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George Richard Chamberlain (born March 31, 1934) is an American actor and singer, who became a teen idol in the title role of the television show '' Dr. Kildare'' (1961–1966). He subsequently appeared in several TV mini-series, such as ''
Shōgun , officially , was the title of the military dictators 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, though during part of the Kamaku ...
'' (1980) and '' The Thorn Birds'' (1983) and was the first to play Jason Bourne in the 1988 made-for-TV movie '' The Bourne Identity''. Chamberlain has also performed classical stage roles and worked in musical theatre.


Early life

Chamberlain was born in 1934 in Beverly Hills, California, the second son of Elsa Winnifred (née von Benzon; later Matthews) and Charles Axion Chamberlain, who was a salesman. In 1952, Chamberlain graduated from
Beverly Hills High School Beverly Hills High School (usually abbreviated as Beverly or as BHHS) is the only major public high school in Beverly Hills, California. The other public high school in Beverly Hills, Moreno High School, is a small alternative school located on B ...
and later attended
Pomona College Pomona College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It was established in 1887 by a group of Congregationalists who wanted to recreate a "college of the New England type" in Southern California. In 1925, it became t ...
(class of 1956). Chamberlain was drafted into the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...
, attaining the rank of
sergeant Sergeant ( abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other ...
while serving in
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...
.Richard Chamberlain, Biography (1934–)
Biography.com ''Biography'' is an American documentary television series and media franchise created in the 1960s by David L. Wolper and owned by A&E Networks since 1987. Each episode depicts the life of a notable person with narration, on-camera interviews ...
. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
Heartthrob Richard Chamberlain Disliked & Feared Himself ‘Intensely’ Hiding Sexuality for Years
news.amomama.com. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
Richard Chamberlain, Biography
www.richardchamberlain.com. Retrieved February 13, 2022.


Career

Chamberlain co-founded a Los Angeles–based theatre group,
Company of Angels Company of Angels, now known simply as CoA is an American theatre company, based in Los Angeles and founded in 1959. The original company, incorporated by entertainment attorney Bertram Fields, included actors Richard Chamberlain, Leonard Nimoy, ...
, and began appearing in television series in the 1950s. He was cast as Lt. Dave Winslow in "Chicota Landing", a 1960 episode of the series ''
Riverboat A riverboat is a watercraft designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury un ...
''. In the story, Juan Cortilla, a Mexican bandit played by
Joe De Santis Joseph Vito Marcello De Santis (June 15, 1909 – August 30, 1989) was an American radio, television, movie and theatrical actor and sculptor. Biography Joe De Santis was born Joseph Vito Marcello De Santis to Italian immigrant parents in Ne ...
, is stormed from jail. Chamberlain, as United States Army Lieutenant Winslow, asks Grey Holden (lead series character played by
Darren McGavin Darren is a masculine given name of uncertain etymological origins. Some theories state that it originated from an Anglicisation of the Irish first name Darragh or Dáire, meaning "Oak Tree". According to other sources, it is thought to come from ...
) to transport Cortilla and his men to a military garrison. Instead, Cortilla takes over Holden's vessel and its gunpowder.
Connie Hines Connie Hines (March 24, 1931 – December 18, 2009) was an American actress best known for playing Alan Young's wife, Carol Post, on the 1960s sitcom ''Mister Ed''. Biography Hines was one of four children born in Dedham in Norfolk Coun ...
appears with Chamberlain as Lucy Bridges, and Ted de Corsia is cast as another bandit. Less than a year later, in 1961, Chamberlain gained widespread fame as the young intern, Dr. 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. Amo ...
. Chamberlain's singing ability also led to some hit singles in the early 1960s, including the "Theme from Dr. Kildare", titled " Three Stars Will Shine Tonight", which struck No. 10 according to 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 adverti ...
'' Hot 100 Charts. ''Dr. Kildare'' ended in 1966, after which Chamberlain began performing on the theatre 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), whi ...
in the ill-fated Broadway musical '' Breakfast at Tiffany's'', co-starring Priscilla Lopez, 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 based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play '' Pygmalion'', with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons ...
'' 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''. S ...
''. At the end of the 1960s, Chamberlain spent a period of time in England, where he played in repertory theatre and in the BBC's '' Portrait of a Lady'' adaptation, becoming recognized as a serious actor. In 1969, he starred opposite
Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...
in the film ''
The Madwoman of Chaillot ''The Madwoman of Chaillot'' (french: La Folle de 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 woma ...
''. 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 tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
'' 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 att ...
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-based greeting card company. The longest-running prime-time series in ...
''. 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.The Music Lovers'' (1970), ''
Lady Caroline Lamb Lady Caroline Lamb (née Ponsonby; 13 November 1785 – 25 January 1828) was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat and novelist, best known for ''Glenarvon'', a Gothic novel. In 1812 she had an affair with Lord Byron, whom she described as "mad, bad, and ...
'' (playing Lord Byron; 1973), ''
The Three Musketeers ''The Three Musketeers'' (french: Les Trois Mousquetaires, links=no, ) is a French historical adventure novel written in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is in the swashbuckler genre, which has heroic, chivalrous swordsmen who fight f ...
'' (1973), ''
The Lady's Not for Burning ''The Lady's Not for Burning'' is a 1948 play by Christopher Fry. A romantic comedy in three acts, in verse, it is set in the Middle Ages ("1400, either more or less or exactly"). It reflects the world's "exhaustion and despair" following Wor ...
'' (made for television, 1974), '' The Towering Inferno'' (in a villainous turn as a dishonest engineer, 1974), and ''
The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (french: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas (''père'') completed in 1844. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers''. L ...
'' (1975). In ''
The Slipper and the Rose ''The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella'' is a 1976 British musical film retelling the classic fairy tale of Cinderella. The film was chosen as the Royal Command Performance motion picture selection for 1976. Directed by Bryan Forb ...
'' (1976), a musical version of the Cinderella story, co-starring
Gemma Craven Rita Gemma Craven (''née'' Gabriel; born 1 June 1950) is an Irish actress. She is best known for her role as Joan Parker, the frigid wife of Arthur (Bob Hoskins), in the BBC TV drama '' Pennies From Heaven'' (1978). Biography Craven's family ...
, 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 August 21, 1944) is a retired Australian film director. He's known for directing films crossing various genres over forty years with films such as '' Picnic at Hanging Rock'' (1975), ''Gallipoli'' (1981), ''Witness ...
's film ''
The Last Wave ''The Last Wave'' (also released, in the US, as ''Black Rain'') is a 1977 Australian mystery drama film directed by Peter Weir.''Variety'' film review; 16 November 1977, p. 21. It is about a white solicitor in Sydney whose seemingly normal lif ...
''. Chamberlain later appeared in several popular television mini-series (earning him a nickname of "King of the Mini-Series"), including ''
Centennial {{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation) A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years. Notable events Notable centennial events at a ...
'' (1978–79), ''
Shōgun , officially , was the title of the military dictators 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, though during part of the Kamaku ...
'' (1980), and '' The Thorn Birds'' (1983) as
Father Ralph de Bricassart ''The Thorn Birds'' is a 1977 novel by Australian author Colleen McCullough. Set primarily on Drogheda – a fictional sheep station in the Australian Outback named after Drogheda, Ireland, the story focuses on the Cleary family and spans 191 ...
with
Rachel Ward Rachel Claire Ward (born 12 September 1957) is an English-Australian
and
Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress, model and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career she was known for her strong, realistic sc ...
co-starring. In the 1980s, he appeared as leading man with ''
King Solomon's Mines ''King Solomon's Mines'' (1885) is a popular novel by the English Victorian adventure writer and fabulist Sir H. Rider Haggard. It tells of a search of an unexplored region of Africa by a group of adventurers led by Allan Quatermain for the ...
'' (1985), and played Jason Bourne/David Webb in the television film version of '' The Bourne Identity'' (1988).


Since 1990

Since the 1990s, Chamberlain has appeared mainly in television movies, 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 fictionalize ...
'' 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 lawyer, and Grace Adler ( Debra Messi ...
''. He starred as Henry Higgins in the 1993–1994 Broadway revival of ''
My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play '' Pygmalion'', with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons ...
''. In the fall of 2005, Chamberlain appeared in the title role of
Ebenezer Scrooge Ebenezer Scrooge () is the protagonist of Charles Dickens's 1843 novella '' A Christmas Carol''. At the beginning of the novella, Scrooge is a cold-hearted miser who despises Christmas. The tale of his redemption by three spirits (the Ghos ...
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 ''Nip/Tuck'' is an American medical drama television series created by Ryan Murphy that aired on FX in the United States from July 22, 2003, to March 3, 2010. The series, which also incorporates elements of crime drama, black comedy, family dra ...
''. In 2007, Chamberlain guest-starred in episode 80 (Season 4, Episode 8, "Distant Past") of ''
Desperate Housewives ''Desperate Housewives'' is an American comedy-drama soap opera 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 t ...
'' as Glen Wingfield,
Lynette Scavo Lynette Scavo is a fictional character on the series ''Desperate Housewives''. The character is played by actress Felicity Huffman, who won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the role in 2005, and was nominated for ...
's stepfather. In 2008 and 2009, Chamberlain appeared as
King Arthur King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as ...
in the national tour of
Monty Python Monty Python (also collectively known as the Pythons) were a British comedy troupe who created the sketch comedy television show ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'', which first aired on the BBC in 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over fou ...
's ''
Spamalot ''Spamalot'' (also known as ''Monty Python's Spamalot'') is a musical comedy with music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, and lyrics and book by Idle. It is adapted from the 1975 film ''Monty Python and the Holy Grail''. Like the motion pictu ...
''. In 2010, he appeared as Archie Leach in season 3, episode 3 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 producer * C ...
'' where he played a villain known only as The Belgian. Chamberlain has also appeared in several episodes of '' Brothers & Sisters'', playing an old friend and love-interest of
Saul Saul (; he, , ; , ; ) was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the first monarch of the United Kingdom of Israel. His reign, traditionally placed in the late 11th century BCE, supposedly marked the transition of Israel and Judah from a scattered tri ...
's. He also appeared in the independent film ''We Are the Hartmans'' in 2011. In 2012, Chamberlain appeared on stage in the
Pasadena Playhouse The Pasadena Playhouse is a historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California, United States. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engage ...
as Dr. Sloper in the play ''The Heiress''. In 2017 Chamberlain appeared in '' Twin Peaks: The Return'' as Bill Kennedy.


Personal life

Chamberlain 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 LGBT person's sexual orientation or gender identity without that person's consent. It is often done for political reasons, either to instrumentalize homophobia in order to discredit political opponents or to com ...
by the French women's magazine ''Nous Deux'' in December 1989, but did not confirm it until his 2003 autobiography ''Shattered Love: A Memoir''. Chamberlain was involved romantically with actor Wesley Eure in the early 1970s. In 1977, Chamberlain began a long-term relationship with Martin Rabbett, an actor 20 years his junior. Rabbett played the brother of Chamberlain's lead character in the 1986 film ''
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold ''Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold'' is a 1986 American adventure comedy film directed by Gary Nelson and released in West Germany on December 18, 1986, and in the United States on January 30, 1987. It is loosely based on the 1887 novel ...
''. They began living together in
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
in 1986 and had a private commitment ceremony. The couple split amicably in 2010, with Chamberlain moving to Los Angeles. In a 2014 interview, Chamberlain said that while he and Rabbett were no longer intimately involved, they remained close friends.


Awards

In 1962, Chamberlain won the Golden Apple Award for Most Co-Operative Actor. In 1963 he won a
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
award for Best TV Star – Male for: ''Dr. Kildare'' (1961). He won the Photoplay Award for Most Popular Male Star for three consecutive years, from 1962 to 1964. Chamberlain was nominated for a Grammy Award for a recording of his ''Hamlet''. In 1980, he won the Golden Apple award for Male Star of the Year. In 1981, he won a Golden Globe award for Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series – Drama for: ''Shogun'' (1980). In 1982, he won the Clavell de Plata award at the Sitges – Catalan International Film Festival as Best Actor for ''The Last Wave'' (1977). In 1984, he won a Golden Globe award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV for: ''The Thorn Birds'' (1983). In 1985, he won the Aftonbladet TV Prize (Sweden) for Best Foreign TV Personality – Male. On March 12, 2011, Chamberlain received the
Steiger Award The Steiger Award or ''Der Steiger'' is an international award established in 2005 and presented annually by the award organization based in Bochum, Germany. The title refers to '' steiger'' (mining foreman), reflecting the qualities of respon ...
(Germany) for accomplishments in the arts.


Filmography


Film


Television films


Television series


Discography

From '' Richard Chamberlain Sings'': UK #8 * " Theme from Dr. Kildare (Three Stars Will Shine Tonight)" (1962) – US #10; UK #12 * " Love Me Tender" (1962) – US #21; UK #15 * "
All I Have to Do Is Dream "All I Have to Do Is Dream" is a song made famous by the Everly Brothers, written by Boudleaux Bryant of the husband-and-wife songwriting team Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, and published in 1958. The song is ranked No. 141 on the ''Rolling Stone' ...
" (1963) – US #14 * "
Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo "Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo" is a popular song with music by Bronislau Kaper, and lyrics by Helen Deutsch. The song was published in 1952. The song was featured in the film, '' Lili'', starring Leslie Caron. Recorded versions *Dinah Shore with Frank De Vo ...
" (1963) – US #64; UK #20 * "
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 1963, ...
" (1963) – US #65 * " True Love" (1963) – US #98; UK #30 ;From ''Twilight of Honor'' * "
Blue Guitar "Blue Guitar" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. In 1963, Richard Chamberlain released it as the lead single from his album ''Twilight of Honor''. It was a No. 12 hit on the Easy Listening chart and reached No. 42 on the ''Bil ...
"/" They Long to Be Close to You" (1963) – US #42 ;From ''Richard Chamberlain'' (aka ''Joy in the Morning'') * "Joy in the Morning" (1964) * "Rome Will Never Leave You" (1964) – US #99 ;From ''
The Slipper and the Rose ''The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella'' is a 1976 British musical film retelling the classic fairy tale of Cinderella. The film was chosen as the Royal Command Performance motion picture selection for 1976. Directed by Bryan Forb ...
'' *"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"


Published works

*


See also


References


External links

* * *
Richard Chamberlain
in the ''glbtq Encyclopaedia''
Richard Chamberlain's art website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Chamberlain, Richard 1934 births Living people 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors American expatriates in England American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male pop singers Beverly Hills High School alumni Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (television) winners Best Miniseries or Television Movie Actor Golden Globe winners American gay actors American gay musicians LGBT singers from the United States LGBT people from California Male actors from Beverly Hills, California Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players Male actors from Hawaii Pomona College alumni Writers from California 20th-century LGBT people 21st-century LGBT people