Dr Kildare and Shogun actor Richard Chamberlain dies | Ents & Arts News

Richard Chamberlain, who starred in the TV medical drama “Dr Kildare” and the 1980s mini-series “Shogun” has died at the age of 90, his publicist said.

Chamberlain became a heart throb and instant favourite with teenage girls as the handsome Dr James Kildare in the medical drama that ran from 1961 to 1966.

Photoplay magazine named him most popular male star for three years in a row, from 1963-65.

His breakout role in Dr Kildare marked the start of a six decade-career that spanned theatre, films and television.

He was dubbed the “king of the mini-series” after appearing in several TV dramas in the 1980s.

This included being the original Jason Bourne in the 1988 mini-series The Bourne Identity.

Chamberlain was nominated for Emmys for his roles in two mini-series – Shogun (1981) and The Thorn Birds (1983).

He was also nominated for Emmys for his roles in the 1985 movie “Wallenberg: A Hero’s Story” and the title role in the 1975 movie “The Count of Monte-Cristo”.

He also earned plaudits for his appearances on stage – including Professor Henry Higgins in “My Fair Lady” and Captain von Trapp in “The Sound of Music” to Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Richard II.

Most of his roles were as romantic leading men, which is why he did not publicly reveal he was gay until he was 68 years old.

He feared it would ruin his career and so for much of his life he said he pretended to be someone else.

“When you grow up in the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s being gay, it’s not only ain’t easy, it’s just impossible,” he told the New York
Times in 2014.

“I assumed there was something terribly wrong with me. And even becoming famous and all that, it was still there.”

Chamberlain said it was a huge relief after he acknowledged his sexuality in his 2003 autobiography “Shattered
Love: A Memoir”.

He said in a 2019 interview: “I had no fear left… It was a wonderful experience. People were open, friendly and sweet.”

The actor’s publicist said the star died from complications from a stroke in Hawaii on Saturday.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.