Role models of greatness.

Here you will discover the back stories of kings, titans of industry, stellar athletes, giants of the entertainment field, scientists, politicians, artists and heroes – all of them gay or bisexual men. If their lives can serve as role models to young men who have been bullied or taught to think less of themselves for their sexual orientation, all the better. The sexual orientation of those featured here did not stand in the way of their achievements.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Richard Chamberlain


Note: this is a much updated version of my original post back in October, 2011.

Deeply closeted for most of his life, actor Richard Chamberlain was outed by the French women’s magazine Nous Deux (We Two) in December 1989, and the American tabloids took up the story, plastering the news on their front pages. But Chamberlain steadfastly denied his homosexuality. It wasn’t until 2003, at the age of 69, that he publicly acknowledged the truth in his memoir, Shattered Love. The press generated by the book gave Chamberlain a boost in popularity, and he was greatly relieved to find his fans supportive and positive.


Chamberlain, born in Los Angeles in 1934, is a star of television, films, stage and (like Tab Hunter) pop music. An unknown Richard Chamberlain was inducted into the Army in 1956, becoming a sergeant in Korea. Three years after his military service his name was already a household word.

Those of a certain age might remember a TV show called Dr. Kildare (1961-66; clip at end of post), which made Chamberlain an overnight sensation. He played a young intern who wrangled with the medical and personal problems of his patients. He also recorded the song, "Three Stars Will Shine Tonight" (clip at end of post), with the music from the show's familiar opening theme.

After the hit TV series ended, he went to England to pursue a successful stage career. In 1969 Chamberlain performed the title role of Hamlet with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, becoming the first American to play the role there since John Barrymore in 1929. He earned excellent reviews and reprised the role the following year for television, for The Hallmark Hall of Fame.

Chamberlain had a significant live-in affair with a younger TV actor, Wesley Eure (pronounced “your”), who went on to appear on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives for almost ten years. Eure was fired from the show when his homosexuality became known to his employer, even though Earl Greenburg, head of NBC Daytime, was himself a gay man. In those days being outed as gay meant no work as an actor.

Wesley Eure recently spoke of the social atmosphere at the time he was dating Chamberlain. “We'd go to parties at private homes, because we couldn't go anywhere in public. I remember being told about set designer Jacques Mapes (Singin in the Rain) and movie producer Ross Hunter. They were at a big private party in pre-1950s Hollywood. One was Tyrone Powers' lover, and the other was Errol Flynn's lover, and they were the two handsomest boys in town on the arms of important closeted celebrities.” Ross recounted to Wesley, "I remember I was at the top of the stairs, and there was Jacques. Our eyes met, and we left the party, dumped our famous boyfriends, and we've been together ever since." Wesley added, “There was this whole subculture, a hidden culture of gay socializing. I used to go to those parties, and the most famous people you can imagine were there. If the public had any idea...”



Soon after Chamberlain ended his relationship with Eure, he took up with handsome actor-writer-producer Martin Rabbett, who became his partner for almost 40 years. Chamberlain had legally adopted Rabbett to protect his assets. In the spring of 2010 Chamberlain moved from Maui to Los Angeles because of work possibilities, leaving Rabbett behind at their luxury home in Hawaii (above, listed for sale in mid-2010 for $19 million). Later that year, responding to gossip about a split, Chamberlain said in an interview with Advocate, “Well, we haven’t really split. In other words, we’re still very, very close. The essence of our relationship has remained the same; we just don’t happen to be living together. I went home for Thanksgiving and had the most wonderful time, and we’ll be spending Christmas together with friends in New York. So we’re not split, really. I just moved to L.A. because I wanted to work more. Martin, unfortunately, doesn’t like L.A. at all, but he’s thinking of moving to San Francisco.”

In the film Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold (1986), a bearded Chamberlain and his real-life lover Martin Rabbett played brothers. In this still, a kneeling Chamberlain has a firm grip on Sharon Stone. Rabbett is in white.


After the Maui house sold, Rabbett did indeed move to San Francisco, and in April of 2012 Chamberlain said, “We’re curiously not living together at the moment, but we’re better friends than we’ve ever been.”

In May, 2012, Chamberlain appeared in a Pasadena Playhouse production of The Heiress (left), taking the role of the unyielding Dr. Austin Sloper, who was portrayed by Basil Rathbone in the original 1947 Broadway production.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Two decades after Dr.Kildare, Chamberlain appeared in some of the most widely-seen television miniseries in history, including the epic Shōgun (1981) and The Thorn Birds (1984). Around 110 million television viewers watched The Thorn Birds (nude clip at end of post!). In the period spanning the years from 1975 to 1989 he was nominated for four Emmy Awards and six Golden Globe Awards, winning three of them. Chamberlain received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2000.

His more recent television appearances include Desperate Housewives, Chuck, and Leverage. At the age of 76 Chamberlain signed on to take a role as a gay man on Brothers and Sisters (2010)

In early 2013 Chamberlain published "My Life in Haiku," and on July 13 (next week) he will sign photographs, dedicate books and pose for photographs at the Westin Los Angeles Airport, 10 am - 5 pm. If you're in Los Angeles, this will be a great time to meet Chamberlain in person.

To learn about his career as a painter (a talent he shares with Tony Bennet, Duke Ellington and Henry Fonda), and for up-to-the-minute updates on Mr. Chamberlain's current projects, visit:

www.richardchamberlain.net


Dr. Kildare: Flaming Youth
A clip from Dr. Kildare. Richard Chamberlain appears at the 1min 40sec mark, and this is fairly typical of the series, which made Chamberlain a star.




Red Skelton Variety Hour: Haven't We Met?
TV clip from 1967, as a guest on the Red Skelton variety hour. This was just after Dr. Kildare ended its run, and it was the custom at the time for TV and film stars to be invited as participating guests on variety shows. He sings (sort of) and dances (sort of), but he is handsome as hell throughout, as everyone agreed.



“You Are the Most Beautiful Man I Have Ever Seen...”
This clip from the 1984 miniseries The Thorn Birds is beyond creepy. The best part is that Richard Chamberlain is naked and wet. A much older Barbara Stanwyck paws a nude priest, sending millions of TV viewers straight to confession.




Richard Chamberlain sings! 
He had several hits albums and singles in the 1960s.
Three Stars Will Shine Tonight (1962; theme song from Dr. Kildare)

19 comments:

  1. A fine couple, La Stanwyck and Chamberlain, for she was one of the most respected lesbians [and actress] in Hollywood.

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  2. Chamberlain was 48 when he made The Thorn Birds, and better looking and even more appealing than he was as Dr. Kildare. Stanwyck -- who never lost her looks -- was probably in her early seventies. A scene you didn't show was Stanwyck's passionate lament at the loss of her youth, which was so deeply affecting I still believe she related the episode in this series to her own life at the time. I didn't find the relationship between Stanwyck and the Cardinal "creepy" at all; I found it poignant, and all too true to life.

    As a homosexual, happily married to a man one year older than my mother (until he died in my arms one never-to-be-forgotten Saturday morning 30 years ago), I've never seen anything grotesque or untoward in December-May romances. After all, look at Isherwood and Bachardy! The only thing wrong is that the younger partner is apt to be left alone at the death of the elder. It's devastating, I can tell you that. BUT life does go on.

    As a child and young teenager I was always attracted to men no younger than 40 or thereabouts.

    A hopeless romanic still even at age 74 I hope Chamberlain and his partner go back to living together.

    - Orlando Woolf

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    1. So do I. I guess I'm a hopeless romantic too! They were together for soooo long. I still can't get my head around Richard's comments, that he decided that he wanted to concentrate more on his career? At 80? Surely there is more to it than that? Or maybe he had been living a lie for a while and wanted out? We will never know. But oh I so wish him well. He is such a beautiful person.

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    2. Orlando Woolf,
      I so agree he looked so damn good, just hot and much for my taste in Thorn birds than in Kildare. I think in Thorn birds he looked best he´s ever looked.
      I also agree the scene between Stanwyck wasn´t creepy at all.

      Sometimes people connect in real,beautiful way and can understand each other even better than with someone who is your age.Just like Meggie and Ralph...

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    3. I totally agree, Orlando Woolf. I think he looked the best he´s ever looked in Thorn Birds. He was such in good shape and just yummy. I couldn´t resist him just like Meggie.
      Also I think sometimes May-December relationship can work. Sometimes you may get even better connection and bonding than with someone who is at your age. It really is about the soul of the person...

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    4. Nothing creepy at all, Stanwyck played a sexy, powerful, bold woman, not afraid or ashamed of her desire and sexuality, regardless of reciprocation. And I do agree Richard Chamberlain looked his best, from the young twenty something (and he looked twenty something not a 40 something playing 20 somethign) to silver haired. Delish...

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  3. Bless you for your compassionate acceptance of human nature. Brave new world, with such people in it!

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  4. ¡¡¡Es tan hermoso amar!!!
    Yo soy etéreo, soy mujer, mayor, pero el romanticismo me puede y me siguen gustando mucho las películas de Richard. Me da lo mismo que sea Gay o no, yo quiero a todo el mundo que sea bueno y respeto a los Gais y a las lesbianas. ¡Ánimo guapos!

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  5. Richard Chamberlain is a beautiful human being inside and out. He displayed so much talent. He is a fantastic actor, his speaking voice is mesmerizing and is like no other, he can sing and dance and paint. Richard Chamberlain is a very charming, charismatic, and spiritual person. I think he is one of a kind. I wish him happiness. God bless him.

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  6. I have been a hugh fan of films since I was a child.,But when KILDARE came into my livingroomI do not know what happened to me.I have almost obsessed w/ MR.C.I just wish him the best,could care less if he's gay,jump his bones in a heartbeat(that will not happen) same age as he,just love him .Thats all.nanfitzs@comcast.net Nancy

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  7. loved Richard since Dr. Kildare. followed his career,never cared this much about any other actor but him .Could care less if he's gay,love his work lived his life w/kindness ,dignity& purpose.A wonderful guy & I love him. Good health to you Sir.Nancy.

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  8. I was and always will be in love with Richard Chamberlain. Who cares if he is gay, I am a heterosexual woman but who can resist such a beautiful creature like RC. I dream about him still

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  9. J'ai vite compris que derrière cette beauté extérieure se cachait encore autre chose : la recherche d'une certaine spiritualité, d'une liberté avec le passé, avec sa sexualité et un énorme courage. Bref un véritable homme. Digne de ce nom ...
    J'ai 62 ans, je rêve un peu voire beaucoup (rires) devant les "oiseaux ..." et j'essaie de comprendre "Shattered Love", afin de suivre avec l'aide philosophique de beaucoup et de sa propre volonté, l'évolution de cette belle âme, libre. Bravo Mr Chamberlain and good year. Dominique Mme Bordeaux France 2017

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  10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePaadEWfSqc&list=PLjucWkXGcBoUCgjZ1fw19wg-oxfSCoiKw&index=4&t=2s
    check out recent interview. Fell in love with RC in my teenage years after Shogun and Thorn Brids then forgot about him over the decades. Then after pandemic hit started watching old movies to escape reality, rewatched thorn birds then read his book shattered lovedand fell in love with him all over again, this time with the sensitive, intelligent, deeply knowledgable and spiritual man inside. I started to watch his other works that I didnt know about, such as music lovers, its a piece of art.

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    1. I too was obsessed with Richard in the 1980s and 1990s. Just this year I sought out his movies starting with the Thorn Birds. I am getting a DVD a week of RC's movies for my collection.

      There is no other actor out there that I have this much devotion and love for. He is brilliant and beautiful!

      Dianne

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  11. Love Richard chamberlain,one of the best actors ever! Who cares if he's gay,most of my friends are as I've worked in hotel and catering all my life.the profession is full of gay people, and so is the film industry.they make for good friends and great company! I wish he was hetrosexual though,perhaps then I might of stood a chance of having a go in the sack with him😁😊however dream on Gwen! Let's not forget his great acting ability, and many other talents! This is a man that has made the most of his life and still does, why should he get out the pipe and slippers! I applaud you Richard and am full of admiration! Keep going Richard I hope to meet you one day, much love from Gwen 👋👋❤️💝💝😘😘😘

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  12. I wish ME TV would play the Dr.Kildare series.
    It would be nice to see on TV his various series.

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    1. Was Mr Chamberlain ever with a woman?

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  13. What a surprise as I was watching Shogun again to compare it with the new series to actually find a scene where Chamberlain’s character gets upset when Mariko offers male lovers. I wonder how Chamberlain felt about it at the time.

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