest roles in a handful of TV shows and in the 1960 film The Secret of the Purple Reef, and ultimately won the Dr Kildare role. When Dr Kildare was cancelled, he initially found it difficult to shake the image of the handsome young physician. He moved to England for a time to find work and hone his acting skills. While there, he appeared in three of director Richard Lester's films: Petulia (1968), The Three Musketeers (1973) and The Four Musketeers (1974). He reunited with Lester in 1989 for The Return of the Musketeers, once more playing Aramis. In 1969, Chamberlain played the title role in Hamlet at England's Birmingham Repertory Company and repeated it in a TV adaptation that appeared on NBC in the United States. He also appeared as Octavius in a film version of Julius Caesar, which co-starred Charlton Heston and Jason Robards. He continued to act well into the 21st century, appearing on such television shows as Will & Grace, The Drew Carey Show and Touched by an Angel.
CBC
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Richard Chamberlain, star of Dr. Kildare, Shogun and The Thorn Birds, dead at 90
Social Sharing Richard Chamberlain, the handsome hero of the 1960s television series Dr. Kildare who found a second career as an award-winning "king of the miniseries," has died. He was 90. Chamberlain died Saturday night in Waimanalo, Hawaii, of complications following a stroke, according to his publicist, Harlan Boll. "Our beloved Richard is with the angels now. He is free and soaring to those loved ones before us," Martin Rabbett, his lifelong partner, said in a statement. "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." Tall, with classic good looks and romantic style, Chamberlain became an instant favourite with teenage girls as the compassionate physician on the TV series that aired from 1961 to 1966. Photoplay magazine named him most popular male star for three years in a row, from 1963-65. Not until 2003 did he acknowledge publicly what Hollywood insiders had long known, that he was gay. He made the revelation in his autobiography, Shattered Love. The actor became known as "king of the TV miniseries" in 1978 when he landed the starring role in Centennial, an epic production 24 hours long and based on James Michener's sprawling novel. He followed that in 1980 with Shogun, another costly, epic miniseries based on James Clavell's period piece about an American visitor to Japan. He scored his greatest miniseries success in 1983 with another long-form drama, The Thorn Birds, based on Colleen McCullough's best-seller. He played Father Ralph de Bricassart, a Roman Catholic priest in Australia who falls in love with beautiful Meggie Cleary (Rachel Ward). The ABC production, which also starred Barbara Stanwyck, reportedly attracted 100 million viewers. Chamberlain won Golden Globes for his work in Shogun and The Thorn Birds. Years earlier, he received one for Dr. Kildare. Turning to theatre and film When the public began to lose interest in miniseries, Chamberlain turned to the theatre, where he displayed a fine singing voice. He appeared as Henry Higgins in a 1994 Broadway revival of My Fair Lady and as Captain von Trapp in a 1999 revival of The Sound of Music. He reprised his role as de Bricassart in the 1996 TV movie The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years. He also appeared in numerous films, including The Music Lovers (as Tchaikovsky), The Madwoman of Chaillot, The Towering Inferno and The Three Musketeers and its sequels. Dr. Kildare, Ben Casey spinoff song The Kildare series was based on a string of successful 1930s and '40s films that had starred Lew Ayres in the title role. Chamberlain's hunky, All-American appearance made him an overnight star. Another medical show that debuted the same season, Ben Casey, also was a smash and made its leading man, the darkly handsome Vince Edwards, a star, too. The "Ben Casey shirt" became a fashion item, the theme songs of both shows made the pop Top 40 (the Kildare song performed by Chamberlain himself) and there was even a pop song called Dr. Kildare! Dr. Casey! You Are Wanted for Consultation. Decision to hide sexual orientation But in his book, Chamberlain recounted how he was forced to hide his sexuality. He would escort glamorous actresses to movie premieres and other public events at the request of studio executives and dodge reporters' questions about why he had never married with a stock reply: "Getting married would be great, but I'm awfully busy now." "When I grew up, being gay, being a sissy or anything like that was verboten," he said in an NBC interview. "I disliked myself intensely and feared this part of myself intensely and had to hide it." The book also described a troubled childhood and an alcoholic father, and Chamberlain said that writing it finally lifted a heavy emotional burden. He also expressed relief that he was no longer hiding his sexuality. "I played a cat-and-mouse game with the press. Game over," said Chamberlain, who for years was involved with fellow actor Martin Rabbett. Born George Richard Chamberlain in Beverly Hills on March 31, 1934, the actor originally studied at Pomona College to be a painter. But after returning from the Army, where he had served as an infantry clerk in the Korean War, Chamberlain decided to try acting. He continued to act well into the 21st century, appearing on such television shows as Will & Grace, The Drew Carey Show and Touched by an Angel.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Actor Richard Chamberlain dies aged 90
Richard Chamberlain, the handsome hero of the 1960s television series Dr Kildare who found a second career as an award-winning 'king of the miniseries,' has died at the age of 90. Chamberlain died on Saturday night in Waimanalo, Hawaii, of complications following a stroke, according to his publicist Harlan Boll. Tall, with classic good looks and romantic style, Chamberlain became an instant favourite with teenage girls as the compassionate physician on the TV series that aired from 1961 to 1966. Photoplay magazine named him most popular male star for three years in a row, from 1963-65. Not until 2003 did he acknowledge publicly what Hollywood insiders had long known, that he was gay. He made the revelation in his autobiography Shattered Love. The actor became known as 'king of the TV miniseries' in 1978 when he landed the starring role in Centennial, an epic production 24 hours long and based on James Michener's sprawling novel. He followed that in 1980 with Shogun, another costly, epic miniseries based on James Clavell's period piece about an American visitor to Japan.
