# R.I.P. Richard Chamberlain **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [March 30, 2025, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342 "2025-03-30T14:15:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2025, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/1 "2025-03-30T14:15:31Z")
> **[Richard Chamberlain, TV actor who starred in 'Dr. Kildare,' dies at 90](https://apnews.com/article/richard-chamberlain-dies-12771b3863b74c3eb5806e4ba33de445)** > > Richard Chamberlain, the handsome hero of the 1960s television series “Dr. Kildare” who found a second career as “king of the miniseries,” has died at age 90. Oh, I had such a crush on Dr. Kildare! Good-looking, sensitive, so caring… 💓 Also loved him in _The Thorn Birds_ – but I **am** a sucker for the “troubled priest” story genre. And of course, in TV’s first _Shogun_. You were loved by millions, Richard. Rest in well-earned peace. 🙏🏼 ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2025, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/2 "2025-03-30T14:23:58Z")
He played MacKeag in the Centennial miniseries. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2025, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/3 "2025-03-30T14:25:58Z")
In 1988 he was Jason Bourne. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2025, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/4 "2025-03-30T14:29:30Z")
Michael York is now the last remaining Musketeer. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2025, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/5 "2025-03-30T14:31:01Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Also loved him in _The Thorn Birds_ – but I **am** a sucker for the “troubled priest” story genre. I had a massive crush on him after I watched The Thorn Birds. I, too, am a sucker for the _“troubled priest”_ stories. I also had massive crushes on local priests but that’s a whole other story. Sorry to hear of his passing but 90 is a good run. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2025, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/6 "2025-03-30T14:34:31Z")
He’s responsible for that burning skyscraper in San Fran. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2025, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/7 "2025-03-30T16:27:29Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > In 1988 he was Jason Bourne. Even though his portrayal is much closer to the novel, I really prefer the Doug Liman movie and Matt Damon’s take on the character (and the first sequel, at least). His role as Aramis in the 1973 version of _The Three Musketeers_, though, is inarguably the best, and I though he was well cast in the 1980 _Shōgun_ miniseries. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2025, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/8 "2025-03-30T16:34:20Z")
I loved the Three Musketeer movies, and he was very good in _The Slipper and the Rose_ as well. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2025, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/9 "2025-03-30T19:32:52Z")
_++ Richard Herring Voice ++_ He’s probably best known to me as Archie Leach\* in two episodes of **Leverage** , and was also the first **Allan Quatermain** I saw. \*_Yes, Cary Grant’s real name_ ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2025, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/10 "2025-03-30T22:23:34Z")
Weird timing for us. We’ve been watching one hour long episode (or two half-hour long episodes from season 6) of _Dr. Kildare_ for a while now. We are exactly 4 half-hour episodes from finishing the series. If only he had lasted a couple more weeks it would be a more appropriate wrap up of the whole thing. With his death, the next person who appeared in the most episodes still living might be Steve Bell (20 episodes). But since he hasn’t done anything in quite some time and isn’t famous, his death might have gone unnoticed. The next one who is definitely alive is nurse Lee Meriwether (6 episodes, often uncredited). **Mrs. FtG** is a big fan. Esp. _Shogun_ and _The Thorn Birds_ as well as _Kildare_. ---
**Author:** ![KCB615](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@KCB615](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KCB615)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2025, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/11 "2025-03-31T00:14:29Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > He’s responsible for that burning skyscraper in San Fran. The bad wiring was his father in law’s fault. Show me another way to save millions on the construction costs. Duncan was always the real villain. God, I love that movie. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2025, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/12 "2025-03-31T00:25:43Z")
I was always pissed that Robert Vaughn had to dipsy-doodle all the way to the pavement while Duncan survived. I’ve played that soundtrack to death. John Williams at his finest. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2025, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/13 "2025-03-31T11:55:57Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > He’s probably best known to me as Archie Leach\* in two episodes of **Leverage** , and was also the first **Allan Quatermain** I saw. ..in two of the _worst_ things nominally based on the works of H. Rider Haggard ever made. Made by Golden Globus. I’m still impressed by the star power they managed to get for the first film, evidently by waving a lot of money around – Richard Chamberlin, Sharon Stone, Herbert Lom, and John Rhys Davies from the Indiana Jones movies (because they were clearly going for that Indy Jones vibe). (And they got J. Lee Thompson – of _The Guns of Navarone!_ – to direct) But i forgive Chamberlin for this. I’m sure he needed the money. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2025, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/14 "2025-03-31T21:52:59Z")
Wasn’t Golan Globus basically the 80s version of Uwe Boll films? Basically a tax dodge where the actors basically got a free vacation and a decent paycheck for adding their name to the cast list. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2025, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/15 "2025-03-31T22:06:36Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Oh, I had such a crush on Dr. Kildare! Good-looking, sensitive, so caring… 💓 Same here! My eldest sister had a crush on Dr. Ben Casey, but from ages 5-8, I was besotted with Dr. Kildare. Just last week, I googled him and found he was still alive, which made me ridiculously happy. I’m sorry he passed, but even sorrier he had to keep his sexual identity hidden for so long. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2025, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/16 "2025-03-31T22:09:35Z")
I was walking home from elementary school with my friend, and we had to stop at this little street that leads out of MGM Studios because a car was coming. A car with Richard Chamberlain in it. _Sqeeeeeee!!!_ He was driving a light blue Corvette and wearing a coat with a hood lined in fur. We squealed “Hi, Richard Chamberlain!” And he gave us a little wave, a ‘hi,’ a glorious smile and drove on. Sigh. Heh, too bad he wouldn’t have been attracted to us. We were real jail bait, too, in our Catholic schoolgirl uniforms. > [@nelliebly](#): > > I’m sorry he passed, but even sorrier he had to keep his sexual identity hidden for so long. Yeah, I didn’t mean to make light of it. At the time, I was completely unaware of his identity. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/17 "2025-04-01T03:55:44Z")
> [@nelliebly](#): > > but even sorrier he had to keep his sexual identity hidden for so long. My wife and I were watching Password Plus, and the celebrity that week was Wesley Eure, who most people (not either of us) know from Land of the Lost. So we looked him up in Wikipedia. He was Richard’s boyfriend! Wow, did not see that coming! And he faked flirting with the female contestants so perfectly! It was the way things were done back then, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/18 "2025-04-01T12:45:24Z")
Yet another obituary where I’m thinking “He was still alive?” I’m glad that he seems to have had a long life and in the latter part of it was able to live openly as who he was. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/19 "2025-04-01T14:28:39Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > And he faked flirting with the female contestants so perfectly! It was the way things were done back then, I guess. Aside: I’ve had lots of gay male friends over the years. (There were only 40 people at our wedding in 1990, and six of them were gay friends of mine.) As a woman, I feel that gay men are _so much fun_ to flirt with, and, at least the men I’ve known, are really good at it. They relate to you as a person, not as a potential sex partner. So you can toss those harmless _bons mots_ back and forth with great affection and neither one of you ever has to be concerned about where it is going. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-richard-chamberlain/1016342/20 "2025-04-01T19:29:39Z")
Richard was the original Jason Bourne. I primarily remember Richard for miniseries. I rarely watched them. I was focused on school and going out at night. RIP