At 90 'Dr. Kildare' Actor Richard Chamberlain Still Looks Striking

Nov 09, 2020

Richard Chamberlain was a star of the screen in his younger days, but even now at 90 he not only looks fantastic but is still taking on occasional acting work. His life and career are incredibly impressive, especially considering the secret he had to keep for many years.

Richard Chamberlain rose to international fame in the 1960s with his many acting roles in television and film. He quickly rose to heartthrob status among many of his fans, and well, who can blame them?

At 90, Chamberlain is still sitting pretty in our opinion, retaining the charm and sophistication that made fans swoon back in the day. However, his life was not an easy one. For years, Chamberlain carried a secret that had the potential to devastate his career.

Born in Beverly Hills, California, on March 31, 1934, Chamberlain grew up listening to the radio, especially radio show mysteries and dramas. Chamberlain was a bit of a withdrawn and shy child, so he didn't enjoy being in school.

While watching movies, he decided that being on screen would be the best place to be. Still, his self-confidence was lacking. However, the acting bug had bitten, and it was hard to ignore it.

Shortly after attending college, he began looking for work at the large production studios. Paramount Pictures was interested in hiring the good-looking young man with buttery blonde hair. However, something serious would put his career on hold.

Unfortunately, the Korean War broke out and Chamberlain was drafted to serve in the Army in December 1956. He would be overseas for 16 months. This didn't stop him, however. He knew exactly where he wanted to go as soon as he returned to the United States.

Hollywood was calling, and so Chamberlain answered it. He was cast in a few productions, but it wouldn't be until 1961 that his big break would come. He scored the lead role of Dr. Kildare in the medical show entitled Dr. Kildare. Chamberlain's fan base grew exponentially and he was praised by critics everywhere. Suddenly, Richard Chamberlain had reached Golden Boy status in the 1960s.

He loved the fame and adoration of the public because his self-esteem was still very low. He said that it felt like a "wonderful medicine." We can imagine. Still, something wasn't quite right with Chamberlain. As the success of Dr. Kildare, a medical drama based upon a young intern and his relationship with his mentor soared, Chamberlain was loving life. He recalls being chased around supermarkets by adoring women. He also remembers driving his convertible stingray, and fans would follow him through the hills. One time, a fan even approached Chamberlain high atop a mountain in Switzerland for an autograph. This is when his father revealed to him that he could tell he "had made it."

Though Chamberlain loved working on Dr. Kildare and thought the opportunity to do so was an amazing stroke of luck, he never seemed to have any time off. He was under contract with MGM at the time. MGM saw what they had in Chamberlain and cast him in other productions in the off-season of Dr. Kildare.

If he did get a week off, it seemed he was always being sent somewhere to work on publicity. However, Chamberlain managed to take singing lessons and ballet classes after work on most days. It was his own personal escape from work.

Chamberlain was getting tired of playing what he described as a "Prince Charming" characters all the time. He wanted to expand his horizons and was cast in both Twilight of Honor (1963) and Joy in the Morning. Unfortunately, fans were not impressed. Was Chamberlain doomed to play Prince Charming forever?

This is when he decided to leave the world of cinema and work in the theater instead. He starred in various productions including Private Lives, The Philadelphia Story, and took on the role of Tony in West Side Story. Chamberlain even went to England to perform in classic productions like Hamlet in 1969 and Richard II in 1971. Still, Hollywood called to him and he eventually returned.

It wasn't until 2003 that Richard Chamberlain would finally relieve himself of the secret he had been keeping all of his life. He was gay. He felt like being a gay man in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s was not just hard, it was impossible. So, he chose to live with his secret.

He was 69 when he came out as being gay in his book Shattered Love. We can't help but feel both proud of him for coming out, but also sorry he lived so much of his life feeling the insecurities being gay caused him. After years of therapy, he finally had the courage and confidence to be who he truly was.

Chamberlain received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the year 2000. At 90, not only does he look amazing, but he is also still working. He recently had a part in Finding Julia and in Echoes of the Past.

His best piece of advice is to simply "be yourself." He tells us he is just discovering what a joy it is to just be yourself. His family pretended to be perfect and it affected everyone. He is relaxing in the freedom now of being who he is.

What an amazing man with an amazing story! What do you think of Richard Chamberlain's story? Don't forget to pass it on to your friends.