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Richard Chamberlain Has Been Married For Twenty Years (To a Guy)
TV Guide ^ | 5-30-03 | Mary Murphy

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.


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: downourthroats; gaytrolldolls; hollyweird; homosexualagenda; homosexualsodomy; mediabias; pc; politicallycorrect; sodomite; thereisnogaymarriage
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To: Spyder
I challenge you to watch the agony of any human watching anyone they love die, what is your point? Does the death of a gay lover produce more pain than the dealth of a wife, husband or child, at any age? That gay love and agony is more, bigger, better, deserves more attention, deserves more pitty, makes the survivor a victim to be pittied more than all other survivors? Nonsense.

I had a friend who was whitty, intelligent, fun, good looking, compassionate and a good friend. He was gay, died of AIDS. I mourned! I know his ex-wife and daughter mourned. I don't know if his many lovers mourned for very long if at all. I don't have the authority to judge him, but once I asked him if he knew how he was going to die and spend eternity. He said yes, and yes. I still miss his special brand of sunshine. He was a Canadian!
161 posted on 05/31/2003 9:14:08 PM PDT by wingnuts'nbolts (Islam the religion of peace.)
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To: wingnuts'nbolts
I had a friend who was whitty, intelligent, fun, good looking, compassionate and a good friend. He was gay, died of AIDS. I mourned!

Obviously my post wasn't intended for you - it was intended for those who seem to think being gay is the ultimate sin, worse than anything anyone could possibly do. I was responding in particular to someone who said that gay "love" was impossible - that it was merely lust. I was implying that the love one person feels for another is not necessarily less valid because one is gay. I certainly didn't mean to imply that it was more painful, bigger, better, etc., etc., only that pure lust does not explain the behavior of a gay lover at the bedside of his dying companion.

162 posted on 05/31/2003 9:35:23 PM PDT by Spyder (Just another day in Paradise)
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To: weegee
I don't think the Wiccans have anything against homosexuals; I haven't researched them sufficiently. In any case, marriage is a civil contract, not a religious one. Don't believe me? Go to your local clergyman and ask him to perform a marriage ceremony for you and your beloved. He'll require you to present a marriage license issued by the state, not the church. At the end of the ceremony, the clergyman will say, "by the power vested in me by the state of [wherever you are] I now pronounce you husband and wife." The state issues the marriage license; the church can't. The church issues the blessings of its favored supernatural entity upon the marriage; the state can't.

As for the old "pretend to marry your dog, too" business: Please. Animals can't give consent. Humans can. As soon as you can have a dog read, sign, and show that it comprehends a marriage license, I'll reconsider.

P.S. That Arthur Fellig was a great photographer.
163 posted on 05/31/2003 10:20:55 PM PDT by jde1953
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To: MeekMom
"If you're searching for some other truth than from the Lord God Himself, then good luck finding it jde1953."

Actually, I'm just seeking an OBJECTIVE reason to favor your chosen supernatural entity over any other. You have yet to give me one.
164 posted on 05/31/2003 10:23:31 PM PDT by jde1953
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To: Scothia
"This was about as shocking as when Ellen Degeneres and Rosie O'Donnell "came out".

Or when that guy who played the son in "Who's the Boss" announced that he was gay.

165 posted on 05/31/2003 10:23:43 PM PDT by Luis Gonzalez (The Ever So Humble Banana Republican)
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To: weegee
Are we perfectly clear now? Any more questions? Did I get that ol' message across well enough? All ambiguity taken care of? Need any further clarification?


Take it easy dude. All I did was ask you a question. I didn't make the connection between their appearances. So could you lay off the sarcasm a bit?
166 posted on 06/01/2003 6:45:10 AM PDT by bethelgrad (for God and country)
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To: jde1953
All I know is the truth, that is found in God's Holy Word. I don't think I'm able to give you an objective reason to obey the Lord God.
I think that has to be a personal search. jde1953.
I also know of the consequences of both obeyed and disobeyed God. I've chosen to try and obey Him.
167 posted on 06/01/2003 5:41:53 PM PDT by MeekMom ((HUGE Ann Coulter Fan!!!) (Life-long Python Addict))
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To: dogbyte12
Richard Chamberlain Has Been Married For Twenty Years (To a Guy)

In what country?

168 posted on 06/01/2003 5:47:15 PM PDT by Cinnamon Girl
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To: ladyinred
I was one of those young girls with a crush on Dr. Kildare.

Me, too. And I even had a Dr. Kildare shirt!

169 posted on 06/01/2003 6:02:29 PM PDT by FoxGirl
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To: MeekMom
"I don't think I'm able to give you an objective reason to obey the Lord God. I think that has to be a personal search."

Good. I mean this quite sincerely - I am glad you don't have an objective reason; otherwise you wouldn't need faith. Your religion is true FOR YOU, because you believe it and have done your personal search. It's true for you, but that doesn't automatically make it true for me unless my search delivers the same results as yours. And, to this point, it hasn't.
170 posted on 06/01/2003 6:40:17 PM PDT by jde1953
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To: dogbyte12
And it was based on a true story
171 posted on 06/01/2003 6:43:30 PM PDT by Tribune7
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To: dogbyte12
Richard Chamberlain Has Been Married For Twenty Years (To a Guy)

BS! I personally know he was a promiscuous homosexual in the early eighties. He’s lucky he doesn’t have AIDS knowing the sort he hung around, some of them were the very earliest to die from the disease. What a bunch of crap.

172 posted on 06/01/2003 7:22:14 PM PDT by Clint N. Suhks
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To: dogbyte12
Dick C. is a fruit? Gee, what a surprise. Next thing you know it'll be revealed that Tom Crui....

oops.

173 posted on 06/01/2003 7:26:39 PM PDT by Mr. Mojo
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To: jde1953
I'm sorry jde1953.
Would you like to mail me your area; state? I can find a local meeting place of Saints for you, if you like.
I have a nationwide directory available to me.
Mail me and let me know jde1953.

Stay well.
174 posted on 06/01/2003 7:51:17 PM PDT by MeekMom ((HUGE Ann Coulter Fan!!!) (Life-long Python Addict))
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To: Incorrigible

I get really fed up with people saying they are ‘too young’ to know about famous people. I suppose it would be great to be 20 or 30 again but when I was in my teens I used to watch black & white movies and knew most of the famous actors and singers of that time.
I was not born in the 1940s but I know about Jayne Russell, Marilyn Monroe and Cary Grant! I was not born in 1800 but I know who Queen Victoria was! The same with singers/bands. If you take an interest in music/films etc the ‘too young’ comment is pretty meaningless.


175 posted on 03/11/2014 9:34:18 AM PDT by R6LPW
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To: R6LPW

Wow. Well, welcome to FreeRepublic.com.

You’ve resurrected a pretty old discussion thread. I guess I could have said that I just didn’t know who he was without referring to my youth. But heck, I was a lot younger back in 2003!


176 posted on 03/11/2014 2:08:44 PM PDT by Incorrigible (If I lead, follow me; If I pause, push me; If I retreat, kill me.)
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