Richard Chamberlain

Actor


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Richard Chamberlain talks about his life-long interest in acting. He discusses his first television role, on Gunsmoke, and describes at length his experience on Dr. Kildare, one of TV's first medical dramas. He goes on to recount his roles in two of television's most memorable miniseries: playing "John Blackthorne" on Shogun, and portraying "Father Ralph" on The Thorn Birds. He also speaks of his stage and television work in London as well as his ventures into feature films, where he socialized with the likes of Katharine Hepburn and Federico Fellini on set. He touches on his forays into music recording and on what it's like to be an actor who also happens to be gay. He shares his tale of how he was mistaken for a serial killer in Colorado while filming the NBC miniseries Centennial. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview on February 17, 2010 in Los Angeles, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"Oh, I knew acting was what I wanted to do. There was nothing else in the universe that I wanted to do."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
On the great love story in The Thorn Birds
02:01
On wanting to be an actor
00:07
On getting his first role, on Gunsmoke
00:41
Richard Chamberlain on being a teen idol
02:31
Richard Chamberlain on shooting what Newsweek proclaimed "the most erotic love scene ever to impact the home screen"
01:59
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his childhood and early influences
On acting in college
On serving in Korea
On Dr. Kildare
On studying acting in England
On being an actor who happens to be gay
On his singing career

Chapter 2

On working on films
On working on miniseries - Centennial, Shogun
On his Golden Globe and Emmy nominations 
On The Thorn Bird s

Chapter 3

On the popularity of The Thorn Birds
On Dream West, The Bourne Identity and Island Son
On The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years
On publishing his 2003 memoir, "Shattered Love"
On his proudest achievement
On his regrets and advice about acting and love
On his legacy
Shows

Alfred Hitchcock Presents aka The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

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Richard Chamberlain on Alfred Hitchcock Presents
00:48

Ben Casey

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Richard Chamberlain on similarities and differences between Dr. Kildare and Ben Casey
00:47

Centennial

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Richard Chamberlain on working on the miniseries Centennial
05:36

Desperate Housewives

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Richard Chamberlain on working on Desperate Housewives
00:26

Dr. Kildare

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Richard Chamberlain on working on Dr. Kildare
36:54

Drew Carey Show, The

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Richard Chamberlain on playing a woman on The Drew Carey Show
02:03

Entertainment Tonight

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Richard Chamberlain on the role of celebrity and being the first person interviewed for Entertainment Tonight
03:07

Gunsmoke

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Richard Chamberlain on his first role in Gunsmoke
00:41

Queen for a Day

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Richard Chamberlain on Queen for A Day
00:42

Shogun

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Richard Chamberlain on the miniseries Shogun
16:05
Richard Chamberlain on preparing to play Blackthorne
01:09
Richard Chamberlain on how Shogun changed television and his career
02:13

Thorn Birds, The

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Richard Chamberlain on the miniseries The Thorn Birds
21:37
Richard Chamberlain on casting the role of Meggie and the chemistry with his co-star
03:44
Richard Chamberlain on shooting what Newsweek proclaimed "the most erotic love scene ever to impact the home screen"
01:59
Richard Chamberlain on the great love story in The Thorn Birds
02:01
Richard Chamberlain on the popularity of The Thorn Birds
03:46

Wallenberg: A Hero's Story

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Richard Chamberlain on his work in Wallenberg: A Hero's Story
00:31

Will & Grace

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Richard Chamberlain on working on Will & Grace
01:03
Topics

Censorship / Standards & Practices

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Richard Chamberlain on dealing with taboo subjects on Shogun
01:34

Fame and Celebrity

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Richard Chamberlain on being a teen idol
02:31
Richard Chamberlain on being the first person interviewed for Entertainment Tonight, and the role of celebrity
03:07

LGBTQIA+

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Richard Chamberlain on the portrayal of gay people on film and television
01:21

Memorable Moments on Television

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Richard Chamberlain on how the forbidden love story of The Thorn Birds made it so popular
01:47
Professions

Actor

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Richard Chamberlain on wanting to be an actor
00:07
Richard Chamberlain on the craft of acting and his acting rituals
03:46
Genres

Medical Dramas

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Richard Chamberlain on how Dr. Kildare made medical dramas a TV staple
03:21

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

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Richard Chamberlain on his work in miniseries
48:37
People

Lauren Bacall

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Richard Chamberlain on working with Lauren Bacall
02:02

James Burrows

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Richard Chamberlain on working with James Burrows
01:04

Monique James

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Richard Chamberlain on agent Monique James
00:46

Norman Lloyd

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Richard Chamberlain on Norman Lloyd
00:48

Stan Margulies

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Richard Chamberlain on working with producers Stan Marguiles and David Wolper on The Thorn Birds
00:35

Raymond Massey

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Richard Chamberlain on working with Raymond Massey
00:47
Richard Chamberlain on working with Raymond Massey
03:52

Mary Tyler Moore

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Richard Chamberlain on working with Mary Tyler Moore in "Breakfast at Tiffany's"
02:29

Paul Newman

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Richard Chamberlain on Paul Newman's acting style in The Towering Inferno
00:36

Jean Simmons

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Richard Chamberlain on working with actress Jean Simmons in The Thorn Birds
01:41

Gloria Swanson

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Richard Chamberlain on working with Gloria Swanson on Dr. Kildare
02:10

David L. Wolper

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Richard Chamberlain on working with The Thorn Birds producers Stan Marguiles and David Wolper 
00:35

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