According to Boll, Chamberlain passed away in Hawaii late on Saturday due to complications following a stroke.
Martin Rabbett, Chamberlain’s longterm companion, told Variety, “Our beloved Richard is with the angels now.”
“He is free and soaring to those loved ones before us. 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.”
The adored actor’s breakthrough performance as the dashing Dr. James Kildare in the 1961–1966 television series made him a teenage heartthrob.
The actor, who was 27 at the time, “looked like he had been sculpted by a loving god out of butter, honey, and grace,” according to the Guardian newspaper.
The actor, who was born George Richard Chamberlain in Beverly Hills on March 31, 1934, first pursued painting studies at Pomona College.
However, Chamberlain made the decision to try acting after he returned from the Army, where he had been an army clerk during the Korean War.
Known as the ‘king of the mini-series’, Chamberlain gained recognition on stage for his performances in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Richard II, as well as for his portrayals as Captain von Trapp in ‘The Sound of Music’ and Professor Henry Higgins in ‘My Fair Lady’.
In the 1988 miniseries “The Bourne Identity,” he again played the role of Jason Bourne.
“What’s fascinating about Richard is that his range is enormous. His ability to be different each time out is what makes him such a valuable property,” producer Susan Baerwald told the New York Times in 1988.
Chamberlain’s performances in “Shogun” and “The Thorn Birds” earned him Golden Globes. He had gotten one for ‘Dr. Kildare’ years before.
Throughout his career, he was also nominated for four Emmys for his roles in Wallenberg: A Hero’s Story (1985), Shogun (1981), The Thorn Birds (1983), and the title character in the 1975 television film “The Count of Monte-Cristo.”
Chamberlain, who had a lovely singing voice, switched to the theater as the public’s interest in miniseries started to wane. He played Captain von Trapp in a 1999 revival of “The Sound of Music” and Henry Higgins in a 1994 Broadway staging of “My Fair Lady.”
In the 1996 television film “The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years,” he played de Bricassart once more.
In addition, he starred in a number of movies, such as “The Madwoman of Chaillot,” “The Towering Inferno,” “The Music Lovers” (as Tchaikovsky), “The Three Musketeers,” and its follow-ups.
He kept performing well into the twenty-first century, making appearances on shows including Touched by an Angel, The Drew Carey Show, and Will & Grace.
He did not come out as gay until he was 68 years old since he played romantic leading men in most of his performances.
He told the New York Times in 2014 that “When you grow up in the ´30s, ´40s and ´50s being gay, it’s not only ain’t easy, it’s just impossible. I assumed there was something terribly wrong with me. And even becoming famous and all that, it was still there.”
After acknowledging his sexuality in his 2003 autobiography “Shattered Love: A Memoir,” Chamberlain claimed it was a huge relief.
In a 2019 interview, he declared, “I had no fear left. It was a wonderful experience. People were open, friendly and sweet.”
