George Richard Chamberlain is an American actor and singer who became a teen idol in the title role of the television show Dr. Kildare (1961–1966). He subsequently appeared in several miniseries, such as Shōgun (1980) and The Thorn Birds (1983) and was the first to play Jason Bourne in the 1988 television film The Bourne Identity. Chamberlain has also performed classical stage roles and worked in musical theatre.
Chamberlain in 1964
Richard Chamberlain (Dr. Kildare), Daniela Bianchi and Raymond Massey (Dr. Gillespie) from the television program Dr. Kildare in 1964
Chamberlain and Mary Tyler Moore rehearsing Breakfast at Tiffany's in the mid-1960s
Chamberlain and photographer Yoni S. Hamenachem on the set of King Solomon's Mines in Zimbabwe.
Dr. Kildare is an NBC medical drama television series which originally ran from September 28, 1961, until August 30, 1966, for a total of 191 episodes over five seasons. Produced by MGM Television, it was based on fictional doctor characters originally created by author Max Brand in the 1930s and previously used by MGM in a popular film series and radio drama. The TV series quickly achieved success and made a star of Richard Chamberlain, who played the title role. Dr. Kildare inspired or influenced many later TV shows dealing with the medical field. Dr. Kildare aired on NBC affiliate stations on Thursday nights at 8:30–9:30 p.m. until September 1965, when the timeslot was changed to Monday and Tuesday nights at 8:30–9:00 p.m. through the end of the show's run.
DVD cover
Publicity photo from "Rome Will Never Leave You". Both doctors travel to Rome, where Kildare finds romance with Italian actress Daniela Bianchi.
Beverly Garland, Richard Chamberlain and Raymond Massey in the first episode of Dr. Kildare (1961)