Key Points
Golden Globe winner known for Dr Kildare and iconic TV roles
Served in US Army as sergeant in Korea
Groundbreaking actor who came out in 2003 autobiography
Starred in multiple acclaimed TV series and films
According to the outlet, the three-time Golden Globe winner died of complications following a stroke just days before his 91st birthday on Monday.
"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," said Chamberlain's partner Martin Rabbett in a statement as quoted by Deadline.
The actor was born in 1934 in Beverly Hills. Chamberlian was drafted by the US Army after college, serving in Korea from 1956 to 1958, during which he achieved the rank of sergeant, reported Deadline.
After founding the LA-based theatre group Company of Angels in 1959, Chamberlain got his onscreen star in episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Gunsmoke and Riverboat.
Chamberlain's breakout came in the title role of NBC's medical drama Dr. Kildare, which ran for five seasons from 1961 to 1966. The series won the actor his first Golden Globe before going on to win two more for his performances in Shogun and The Thorn Birds.
In his illustrious acting career, the actor has starred in several hit films including The Three Musketeers, The Towering Inferno, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Man in the Iron Mask and The Swarm, as well as shows like The Bourne Identity, Touched by an Angel, Will & Grace, Nip/Tuck, Desperate Housewives and Twin Peaks: The Return.
According to Deadline, after the actor was outed by the French magazine Nous Deux in 1989, Chamberlain confirmed he was gay in his 2003 autobiography Shattered Love: A Memoir.
