Richard Chamberlain passes away: the star of ‘Shogun’ and ‘The Thorn Birds’ leaves behind an unforgettable legacy
The celebrated actor could not recover from medical complications following a stroke.
Richard Chamberlain, perhaps best known for his roles in ’Shogun’ and ’The Thorn Birds’, has passed away at the age of 90 due to complications following a stroke. The California-born actor rose to fame in the 1960s as the star of the television show ’Dr. Kildare’.
His role in that series, where he also performed the song “Three Stars Will Shine Tonight,” earned him the first of three Golden Globes. The other two came from his performances in the 1980s miniseries ’Shogun’ and ’The Thorn Birds’, which also earned him the title “The King of Miniseries.”
Richard Chamberlain: “The King of Miniseries”
Born as George Richard Chamberlain on March 31, 1934, in Los Angeles, California, he often described his upbringing as being on “the wrong side of Wilshire Boulevard, the wrong side of Beverly Drive, in a very ordinary neighborhood” in Beverly Hills.
After graduating from Beverly Hills High School, Chamberlain attended Pomona College in Claremont to study art. However, during his time there, he joined a student theater group, and by his senior year, he had decided to pursue acting.
Discovered by a Paramount Pictures talent scout while performing in a school production, Chamberlain’s career was briefly interrupted when he was drafted into the military. He served for two years, most of that time in Korea. Upon returning to California, he fully committed to his acting career.
Chamberlain made his film debut in the 1960 movie ’The Secret of the Purple Reef’. The following year, thanks to a high school classmate, he landed the lead role in ’Dr. Kildare’, which aired from 1961 to 1966.
Although his early theater career met challenges, such as a failed Broadway adaptation of ’Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ in 1966, Chamberlain relocated to England to transform into a “serious actor.” In 1969, the California-born heartthrob stunned British critics with his performance in ’Hamlet’.
After his time in the UK, he returned to the United States, taking on stage and screen roles. However, it was his performances in miniseries, starting with 1978’s 12-part series ’Centennial‘, that cemented his fame. He starred in ’Shogun’ in 1980 and ’The Thorn Birds’ in 1983, earning his title as “The King of Miniseries.”
A life remembered
In 2003, Chamberlain released his autobiography, ’Shattered Love’, where the then 69-year-old actor came out as gay.
Chamberlain passed away in Waimanalo, Hawaii, the state he had called home since the late 1980s, just two days shy of his 91st birthday. He is survived by his longtime partner, actor-writer-producer Martin Rabbett.
“Our beloved Richard is with the angels now,” Rabbett said in a statement to Variety. “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.”
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