The “life-long partner” of actor Richard Chamberlain, Martin Rabbett, has paid tribute to him following his death aged 90.
Richard Chamberlain – who came out publicly in 2003 and was known for his roles in Dr. Kildare (1961-66) and Shōgun (1980) – died on Saturday (29 March) in Waimānalo, Hawaii following complications from a stroke.
His death was confirmed by his publicist Harlan Boll.
“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,” Martin Rabbett said in a touching statement about the actor.
He added: “Love never dies. And our love is under his wings lifting him to his next great adventure.”
Chamberlain and Rabbett began a relationship in 1977 and moved in together in Hawaii in 1986, the same year they appeared on screen together in the film Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold.
The pair separated in 2010, with Chamberlain moving to Los Angeles, however they had seemingly resumed living together prior to Chamberlain’s death with Boll describing Rabbett as the actor’s “lifelong partner and best friend”.
Rabbett was described as his only immediate survivor.
Born in Beverly Hills in 1934, Chamberlain was dubbed the “king of the mini-series” for his Golden Globe winning appearances in Shōgun and The Thorn Birds. Both series were critical acclaimed and were watched by millions of viewers.
However, his miniseries roles were not his first and he rose to fame more than 20 years earlier as the lead in 1960s medical series Dr. Kildare, in which he played the titular doctor.
The popularity of the show made him a heart throb and the actor – who kept his sexuality private for the vast majority of his career – recalled being “chased by teenage girls” and said he once received more than 12,000 fan letters a week.
Chamberlain publicly in his 2003 memoir Shattered Love, which was published ahead of his 70th birthday and touched on both his childhood and career.
“The sort of double life I was leading seemed, after a while, part of the game,” Chamberlain said on the Today show when his book was published.
“You know, the performer’s — your public image is part of the show, really.”
He was criticised in 2010 for saying that male actors should not come out if they do not wish their sexuality to harm their chance at getting leading man roles.
“There’s still a tremendous amount of homophobia in our culture. It’s regrettable, it’s stupid, it’s heartless, and it’s immoral, but there it is,” he said at the time.
“For an actor to be working is a kind of miracle, because most actors aren’t, so it’s just silly for a working actor to say, ‘Oh, I don’t care if anybody knows I’m gay’ — especially if you’re a leading man. Personally, I wouldn’t advise a gay leading man–type actor to come out.”
His opinion – and similar views also expressed by Rupert Everett – were criticised by bi actor Alan Cumming, who said in 2011 that it was “mean-spirited”.
“If you’re living a lie, that’s not healthy, and I think it is really irresponsible of [Richard] and Rupert to say those things.”
He added: “It’s about how you exist as a person in the world, and the idea that your work is more important than you as a person is a horrible, horrible message.
“I always think about a little gay boy in Wisconsin or a little lesbian in Arkansas seeing someone like me, and if I cannot be open in my life, how on earth can they?”
When asked who he would like to be remembered, in a 2010 Archive of American Television interview, Chamberlain chuckled that he was “not interested in being remembered” and the notion of legacy “doesn’t interest me”.
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