Richard Chamberlain, TV actor who starred in ’Dr. Kildare,’ dies at 90

Richard Chamberlain, TV heartthrob turned award-winning miniseries star, has passed away at 90 after a storied career in Hollywood

Richard Chamberlain, the handsome hero of the 1960s television series Dr. Kildare who found a second career as an award-winning "king of the miniseries," has died. He was 90.

Chamberlain died on Saturday night in Waimanalo, Hawaii, of complications following a stroke, according to his publicist, Harlan Boll.

“Our beloved Richard is with the angels now. He is free and soaring to those loved ones before us," Martin Rabbett, his lifelong partner, said in a statement. "How blessed were we to have known such an amazing and loving soul. Love never dies. And our love is under his wings lifting him to his next great adventure.”

Tall, with classic good looks and romantic style, Chamberlain became an instant favourite with teenage girls as the compassionate physician on the TV series that aired from 1961 to 1966. Photoplay magazine named him most popular male star for three years in a row, from 1963-65.

Not until 2003 did he acknowledge publicly what Hollywood insiders had long known, that he was gay. He made the revelation in his autobiography, Shattered Love.

The actor became known as "king of the TV miniseries" in 1978 when he landed the starring role in Centennial, an epic production 24 hours long and based on James Michener's sprawling novel. He followed that in 1980 with Shogun, another costly, epic miniseries based on James Clavell's period piece about an American visitor to Japan.

He scored his greatest miniseries success in 1983 with another long-form drama, The Thorn Birds, based on Colleen McCullough's best-seller. He played Father Ralph de Bricassart, a Roman Catholic priest in Australia who falls in love with beautiful Meggie Cleary (Rachel Ward). The ABC production, which also starred Barbara Stanwyck, reportedly attracted 100 million viewers.