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American Military News
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- American Military News
Richard Chamberlain, who soared to fame as Dr. Kildare on TV and gained acclaim in ‘Shogun,' dies
Richard Chamberlain, who soared to fame as the handsome young Dr. Kildare on television in the early 1960s and two decades later reignited his TV stardom as a seasoned leading man in the highly rated miniseries 'Shogun' and 'The Thorn Birds,' has died. He was 90. A Los Angeles native, Chamberlain died Saturday night in Waimanalo, Hawaii, of complications from 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 reported by Associated Press. '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.' American actor Richard Chamberlain points while standing behind actor Yoko Shimada, as actor Toshiro Mifune (1920 – 1997) looks on, from the TV miniseries 'Shogun,' in 1980. (/TNS) In a six-decade career that spanned television, movies and theater, Chamberlain played a wide variety of roles — including Hamlet and Professor Henry Higgins on stage and a swashbuckling French musketeer and a frontier America trapper on screen. 'I need to do theater. If I don't, I feel something is missing,' Chamberlain told The Times in 1984. 'But I love doing television and movies too. And I think I've shown that an actor can do all three. 'As I've said before, the fun in acting is playing different roles. If you're just going to play one role all your life, you might as well be selling insurance.' Chamberlain was a virtual unknown with a limited number of TV guest shots and a low-budget movie to his credit when he was cast by MGM as Dr. Kildare in the hour-long medical drama. As Dr. James Kildare, an idealistic young intern at Blair General Hospital, Chamberlain starred opposite Raymond Massey as his wise medical mentor, Dr. Leonard Gillespie. 'The series may be among the solid hits of the season,' predicted Cecil Smith, The Times' late TV columnist, shortly after 'Dr. Kildare' made its debut in 1961. 'Chamberlain is an agreeable, attractive young actor with great warmth; he's an ideal foil for the expert Massey, one of the finest actors of our time.' Overnight, the tall, blond, blue-eyed, 27-year-old former college sprinter, who later admitted to being 'as green as grass' as an actor, became a teen idol and a fan-magazine favorite who was soon generating up to 12,000 fan letters a week. 'Dr. Kildare,' which premiered on NBC the same season as another popular medical drama on ABC, 'Ben Casey,' starring Vince Edwards, ran for five years. During his time off from the series, Chamberlain starred in two movies: as a trial lawyer in the 1963 courtroom drama 'Twilight of Honor,' and opposite Yvette Mimieux in the 1965 dramatic love story 'Joy in the Morning.' But his role as the noble TV doctor remained his greatest claim to fame at the time, his popularity generating comic books, trading cards, a board game, a doll and other merchandise bearing his white-coated 'Kildare' likeness. Chamberlain's weekly TV exposure also led to a brief side career as a recording artist, one that revealed a pleasing baritone on releases that included the album 'Richard Chamberlain Sings.' 'Kildare had been an incredible break for me, and a grand, if grueling, rocket ride,' the actor recalled in his 2003 memoir, 'Shattered Love.' 'Though I was considered more a heartthrob than a serious actor, it had put me on the map.' That point was driven home during a luncheon gathering at Massey's home when veteran English actor Cedric Hardwicke told him, 'You know, Richard, you've become a star before you've had a chance to learn to act.' After his five-season run on 'Dr. Kildare,' Chamberlain turned down a number of new TV-series offers, preferring instead to concentrate on theater and film. His first attempt on Broadway — in a troubled 1966 production of a musical version of 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' with Mary Tyler Moore — ended when producer David Merrick pulled the plug on the much-anticipated musical's opening after only four preview performances in New York. Chamberlain went on to appear in what he called his first serious film, playing Julie Christie's occasionally violent husband in 'Petulia,' a 1968 drama directed by Richard Lester. Determined to obtain 'some solid acting training,' he moved to England, where he immediately was cast in a 1968 six-hour BBC production of Henry James' novel 'The Portrait of a Lady.' Instead of joining an acting academy in London, as he had planned, Chamberlain received what he referred to as on-the-job training during his more than four years living in England. Indeed, 'The Portrait of a Lady' led to a challenging, most unlikely role for TV's Dr. Kildare: Hamlet. His performance in the BBC production of the James novel had drawn the attention of the well-known Birmingham Repertory Company, which was looking for a known actor who could fill seats for its upcoming production of the Shakespeare tragedy. After undergoing long and intensive rehearsals, Chamberlain said he was amazed when most of the London critics gave him 'quite good' reviews. He later went on to play Hamlet in a different production for Hallmark Television. 'Having graduated from pretty boy to actor, I was at last taken seriously, and it was an exhilarating experience,' he wrote. Chamberlain appeared in director Bryan Forbes' 1969 film 'The 'Madwoman of Chaillot,' starring Katharine Hepburn, and he starred as the Russian composer Tchaikovsky opposite Glenda Jackson in director Ken Russell's 1970 film 'The Music Lovers.' Among his other film credits in the '70s were 'The Three Musketeers' (1973), 'The Towering Inferno' (1974) and 'The Last Wave' (1977). Chamberlain's early work on the American stage included starring in the Seattle Repertory Theater's 1971 production of Shakespeare's 'Richard II,' a performance deemed by Times theater critic Dan Sullivan as 'an astonishingly accomplished one.' And his 1973 starring role in 'Cyrano de Bergerac' at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles earned him a Los Angeles Drama Critics' Circle Award. Over the years, Chamberlain starred on Broadway four times, all in revivals: as the Rev. T. Lawrence Shannon in 'The Night of the Iguana' (1976-77), as Charles in 'Blithe Spirit' (1987), as Professor Henry Higgins in 'My Fair Lady' (1993-94) and as Captain Georg von Trapp in 'The Sound of Music' (1999). On television, his leading role in the 1975 TV movie 'The Count of Monte Cristo' earned him the first of his four Emmy nominations. But it was a string of TV miniseries that would give him his biggest post-'Dr. Kildare' career highs, beginning with his role as Alexander McKeag, a bearded Scottish trapper, in 'Centennial,' a star-studded 12-episode historical epic that aired on NBC in 1978-79. Then, in 1980, came his starring role in 'Shogun,' an NBC miniseries set in feudal Japan in the year 1600. As John Blackthorne, a shipwrecked English navigator who is taken prisoner, he becomes involved in a battle among warlords seeking to become Japan's supreme military ruler and falls in love with his married interpreter. Chamberlain was unprepared for the response to his role in the critically acclaimed, highly rated miniseries. 'I'd forgotten about being besieged in supermarkets,' he told The Times in 1981. 'I used to get it during my 'Dr. Kildare' days, but then it stopped and I forgot about it. Now it's started all over again.' In the 1983 ABC miniseries 'The Thorn Birds,' he played Father Ralph, an ambitious Catholic priest who struggles with his vows after falling in love with the beautiful young niece (played by Rachel Ward) of the wealthy matriarch of a sprawling Australian sheep ranch (Barbara Stanwyck). Dubbed the 'king of the miniseries,' Chamberlain won Golden Globes and received Emmy nominations for his performances in both 'Shogun' and 'The Thorn Birds.' He went on to earn another Emmy nomination as the star of the two-part 'Wallenberg: A Hero's Story' on NBC in 1985, in which he played a Swedish diplomat in Budapest who saved thousands of Hungarian Jews during World War II. Born George Richard Chamberlain in Los Angeles on March 31, 1934, Chamberlain was named after his grandfather but was always called Dick or Richard. He and his older brother Bill grew up in Beverly Hills, in a three-bedroom house in what Chamberlain called 'the wrong side of Wilshire Boulevard.' His mother was a housewife. His father, a salesman for a small company that manufactured grocery-store fixtures, was an alcoholic whose periodic drinking binges devastated the family. When Chamberlain was about 9, his father joined Alcoholics Anonymous. After graduating from Beverly Hills High School, where he was a four-year letterman in track, Chamberlain majored in art at Pomona College in Claremont. Despite being shy and inhibited, he began 'moonlighting' in the drama department, where, he later wrote, he found himself 'fast losing my heart to drama.' Drafted into the Army after graduation, Chamberlain spent 16 months as an infantry company clerk in South Korea. Intent on becoming an actor after his two-year stint in the Army, he returned to Los Angeles, where he was accepted into an acting workshop taught by blacklisted actor Jeff Corey and landed an agent. Chamberlain quickly began doing guest roles on TV series such as 'Gunsmoke,' 'Bourbon Street Beat' and 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents.' Throughout most of his long career, Chamberlain took great pains to keep a secret from the public: He was gay. Although his friends and people in show business knew, Chamberlain said he avoided talking about his private life in interviews, fearful of what it would do to a career built on his being a romantic lead opposite a woman. But that changed with the publication of his candid memoir in 2003, a time in his life when, as he told the New York Times, he no longer had 'an image to defend.' By then, he had been in a more than two-decade-long relationship with Rabbett, an actor, producer and director. The two lived together in Hawaii until Chamberlain returned to Los Angeles in 2010 to resume his acting career. Chamberlain had always hated himself for being gay, he told the Los Angeles Times in 2003. 'I was as homophobic as the next guy,' he said. 'I grew up thinking there was nothing worse. 'Sixty-eight years it took me to realize that I'd been wrong about myself. I wasn't horrible at all. And now, suddenly, I'm free. Out of the prison I built for myself. It's intoxicating. I can talk about it positively because I'm not afraid anymore.' Despite his concern over how the public would react, he found acceptance and warmth instead. 'Everyone has been so supportive, so positive,' he said. 'In New York, people walked up to me in the street, and in theaters. Strangers gave me the thumbs up, wished me well, said, 'Good for you.' I'm just awestruck by the change in the way I feel about life now.' ___ © 2025 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The Sun
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Huge hit TV drama confirms details for season two as characters fates are revealed
A HIT TV drama has confirmed details for its second season - as characters' fates are revealed. Season one launched in February 2024 - with fans eagerly awaiting the next instalment. 4 4 4 Historical drama series Shogun stars Hiroyuki Sanada and Cosmo Jarvis. Ahead of season 2, FX has released details about what's ahead for viewers. Hiroyuki and Cosmo, who portray Lord Yoshii Toranaga and John Blackthorne respectively, will both reprise their roles. As of writing, the duo are the only actors confirmed to be returning in the second season. According to FX, the story will pick up "10 years after the events of the first season and continue the historically-inspired saga of these two men from different worlds whose fates are inextricably entwined.' Season two of the acclaimed series will begin production in Vancouver from January 2026. Based on James Clavell's 1975 novel, Shogun was initially intended as a miniseries. The second season's plot will be moving beyond the novel, which served as the inspiration for season one. It comes following FX previously announcing it was to develop two further instalments. The story takes place in feudal Japan, with predominantly Japanese cast members and dialogue. Richard Chamberlain dead- Iconic Dr. Kildare, The Thorn Birds, and Shogun star dies aged 90 after suffering a stroke Shogun became the first Japanese-language series to win a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. Meanwhile, Hiroyuki Sanada won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Within the first week of Shogun being streamable on Hulu, Disney+, and Star+, the action-packed series obtained 9 million streams worldwide, according to Collider. Viewers were disappointed when initial plans seemed to suggest Shogun would only have one season. Showrunners Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo told The Hollywood Reporter that their 10-episode first season would cover the entirety of the novel. Justin and Rachel said at the time: "We took the story to the end of the book and put a period at the end of that sentence. "We love how the book ends; it was one of the reasons why we both knew we wanted to do it — and we ended in exactly that place." This iteration follows a previous 1980s miniseries adaptation which aired five episodes on NBC. 4
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Val Kilmer, Star of Top Gun, Tombstone and Batman Forever, Dead at 65
Actor Val Kilmer, whose film roles included Iceman in Top Gun, the titular superhero in Batman Forever and Doc Holliday in Tombstone, has died at the age of 65. Kilmer died on Tuesday of pneumonia, his daughter Mercedes tells The New York Times. He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015, and a procedure on his trachea reduced his speaking voice to a whisper. A 2021 documentary, Val, documented his health issues along with his film career. More from TVLine Richard Chamberlain, The Thorn Birds and Shogun Actor, Dead at 90 Guiding Light and One Life to Live Vet Mark Dobies Dead at 65 The Vivienne Dead: RuPaul's Drag Race Star's Cause of Death Revealed After attending the prestigious Juilliard School for drama, Kilmer starred in the spy movie spoof Top Secret! and the college comedy Real Genius before appearing opposite Tom Cruise in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, playing Maverick's rival Iceman. (Kilmer returned to play Iceman in the 2022 sequel Top Gun: Maverick.) He also starred in the fantasy epic Willow, where he met his future wife Joanne Whalley, and played rock icon Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's The Doors, earning strong critical acclaim. In 1993, Kilmer starred alongside Kurt Russell in the big-screen Western Tombstone as charming gunslinger Doc Holliday. His work in that film grabbed the attention of director Joel Schumacher, who cast Kilmer as Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, in the third Batman film, 1995's Batman Forever, replacing Michael Keaton. Kilmer's later film credits include Heat, The Saint, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Deja Vu and MacGruber. Kilmer's TV work was mostly limited to guest-star work, with appearances on Entourage, Psych and Numb3rs, but he did provide the voice of K.I.T.T. the talking car in NBC's short-lived remake of Knight Rider, which aired from 2008 to 2009. He also hosted Saturday Night Live in 2000. TV Stars We Lost in 2025 View Gallery14 Images Best of TVLine Yellowjackets Mysteries: An Up-to-Date List of the Series' Biggest Questions (and Answers?) The Emmys' Most Memorable Moments: Laughter, Tears, Historical Wins, 'The Big One' and More 'Missing' Shows, Found! The Latest on Severance, Holey Moley, Poker Face, YOU, Primo, Transplant and 25+ Others
The Guardian
01-04-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Why TV's hot seat is in need of a cushion
One situation where a cushion is urgently needed (Letters, 26 March) is the Mastermind black chair. Shorter contenders (often women) have to put up with the indignity of their feet not reaching the floor, legs left dangling childishly, while contenders with larger frames have their feet firmly planted. A discreet cushion behind the sitter would push the body forward, enabling everyone to sit comfortably and confidently. This is clearly the only reason why I (at 5ft 3in) haven't (yet) appeared on WrennLlandenny, Monmouthshire Surely the proper thing to do to celebrate the life and work of the late Richard Chamberlain (Report, 30 March) would be to republish Nancy Banks-Smith's reviews of The Thorn Birds. Especially the one written as a conversation with God, starting with his complaint: 'I missed you at evensong.' I cherish the cutting to this GrahamMethven, Perth and Kinross OK, Guardian, so which one was the April fool? The plan to bring the African savannah to Chester, the woman who may be deported after filling in a form online instead of on paper, or the £4,350 bag in the shape of a coffee cup? With today's current affairs, I'd not be surprised if it were none of LavenderWoodthorpe, Nottinghamshire I spotted the April fool in Tuesday's Guardian print edition immediately: Ed Davey cavorting on a hobby horse in Henley-on-Thames. Roger HunterLeeds No news from San Serriffe?A Ian HaleHest Bank, Lancashire Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
The Guardian
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘Give them something to confess!' Nancy Banks-Smith on Richard Chamberlain's lusty Thorn Birds priest – archive, 1984
9 January 1984 'I missed you at evensong' said God. 'Yes, I'm sorry about that. I was watching The Thorn Birds for my work.' 'Who's in it?' said God. 'Funny you should ask that. You have a bit part.' 'Stroll on,' said God. 'What was I doing ?' 'You were failing to fill Richard Chamberlain.' 'You'd better,' said God after a short pause, 'begin at the beginning.' 'Well. It is a turbulent, epic saga of forbidden love, ambition, desire, wealth, power, passion and adventure that spans half a century and two continents.' 'Oh, one of those.' 'Yes. The hero is Father de Croissant played by Richard Chamberlain.' 'Is he,' asked God, 'handsome, brilliant, ambitious, magnetic and outspoken?' 'How did you know?' 'I'm omniscient,' said God modestly. 'He is lusted after rather a lot.' 'He would be,' said God. 'There is powerful, malicious Barbara Stanwyck, one of the oldest and richest women in Australia, who dresses almost exclusively in d'oyley's, and her indomitable, strong-willed niece, Rachel Ward.' 'Not,' said God, 'the British beauty who is regarded as one of Hollywood's hottest new imports?' 'None other' I said. 'She fills the space that You can't fill. I don't know if You've heard of Heineken? There is also a beauty queen in a purple swim suit who simpers at Father de Mollusc and says 'Give me something to confess on Sunday.' I don't know who she was.' 'I do,' said God grimly. 'You might,' I mused, 'call it Dallas with kangaroos. There is a poor little chap called Stooey who spends his life being chased by wild boar and hilly goats. It seems very hard.' 'Better on balance than being chased by women,' said God. 'He stood a sporting chance.' 'I suppose,' I said uneasily, 'the scene you might take exception to is the one where Father de Cassock strips off on the veranda and Barbara Stanwyck kneads his neck and polishes his pectorals and says he is the most beautiful man she has ever seen.' 'Is he the most beautiful man Barbara Stanwyck has ever seen?' 'Oh come on, she was married to Robert Taylor. She wants Richard Chamberlain to be a cardinal because he would look magnificent in red. He's on the front cover of Radio Times so you can judge for yourself.' 'We've not been getting Radio Times lately.' 'Well, I'd say he looks rather eerily embalmed.' 'We are none of us as young as we were' said God reprovingly. 'Frank seems to be in love with his mother and Meggie's in love with Father de Hassock but it's all right really because at moments of incontrollable passion …' 'At the seaside?' suggested God. 'Yes, generally at the seaside, there is always a full orchestra present, plinking and plonking and bowing and blasting and generally keeping an eye on things.' 'Is it,' asked God after a thoughtful pause, 'set in India?' 'No,' 'Well,' he said, 'that's something.'
