Richard Chamberlain

Actor

Popular As George Richard Chamberlain

Birthday March 31, 1934

Birth Sign Aries

Birthplace Beverly Hills, California, U.S.

Age 90 years old

Nationality United States

Height 6′ 1″

#3439 Most Popular

1934

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).

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.

1952

In 1952, Chamberlain graduated from Beverly Hills High School and later attended Pomona College (class of 1956).

1956

Chamberlain was drafted into the United States Army, attaining the rank of sergeant while serving in Korea from 1956 to 1958.

1960

Chamberlain co-founded a Los Angeles–based theatre group, Company of Angels, and began appearing on television in guest roles in the early 1960s.

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 Hot 100 Charts.

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.

1961

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.

1966

Dr. Kildare ended in 1966, after which Chamberlain began performing on the theatre circuit.

In 1966, he was cast opposite Mary Tyler Moore 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 and The Sound of Music.

1969

In 1969, he starred opposite Katharine Hepburn in the film The Madwoman of Chaillot.

While in England, he took vocal coaching and in 1969 performed the title role in Hamlet for the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, becoming the first American to play the role there since John Barrymore in 1925.

1970

He received excellent notices and reprised the role for television in 1970 for the Hallmark Hall of Fame.

A recording of the presentation was released by RCA Red Seal Records and was nominated for a Grammy Award.

In the 1970s, Chamberlain appeared in The Music Lovers (1970), Lady Caroline Lamb (playing Lord Byron; 1973), The Three Musketeers (1973), The Lady's Not for Burning (made for television, 1974), The Towering Inferno (in a villainous turn as a dishonest engineer, 1974), and The Count of Monte Cristo (1975).

Chamberlain was involved romantically with actor Wesley Eure in the early 1970s.

1976

In The Slipper and the Rose (1976), a musical version of the Cinderella story, co-starring Gemma Craven, he displayed his vocal talents.

1977

A television film, William Bast's The Man in the Iron Mask (1977), followed.

The same year, he starred in Peter Weir's film The Last Wave.

In 1977, Chamberlain began a long-term relationship with Martin Rabbett, an actor, like Eure, 20 years his junior.

1978

Chamberlain later appeared in several popular television mini-series (earning him a nickname of "King of the Mini-Series"), including Centennial (1978–79), Shōgun (1980), and The Thorn Birds (1983) as Father Ralph de Bricassart with Rachel Ward and Barbara Stanwyck co-starring.

1980

He subsequently appeared in several miniseries, such as Shōgun (1980) and The Thorn Birds (1983) and was the first to play Jason Bourne in the 1988 television film The Bourne Identity.

Chamberlain has also performed classical stage roles and worked in musical theatre.

In the 1980s, he appeared as leading man with King Solomon's Mines (1985), and played Jason Bourne/David Webb in the television film version of The Bourne Identity (1988).

1986

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.

1989

He was outed by the French women's magazine Nous Deux in December 1989, but did not confirm it until his 2003 autobiography Shattered Love: A Memoir.

1990

Since the 1990s, Chamberlain has appeared mainly in television films, on stage, and as a guest star on such series as The Drew Carey Show and Will & Grace.

1991

in 1991, he appeared in a TV movie version version of Davis Grubb's The Night of the Hunter that received mixed reviews.

1993

He starred as Henry Higgins in the 1993–1994 Broadway revival of My Fair Lady.

2005

In the fall of 2005, Chamberlain appeared in the title role of Ebenezer Scrooge in the Broadway National Tour of Scrooge: The Musical.

2006

In 2006, Chamberlain guest-starred in an episode of the British drama series Hustle as well as season 4 of Nip/Tuck.

2007

In 2007, Chamberlain guest-starred in episode 80 (Season 4, Episode 8, "Distant Past") of Desperate Housewives as Glen Wingfield, Lynette Scavo's stepfather.

2008

In 2008 and 2009, Chamberlain appeared as King Arthur in the national tour of Monty Python's Spamalot.

2010

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 where he played a villain known only as The Belgian.

2011

Chamberlain has also appeared in several episodes of Brothers & Sisters, playing an old friend and love-interest of Saul's. He also appeared in the independent film We Are the Hartmans in 2011.

2012

In 2012, Chamberlain appeared on stage in the Pasadena Playhouse as Dr. Sloper in the play The Heiress.

2017

In 2017, Chamberlain appeared in Twin Peaks: The Return as Bill Kennedy.

Chamberlain was not open about his homosexuality for most of his career, to protect his privacy and his acting opportunities.