Richard Chamberlain, TV Heartthrob Turned Serious Actor, Dies at 90

[demmiblue]

Source: NYT

Richard Chamberlain, who rose to fame as the heartthrob star of the television series “Dr. Kildare” in the early 1960s, proved his mettle by becoming a serious stage actor and went on to a new wave of acclaim as the omnipresent leading man of 1980s mini-series, died on Saturday night in Waimanalo, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. He was 90.

A spokesman, Harlan Boll, said the cause was complications of a stroke.

Mr. Chamberlain was just 27 when he made his debut in the title role of the idealistic young intern on NBC’s “Dr. Kildare,” based on the 1930s and ’40s movie series. With his California-blond boyish good looks and low-key charm, he became an overnight star, said to be receiving 12,000 fan letters a week during the show’s five-year run (1961-66).

Not long after the series ended, he moved to England, determined to shake his pretty-boy image by training as a serious actor. By 1969 he was playing Hamlet at the Birmingham Repertory Theater and surprising the British critics, who called him assured, graceful and plucky. “Anyone who comes to this production to scoff at the sight of a popular American television actor, Richard Chamberlain, playing Hamlet will be in for a deep disappointment,” a review in The Times of London declared.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/30/arts/television/richard-chamberlain-dead.html

[Paladin]

1. Never missed a "Dr. Kildare" episode, growing up.

Although my family preferred "Ben Casey."

[OnlinePoker]

2. I really appreciated his work in the original Shogun series.

It wasn't as gritty as the recent version, but was a good role for that era.

[Attilatheblond]

4. And the conflicted priest in The Thorn BIrds.

[Native]

9. This was the first thing i thought of.

[yellowdogintexas]

28. All the way through reading "Shogun" I mentally cast Richard Chamberlain as Blackthorne

Several years later, when reading "Centennial" I mentally cast him as Alexander McKeag (one of my favorite characters in the book)

[BumRushDaShow]

3. Just saw an AP breaking

Didn't realize how old he was but yeah, that would make sense. One of my sisters used to love Dr. Kildaire.

He was in so so much. Movies and miniseries.

One thing that comes to mind (since they have recently remade it) -

and The Three Musketeers (1973) -

The Thornbirds (1983) -

Damn. R.I.P. and thank you for your decades of entertainment.

[The Grand Illuminist]

13. He was great on Centennial.

Perfect role for him.

[murielm99]

5. I remember one very poignant episode of

"Desperate Housewives," where his character came out as gay. He was an ex-husband of a main character's mother. Of course the actor has just come out IRL.

[area51]

6. RIP.

[twodogsbarking]

7. Superb actor. Great voice. I remember Dr. Kildare. B&W.

He made good movies great.

[Martin68]

8. I remember watching Dr Kildare.

[calimary]

17. I had a Dr. Kildare pillow.

You could literally take Dr. Kildare to bed with you. But there wasn’t much to it from there.

[iluvtennis]

10. May Richard Chamberlin Rest in Peace and May his Memory be a Blessing. n/t

[FM123]

11. I remember him!

Gosh, my mom was just enthralled with him - I remember her watching the Thorn Birds and just swooning....

[Blue_playwright]

19. Same! Father Ralph was ...

... the first man I looked at and thought "wow." I think I was in 6th grade, but he was so beautiful and played that role so well that it was hard not to notice.

[FM123]

29. Yes! Hard not to notice, for sure.....

[The Grand Illuminist]

12. RIP King of the Mini Series.

nt

[gademocrat7]

14. Rest In Peace, Richard

Great actor.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

15. Damn.

He could sing, too! I remember seeing this movie when it came out. He is just wonderful in it.

?si=J9iiCa88iVD7HOtb&t=119

[calimary]

16. Sigh .... My first love.

At age 9.

[DownriverDem]

18. I had the blouse

that buttoned up like his intern shirt.

[Montauk6]

20. RIP, Anjin-San

[jalan48]

21. I thought he was really good in"The Last Wave". An eerie Australian film from 1977.

[Aristus]

22. I saw that when I was about twelve.

One wouldn't think a twelve year-old might find that film fascinating. But I did. I had already learned a little about the indigenous Australian concept of The Dream Time. But it was interesting to see a film built around it.

[jalan48]

26. Yes, I thought it was well done myself and I was pushing 30 when it came out.

[jeffreyi]

23. I always liked him.

He seemed to be a good guy. R.I.P.

[valleyrogue]

24. I always got him mixed up with James Franciscus.

Both of them looked a great deal alike, but Chamberlain was noticeably taller than Franciscus, as I recall.

Chamberlain was a good actor, and he had a good life. RIP.

[littlemissmartypants]

25. ...

[SARose]

27. He was my first crush!

I had to have a white jacket like his or I was gonna die, Mom, Mom, Mom.😉

Rip

Shogun

[electric_blue68]

30. RIP

[Joinfortmill]

31. Excellent actor.

[Pacifist Patriot]

32. I saw him perform on stage in Spamalot. Hmmm, must have been about 10-15 years ago?

I can't remember how old my kids were when I took them and they are in their mid to late 20s now. He was one of my faves.