To a generation of TV fans, Richard Chamberlain will always be “Father Ralph.”
They knew him best from his second act as “King of the Miniseries.” This was back when Chamberlain, who passed away March 29 (two days before his 91st birthday), headlined such highly-rated network dramas as “Centennial” (1978), “Shōgun” 1980), and “The Thorn Birds” (1983).
To an earlier generation, he was Dr. Kildare (1961-66), a hit NBC medical series where he was paired with movie veteran Raymond Massey.
Over a long career, Chamberlain also headlined Broadway and London stage productions and as late as 2009 was playing King Arthur in a national tour of Monty Python’s “Spamalot.” In feature films he starred opposite Katherine Hepburn in 1969’s “The Mad Woman of Chaillot” and was in three “Musketeer” films directed by Richard Lester in the ’70s. Later, he was a voice on The Simpsons and guested on sitcoms such as Drew Carey, Chuck and Will & Grace.
Teamed with Mary Tyler Moore, he even survived an attempt in 1966 to mount a musical based on the film “Breakfast in Tiffanys.” It bombed after four tryout performances.
I think he may also have attended a Television Critics Association press tour in 1996 to promote a sequel to “The Thorn Birds.” What I remember more, however, is a story told to me by photographer Gene Trindl. Gene, who passed away at 80 in 2004, shot over 200 TV Guide covers. He shot four or five of those covers with Chamberlain during the run of Kildare. During this time, Gene, had been toying with the idea of photographing various celebrities made up to look like clowns. Mickey Rooney and Ernest Borgnine agreed to clown around for Gene, and those shoots took place, but the first who said yes was Chamberlain.
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The Beverly Hills native was so into it he arrived at Gene’s North Hollywood house with his own makeup and props. Gene, who I once interviewed for a book project, recalled that the actor spent a half hour covering his face in greasepaint.
“I figured I’d shoot about two rolls of film,” said Gene. “But I shot and I shot and I couldn’t get rid of him! He kept coming up with new angles and ideas and I kept changing lenses, using a strobe so he could move around as much as he wanted. “
Gene told me they were both very happy with the shoot. Afterwards, however, Trindl couldn’t get one major magazine interested in “Dr. Clown-dare.” He eventually sold the portraits to a fan magazine. Nevertheless, he always admired the fact that Chamberlain committed so fully to such a bold suggestion.
Then again, Chamberlain was probably aching to play against type. Blessed with handsome, leading man looks, he was cast early on as a young hearttrob and later in a series of swash-buckling hero roles in films such as “King Solomon’s Mines” (1985). He only came out as gay late in his professional life, staying closeted for decades for fear of losing out on the romantic leads the public demanded.
Fans saw him as Dr. Kildare and Father Ralph, when in truth, Richard Chamberlain was just a clown at heart.
