Actor Richard Chamberlain, Star of ‘Dr. Kildare,’ Dies at 90

Richard Chamberlain, an actor who began his career as a gorgeous TV doctor and later became a miniseries maestro, died on Saturday, according to his publicist. He was ninety years old.

According to publicist Harlan Boll, Chamberlain died in Hawaii as a result of complications from a stroke.  On Monday, the award-winning star of "Thorn Birds" would have turned 91.

Chamberlain, a three-time Golden Globe winner, has worn many hats over the years, including actor, singer, soldier, painter, and novelist. Still, he rose to notoriety and established his heartthrob status as a handsome young physician in the 1960s sitcom "Dr. Kildare."

The series aired on NBC from 1961 until 1966.  Chamberlain's performance as Dr. Kildare earned him a Golden Globe in 1963 for best male television star.

"It literally took off all over the world," Chamberlain stated in a 2021 interview.  "I was getting all of this attention, and it was like a dream come true.  "I was so pleased with it."

Chamberlain also had a successful cinematic career.  He played Octavius Caesar in "Julius Caesar" with Charlton Heston and Jason Robards in 1970, and Raquel Welch and Oliver Reed co-starred in "The Three Musketeers" in 1973.  In 1974, he appeared in the Oscar-winning picture "The Towering Inferno."

According to the Associated Press, Chamberlain rose to prominence as the "king of the miniseries" in the 1980s.  And it's easy to see how he gained the moniker.

He appeared in the successful miniseries "Shōgun" in 1980 and "The Thorn Birds" in 1983.  Each earned him a Golden Globe.  In 1996, he played Father Ralph de Bricassart in the television film "The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years," reprising his role from the original series.

Chamberlain also played Jason Bourne in the first television adaptation of the "Bourne Identity" franchise, which aired in 1988.  He went on to star in a number of films and television shows during the 1990s, including "Birds of Prey" and "The Lost Daughter."

Throughout the 2000s, Chamberlain appeared as a guest star on various modern-day sitcoms and TV comedies, including "Will and Grace," "The Drew Carey Show," and "Desperate Housewives."

 His last credit on his IMDb page is for the 2019 drama-mystery "Finding Julia."

In addition to a brief career as a recording artist, Chamberlain played several noteworthy theatre parts over the years, including a run as Henry Higgins in "My Fair Lady" and a brief spell on Broadway alongside Mary Tyler Moore in "Breakfast at Tiffany's," which closed during previews.

Chamberlain was born in Los Angeles, California, and spent his childhood in Beverly Hills with his parents and older brother Bill before getting a bachelor's degree in arts from Pomona College, according to Boll's statement.

Following graduation, Chamberlain joined the United States Army and served in Korea for 16 months, rising to the rank of sergeant.

Chamberlain is survived by his longtime partner, Martin Rabbett.

"Our beloved Richard has joined the angels.  In a statement to CNN on Sunday, Rabbett said, "He is free and soaring to those loved ones before us."  "How blessed were we to have known such an amazing and loving soul."