George Richard Chamberlain (March 31, 1934 – March 29, 2025) was an American actor and singer who became a
teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity with a large teenage fan base. Teen idols are generally young but are not necessarily teenagers themselves. An idol's popularity may be limited to teens, or may extend to all age groups.
By region Asia
Ea ...
in the title role of the television show ''
Dr. Kildare'' (1961–1966). He subsequently earned the title "King of the Mini-Series" for his work in several TV miniseries such as ''
Centennial
A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century.
Notable events
Notable centennial events at a national or world-level include:
* Centennial Exhibition, 1876, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ...
'' (1978), ''
Shōgun
, officially , was the title of the military rulers of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, except during parts of the Kamak ...
'' (1980), and ''
The Thorn Birds'' (1983). Chamberlain also performed classical stage roles and worked in musical theatre.
Chamberlain played the role of
Aramis in the film trilogy ''
The Three Musketeers
''The Three Musketeers'' () is a French historical adventure novel written and published in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is the first of the author's three d'Artagnan Romances. As with some of his other works, he wrote it in col ...
'' (1973),
''The Four Musketeers'' (1974), and ''
The Return of the Musketeers'' (1989); portrayed
Allan Quatermain in both ''
King Solomon's Mines
''King Solomon's Mines'' is an 1885 popular fiction, popular novel by the English Victorian literature, Victorian adventure writer and fable, fabulist Sir H. Rider Haggard. Published by Cassell and Company, it tells of an expedition through an ...
'' (1985) and
''Lost City of Gold'' (1986); and was the first actor to play
Jason Bourne, starring in the 1988 television film ''
The Bourne Identity''.
Early life
George Richard Chamberlain was born on March 31, 1934, at the now-closed Angelus Hospital on
Washington Boulevard in Los Angeles, the second son of Elsa Winnifred (née von Benzon; later Matthews) and Charles Axion "Chuck" Chamberlain, who was a shop equipment salesman from Indiana. His mother was of part
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
descent. Charles worked in real estate and the supermarket business before running a refrigerator business from 1956 to 1970 and, later, authoring the book "A New Pair of Glasses". Chamberlain had a brother William, who worked alongside their father in the family business. In 1952, Chamberlain graduated from
Beverly Hills High School
Beverly Hills High School (shortly as BHHS or Beverly) is a public high school in Beverly Hills, California. The other public high school in Beverly Hills is Moreno High School, a small alternative school located on Beverly Hills High School's c ...
,
and later attended
Pomona College
Pomona College ( ) is a private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It was established in 1887 by a group of Congregationalism in the United States, Congregationalists ...
('56) where he received a bachelor's degree in art history and painting.
Chamberlain was drafted into the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
and served from 1956 to 1958. He attained the rank of
sergeant
Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...
while stationed in
post-war
A post-war or postwar period is the interval immediately following the end of a war. The term usually refers to a varying period of time after World War II, which ended in 1945. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum, ...
Korea
Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...
.
[Richard Chamberlain, Biography](_blank)
www.richardchamberlain.com. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
Career
Chamberlain co-founded a Los Angeles–based theater group
Company of Angels
A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether natural, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specifi ...
, and began appearing on television in guest roles in the early 1960s. In 1961, he gained widespread fame as the young intern Dr. James Kildare in the
NBC/MGM television series of the same name, co-starring with
Raymond Massey
Raymond Hart Massey (August 30, 1896 – July 29, 1983) was a Canadian actor known for his commanding stage-trained voice. For his lead role in '' Abe Lincoln in Illinois'' (1940), Massey was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He r ...
.
Chamberlain's singing ability also led to some hit singles in the early 1960s, including the "
Theme from ''Dr. Kildare'' (Three Stars Will Shine Tonight)," which reached No. 10 on the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' Hot 100 Charts.
''Dr. Kildare'' ended in 1966, after which Chamberlain began performing on the theater circuit. In 1966, he was cast opposite
Mary Tyler Moore
Mary Tyler Moore (December 29, 1936 – January 25, 2017) was an American actress, producer, and social advocate. She is best known for her roles on '' The Dick Van Dyke Show'' (1961–1966) and ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (1970–1977), whic ...
in the ill-fated Broadway musical ''
Breakfast at Tiffany's'', co-starring
Priscilla Lopez
Priscilla Lopez is an American singer, dancer, and actress. She is perhaps best known for originating the role of Diana Morales in ''A Chorus Line''. She has had the distinction of appearing in two Broadway landmarks: one of its greatest hits, t ...
, which, after an out-of-town tryout period, closed after only four previews. Decades later, he returned to Broadway in revivals of ''
My Fair Lady
''My Fair Lady'' is a musical theatre, musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story, based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play ''Pygmalion (play), Pygmalion'' and on the Pygmalion (1938 film), 1938 film ...
'' and ''
The Sound of Music
''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, '' The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. ...
''.
At the end of the 1960s, Chamberlain spent a period of time in England, where he played in repertory theater and in the BBC's ''
Portrait of a Lady'' (1968),
becoming recognized as a serious actor. The following year, he starred opposite
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress whose Katharine Hepburn on screen and stage, career as a Golden Age of Hollywood, Hollywood leading lady spanned six decades. She was known for her headstrong ...
in the film ''
The Madwoman of Chaillot
''The Madwoman of Chaillot'' (, ) is a play, a poetic satire, by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux, written in 1943 and first performed in 1945, after his death. The play is in two acts. The story concerns an eccentric woman who lives in Paris and ...
'' (1969).
While in England, he took vocal coaching and in 1969 performed the title role in ''
Hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...
'' for the
Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Birmingham Repertory Theatre, commonly called Birmingham Rep or just The Rep, is a producing theatre based on Centenary Square in Birmingham, England. Founded by Barry Jackson, it is the longest-established of Britain's building-based theatre ...
, becoming the first American to play the role there since
John Barrymore
John Barrymore (born John Sidney Blyth; February 14 or 15, 1882 – May 29, 1942) was an American actor on stage, screen, and radio. A member of the Drew and Barrymore theatrical families, he initially tried to avoid the stage, and briefly a ...
in 1925. He received excellent notices and reprised the role for television in 1970 for the ''
Hallmark Hall of Fame
''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas Citybased greeting card company. It is the longest-ru ...
''. A recording of the presentation was released by
RCA Red Seal Records
RCA Red Seal is a classical music label whose origin dates to 1902 and is currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment.
History
The first "Gramophone Record Red Seal" discs were issued in 1901.Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
.
In the 1970s, Chamberlain appeared in ''
The Music Lovers'' (1970),
''
Lady Caroline Lamb'' (playing
Lord Byron
George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824) was an English poet. He is one of the major figures of the Romantic movement, and is regarded as being among the greatest poets of the United Kingdom. Among his best-kno ...
; 1973),
''
The Three Musketeers
''The Three Musketeers'' () is a French historical adventure novel written and published in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is the first of the author's three d'Artagnan Romances. As with some of his other works, he wrote it in col ...
'' (1973) and its sequel
''The Four Musketeers'' (1974) playing
Aramis,
''
The Lady's Not for Burning'' (made for television, 1974), ''
The Towering Inferno
''The Towering Inferno'' is a 1974 American disaster film directed by John Guillermin and produced by Irwin Allen, featuring an ensemble cast led by Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. It was adapted by Stirling Silliphant from the novels '' The ...
'' (1974),
(in a villainous turn as a dishonest engineer), and ''
The Count of Monte Cristo
''The Count of Monte Cristo'' () is an adventure novel by the French writer Alexandre Dumas. It was serialised from 1844 to 1846, and published in book form in 1846. It is one of his most popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers'' (184 ...
'' (1975).
In ''
The Slipper and the Rose'' (1976),
a musical version of the Cinderella story, co-starring
Gemma Craven, he displayed his vocal talents. A television film,
William Bast's ''
The Man in the Iron Mask'' (1977),
followed. The same year, he starred in
Peter Weir
Peter Lindsay Weir ( ; born 21 August 1944) is a retired Australian film director. He is known for directing films crossing various genres over forty years with films such as '' Picnic at Hanging Rock'' (1975), '' Gallipoli'' (1981), '' The Y ...
's film ''
The Last Wave'' (1977).
Chamberlain later appeared in several popular television mini-series (earning him a nickname of "King of the Mini-Series"),
including ''
Centennial
A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century.
Notable events
Notable centennial events at a national or world-level include:
* Centennial Exhibition, 1876, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ...
'' (1978–79),
''
Shōgun
, officially , was the title of the military rulers of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, except during parts of the Kamak ...
'' (1980),
and ''
The Thorn Birds'' (1983),
as
Father Ralph de Bricassart with
Rachel Ward and
Barbara Stanwyck co-starring. In the 1980s, he appeared as leading man, playing
Allan Quatermain in ''
King Solomon's Mines
''King Solomon's Mines'' is an 1885 popular fiction, popular novel by the English Victorian literature, Victorian adventure writer and fable, fabulist Sir H. Rider Haggard. Published by Cassell and Company, it tells of an expedition through an ...
'' (1985) and its sequel
''Lost City of Gold'' (1986),
and played
Jason Bourne/David Webb in the television film version of ''
The Bourne Identity'' (1988),
and reprised the role of Aramis in the last of the trilogy ''
The Return of the Musketeers'' (1989).
From the 1990s to his death in 2025, Chamberlain appeared mainly in television films, on stage, and as a guest star on such series as ''
The Drew Carey Show
''The Drew Carey Show'' is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from September 13, 1995, to September 8, 2004. Set in Cleveland, Ohio, the series revolved around the retail office and home life of "everyman" Drew Carey, a fictionaliz ...
'' and ''
Will & Grace
''Will & Grace'' is an American television sitcom created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan. Set in New York City, the show focuses on the friendship between best friends Will Truman (Eric McCormack), a Gay men, gay lawyer, and Grace Adler (Debra ...
''.
in 1991, he appeared in a
TV movie version of
Davis Grubb
Davis Alexander Grubb (July 23, 1919 – July 24, 1980) was an American novelist and short story writer, best known for his 1953 novel ''The Night of the Hunter (novel), The Night of the Hunter'', which was
The Night of the Hunter (film), adapt ...
's ''
The Night of the Hunter'' that received mixed reviews. He starred as Henry Higgins in the 1993–1994 Broadway revival of ''
My Fair Lady
''My Fair Lady'' is a musical theatre, musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story, based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play ''Pygmalion (play), Pygmalion'' and on the Pygmalion (1938 film), 1938 film ...
''. In the fall of 2005, Chamberlain appeared in the title role of
Ebenezer Scrooge
Ebenezer Scrooge () is a fictional character and the protagonist of Charles Dickens's 1843 novel, ''A Christmas Carol''. Initially a cold-hearted miser who despises Christmas, his redemption by visits from the ghost of Jacob Marley, the G ...
in the Broadway National Tour of ''
Scrooge: The Musical''. In 2006, Chamberlain guest-starred in an episode of the British drama series ''
Hustle'',
as well as season 4 of ''
Nip/Tuck''.
In 2007, Chamberlain guest-starred as Glen Wingfield,
Lynette Scavo
Lynette Scavo is a fictional character from the American comedy drama television series ''Desperate Housewives'', which aired on ABC from 2004 to 2012. Developed by series creator Marc Cherry, Lynette was portrayed by Felicity Huffman. Lynette ...
's stepfather in episode 80 (Season 4, Episode 8, "Distant Past") of ''
Desperate Housewives
''Desperate Housewives'' is an American mystery comedy-drama television series created by Marc Cherry, and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. It aired for eight seasons on ABC from October 3, 2004, until May 13, 2012, for a tota ...
''.
In 2008 and 2009, Chamberlain appeared as
King Arthur
According to legends, King Arthur (; ; ; ) was a king of Great Britain, Britain. He is a folk hero and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain.
In Wales, Welsh sources, Arthur is portrayed as a le ...
in the national tour of
Monty Python
Monty Python, also known as the Pythons, were a British comedy troupe formed in 1969 consisting of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. The group came to prominence for the sketch comedy ser ...
's ''
Spamalot
''Spamalot'' (also known as ''Monty Python's Spamalot: A Musical (Lovingly) Ripped Off from the Motion Picture ''Monty Python and the Holy Grail) is a musical theatre, stage musical with score by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, with lyrics and book ...
''. In 2010 and 2012, he appeared as Archie Leach in season 3, episode 3 and season 4, episode 18 of the series ''
Leverage'', as well as two episodes of season 4 of ''
Chuck
Chuck () is a masculine given name or a nickname for Charles or Charlie. It may refer to:
People
Arts and entertainment
* Chuck Alaimo, American saxophonist, leader of the Chuck Alaimo Quartet
* Chuck Barris (1929–2017), American TV produce ...
'' where he played a villain known only as The Belgian. Chamberlain also appeared in several episodes of ''
Brothers & Sisters'', playing an old friend and love-interest of
Saul
Saul (; , ; , ; ) was a monarch of ancient Israel and Judah and, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament, the first king of the United Monarchy, a polity of uncertain historicity. His reign, traditionally placed in the late eleventh c ...
's. He also appeared in the independent film ''We Are the Hartmans'' in 2011. In 2012, Chamberlain appeared on stage in the
Pasadena Playhouse
Pasadena Playhouse is a Tony Award-winning historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engag ...
as Dr. Sloper in the play ''The Heiress''.
In 2017, Chamberlain appeared in ''
Twin Peaks: The Return'' as Bill Kennedy.
Personal life and death
Chamberlain never married and had no children. He was not open about his homosexuality for most of his career, to protect his privacy and his acting opportunities.
He was
outed
Outing is the act of disclosing an LGBTQ person's sexual orientation or gender identity without their consent. It is often done for political reasons, either to instrumentalize homophobia, biphobia, and/or transphobia in order to discredit politi ...
as a gay man by the French women's magazine ''Nous Deux'' in December 1989, but did not confirm that he was gay until the publication of his 2003 autobiography ''Shattered Love: A Memoir''.
Chamberlain was romantically involved with actor
Wesley Eure
Wesley Eure (born Wesley Eure Loper; August 17, 1951) is an American actor, singer, author, producer, director, and educator widely known for his role as Michael Horton on the American soap opera '' Days of Our Lives'' from 1974 to 1981. During ...
in the 1970s.
In 1977, Chamberlain began a long-term relationship with actor and producer
Martin Rabbett.
Rabbett played the brother of Chamberlain's lead character in the 1986 film ''
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold''. They began living together in Hawaii in 1986 and had a private commitment ceremony.
The couple separated amicably (but temporarily) in 2010, with Chamberlain moving to Los Angeles. In a 2014 interview, Chamberlain said that during the time he and Rabbett were not intimately involved, they remained close friends. According to Chamberlain's obituary in ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', Rabbett and Chamberlain had resumed living together in Hawaii where he died. Rabbett was considered to be his "only immediate survivor".
Chamberlain died of complications from a stroke in
Waimānalo, Hawaii
Waimānalo () is a census-designated place (CDP) in the District of Koolaupoko, in the Honolulu County, Hawaii, City & County of Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, Oahu, Hawaii, United States. This small windward community is located near the ea ...
, on March 29, 2025, at the age of 90.
Filmography
Film
Television films
Television series
Discography
; From ''
Richard Chamberlain Sings''
: UK No. 8
* "
Theme from Dr. Kildare (Three Stars Will Shine Tonight)" (1962) –
US #10;
UK No. 12;
CAN No. 4
* "
Love Me Tender" (1962) – US #21; UK No. 15;
CAN No. 31
* "
All I Have to Do Is Dream" (1963) – US No. 14; CAN No. 6
* "
Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo" (1963) – US #64; UK No. 20;
CAN No. 6
* "
I Will Love You
"I Will Love You" is a song written by Shelby Flint and Barry DeVorzon. Flint recorded it as a track on her eponymous debut album in 1961.
In 1962, The Lettermen released their version of the song on their album ''Jim, Tony, and Bob''.
In 19 ...
" (1963) – US No. 65
* "
True Love" (1963) – US #98; UK No. 30
; From ''Twilight of Honor''
* "
Blue Guitar
"Blue Guitar" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. In 1963, Richard Chamberlain (actor), Richard Chamberlain released it as the lead single from his album ''Twilight of Honor''. It was a No. 12 hit on the Adult Contemporary (chart ...
"/"
They Long to Be Close to You" (1963) – US No. 42; CAN No. 30
; From ''Richard Chamberlain'' (aka ''Joy in the Morning'')
* "Joy in the Morning" (1964)
* "Rome Will Never Leave You" (1964) – US No. 99
; From ''
The Slipper and the Rose''
* "Secret Kingdom" (1976)
* "He Danced With Me/She Danced With Me" (1976)
* "What a Comforting Thing to Know" (1976)
* "Why Can't I Be Two People?" (1976)
* "Bride-Finding Ball" (1976)
; From ''Haleakala: How Maui Snared The Sun/Clarinet Concerto''
* "Haleakala: How Maui Snared The Sun (Tone Poem) (1991), composed by Dan Welcher, performed with the Honolulu Symphony"
Awards and nominations
Published works
*
References
External links
*
*
*
*
*
*
Richard Chamberlain's art website*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chamberlain, Richard
1934 births
2025 deaths
20th-century American LGBTQ people
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American LGBTQ people
21st-century American male actors
American people of English descent
American people of German descent
American expatriate male actors
American expatriates in England
American gay actors
American gay musicians
American LGBTQ singers
American male film actors
American male pop singers
American male stage actors
American male television actors
American male voice actors
Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (television) winners
Best Miniseries or Television Movie Actor Golden Globe winners
Beverly Hills High School alumni
LGBTQ people from California
Male actors from Beverly Hills, California
Male actors from Hawaii
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players
MGM Records artists
Musicians from Beverly Hills, California
Pomona College alumni
Singers from Hawaii
United States Army non-commissioned officers
Writers from Hawaii
Writers from Los Angeles County, California