This here's my own face. Some folks have told me I'm handsome, but I prefer "rugged".
Posted on 05/30/2003 7:58:18 PM PDT by dogbyte12
Richard Chamberlain sure knows how to keep a secret. He's a master at it. In the public eye for over 40 years, he has been defined almost entirely by his roles. On screen he was this devastatingly handsome heartthrob, the star of Dr. Kildare and the dreamy king of such exotic miniseries as Shogun and The Thorn Birds. Yet Chamberlain remained a distant figure whose private life was always off-limits. Until now.
In an interview with TV Guide, Chamberlain admits that he's gay and that almost 20 years ago he wed another man, Martin Rabbett, who is now his manager. They met in 1975 when Chamberlain, then 41, was starring in the Tennessee Williams play The Night of the Iguana. Rabbett was a production assistant 19 years his junior. On the eve of the publication of Shattered Love: A Memoir (ReganBooks), Chamberlain, now 69, talks about his fear that knowledge of his sexual orientation would ruin his career. It is the first time a romantic leading man of his stature has ever outed himself. But in doing so, Chamberlain says he is finally at peace.
When you were on Dr. Kildare, you were a romantic hero — and hiding the fact that you were gay. Were you afraid people would find out?
Desperately afraid. I used to get chased by hot teenage girls. I got 12,000 fan letters a week. And all the fan magazines would ask me about my love life. And I felt somewhat besieged. But I was good at the game. I felt my career depended on a certain image.
Were you ever able to talk to your parents about it? Never once. Not in my whole life.
Anybody in Hollywood?
No. But it was assumed that I was gay. I remember going to see a comedian who worked on our show — maybe he didn't know I was there — and he made a joke about "Dr. Kildare, that blond faygeleh." Whoa. Was I shocked.
After Kildare went off the air, you went into a funk.
I realized I was just another out-of-work actor. So [the musical] Breakfast at Tiffany's came along. I had a great time until we were on Broadway. The audience just hated it. I had a line, "Oh, I'll never sing again." And voices came back, "Good. You can't sing, anyway." And then people would go up the aisles and leave the theater.
Luckily, you found the miniseries. Tell me about Shogun.
The network wanted me, but James Clavell [the author of the novel] didn't. He wanted Sean Connery. So I started taking voice lessons to get a lower tone and I put six T-shirts under my shirt because I wanted to look bulkier [for the first meeting with Clavell]. It was so hot I was sweating like a pig. But I got on with April, Clavell's wife, and Clavell relented and gave me the part.
In your book, you say the character you identify with a great deal is Father Ralph, the priest in The Thorn Birds.
My public image, my private life and then my spiritual concerns made me realize that we had something in common.
In fact, it was after a spiritual retreat that you met Martin.
The minute I saw him, I thought, "There is someone special." But it wasn't until Night of the Iguana played [on Broadway] that we got into a love relationship.
How many years have you been together?
Twenty-six. I can't imagine how Martin had the guts to live with me because my career was everything. There was no one I would have thrown my career over for. And he knew it.
What are you up to now?
I am doing a play this summer, The Stillborn Lover, which Martin is directing at the Berkshire Theatre Festival in Massachusetts.
Can you sum up your career?
I had looks, talent, ambition. And yet I was afraid of relying on myself — Marlon Brando could rely on himself. I didn't want to be seen as even remotely gay. Remember, I grew up in the '30s, '40s and '50s, when being effeminate was verboten. I ingested all of this. I was as homophobic as anyone else.
When did you get over it?
I've only dropped the last vestiges of that, like, three months ago. And I'm practically stepping into my grave.
Funny, I don't recall Melville bringing up the subject in either Moby Dick or White Jacket.
Okay, Clavell's from a different period and that novel was from a different period too.
I didn't know there was a documentary, but I heard that someone (a family member?) was going to publish a book on the subject.
No idea. But I would suggest that a change of makeup and/or artist might be beneficial to his career.
I'll stop on FNC, but there's something not quite right about him, in my viewing preferences. I generally listen, more
than view, during that time period.
One of these years, I'll figure out what the "G Block" is.
You can pretend marry your dog too. Please don't tell me about cosumating a marriage, and that is not a necessary requirement of "marriage". Plenty of people are having intercourse these days (with humans) that have no intention of getting married.
Lest you think I am being ridiculous, some people celebrate birthdays for their pets. Some even leave their estates to their pets. Still doesn't make them a "married couple".
He was a vile man with a sick sense of humor but he could still be pleasant company. I talked to him briefly (after Kurt died but I knew nothing about this detail) the subjects we discussed were mundane ("hey go tell those girls over there your uncle Il Duce just hit the lottery"). He was a decent drinking "buddy". He also sang and made jokes about rape (a notable example was when he appeared on the Wally George show).
I heard that he was virtually homeless and when the band needed him for a gig they would drive around until they found him panhandling. He might have been up for taking the hit, I don't know him that well (saw his band twice, talked with him once).
He dead now, he got hit by a train (according to the film, he died during production, one week after they interviewed him).
The film is still interesting to watch to see Courtney Love give death threats to a reporter and then receive a free speech award from the ACLU.
We don't get Fox News in San Francisco. I have basic cable -- I get CNN, MSNBC, etc -- but Fox News (as far as I know) isn't on here. If I'm wrong, somebody let me know.
Evidently he did. What do you call an interview, private? He has just shoved his proclivity in everyone's face. Still some say he has not made it a public issue?
yitbos
By "judge" do you mean one shouldn't discern sexual sin (like any other sin) and condemn it for what it is--sin? Or do you mean one should not impose private punishment on another who engages in it? Neither? A combination of both?
I would really like to know what your view is.
How did he marry another man? Homosexual marriages are not recognized by law. We need to keep it that way.
The Federal Marriage Amendment, which defines marriage as between one man and one woman, supported by members of both political parties, will soon be introduced in Congress. The Amendment needs your support. See American Family Association (www.afa.org) and sign the petition.
Hawaii has tried awful hard to make it legal. Has come pretty close.
yitbos
This here's my own face. Some folks have told me I'm handsome, but I prefer "rugged".
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.