About
"Oh, I knew acting was what I wanted to do. There was nothing else in the universe that I wanted to do."
In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Richard Chamberlain (1934-2025) 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.
Highlights
On the great love story in The Thorn Birds
On wanting to be an actor
On getting his first role, on Gunsmoke
Richard Chamberlain on being a teen idol
Richard Chamberlain on shooting what Newsweek proclaimed "the most erotic love scene ever to impact the home screen"
Full Interview
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
Richard Chamberlain on Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Ben Casey
Richard Chamberlain on similarities and differences between Dr. Kildare and Ben Casey
Centennial
Richard Chamberlain on working on the miniseries Centennial
Desperate Housewives
Richard Chamberlain on working on Desperate Housewives
Dr. Kildare
Richard Chamberlain on working on Dr. Kildare
Drew Carey Show, The
Richard Chamberlain on playing a woman on The Drew Carey Show
Entertainment Tonight
Richard Chamberlain on the role of celebrity and being the first person interviewed for Entertainment Tonight
Gunsmoke
Richard Chamberlain on his first role in Gunsmoke
Queen for a Day
Richard Chamberlain on Queen for A Day
Shogun
Richard Chamberlain on the miniseries Shogun
Richard Chamberlain on preparing to play Blackthorne
Richard Chamberlain on how Shogun changed television and his career
Thorn Birds, The
Richard Chamberlain on the miniseries The Thorn Birds
Richard Chamberlain on casting the role of Meggie and the chemistry with his co-star
Richard Chamberlain on shooting what Newsweek proclaimed "the most erotic love scene ever to impact the home screen"
Richard Chamberlain on the great love story in The Thorn Birds
Richard Chamberlain on the popularity of The Thorn Birds
Wallenberg: A Hero's Story
Richard Chamberlain on his work in Wallenberg: A Hero's Story
Will & Grace
Richard Chamberlain on working on Will & Grace
Topics
Censorship / Standards & Practices
Richard Chamberlain on dealing with taboo subjects on Shogun
Fame and Celebrity
Richard Chamberlain on being a teen idol
Richard Chamberlain on being the first person interviewed for Entertainment Tonight, and the role of celebrity
LGBTQIA+
Richard Chamberlain on the portrayal of gay people on film and television
Memorable Moments on Television
Richard Chamberlain on how the forbidden love story of The Thorn Birds made it so popular
Professions
Actor
Richard Chamberlain on wanting to be an actor
Richard Chamberlain on the craft of acting and his acting rituals
Genres
Medical Dramas
Richard Chamberlain on how Dr. Kildare made medical dramas a TV staple
TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials
Richard Chamberlain on his work in miniseries
People
Lauren Bacall
Richard Chamberlain on working with Lauren Bacall
James Burrows
Richard Chamberlain on working with James Burrows
Monique James
Richard Chamberlain on agent Monique James
Norman Lloyd
Richard Chamberlain on Norman Lloyd
Stan Margulies
Richard Chamberlain on working with producers Stan Marguiles and David Wolper on The Thorn Birds
Raymond Massey
Richard Chamberlain on working with Raymond Massey
Richard Chamberlain on working with Raymond Massey
Mary Tyler Moore
Richard Chamberlain on working with Mary Tyler Moore in "Breakfast at Tiffany's"
Paul Newman
Richard Chamberlain on Paul Newman's acting style in The Towering Inferno
Jean Simmons
Richard Chamberlain on working with actress Jean Simmons in The Thorn Birds
Gloria Swanson
Richard Chamberlain on working with Gloria Swanson on Dr. Kildare
David L. Wolper
Richard Chamberlain on working with The Thorn Birds producers Stan Marguiles and David Wolper