Gil Gerard, the actor identified for taking part in Capt. William "Buck" Rogers, on Buck Rogers within the twenty fifth Century, starting in 1979, has died of most cancers, his spouse, Janet Gerard, shared on social media. He was 82.

"Early this morning Gil — my soulmate — misplaced his combat with a uncommon and viciously aggressive type of most cancers," she posted late Tuesday. "From the second once we knew one thing was unsuitable to his demise this morning was solely days. Irrespective of what number of years I obtained to spend with him it will have ever been sufficient. Maintain those you may have tightly and love them fiercely."

She additionally launched an announcement on his verified Fb account that he requested her to share:

"My life has been an incredible journey. The alternatives I've had, the folks I've met and the love I’ve given and acquired have made my 82 years on the planet deeply satisfying," he wrote. "My journey has taken me from Arkansas to New York to Los Angeles, and at last, to my dwelling in North Georgia with my superb spouse, Janet, of 18 years. It's been a terrific trip, however inevitably one which involves an in depth as mine has. Don't waste your time on something that doesn't thrill you or carry you’re keen on. See you out someplace within the cosmos."

The actor performed Buck starting within the 1979 film Buck Rogers within the twenty fifth Century, which was launched into theaters and served because the pilot for 2 seasons of the TV present of the identical identify.

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The character had first been launched in Nineteen Thirties comedian strips and had beforehand been tailored for the silver display screen.

Gerard was reluctant to take the half at first.

"I noticed what it did to Adam West's profession with Batman, and this was one other cartoon character," he stated in a 2018 interview. "I didn’t wish to do that campy stuff."

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Within the sci-fi sequence, Gerard portrayed an astronaut who finds himself 500 years sooner or later. It costarred the late Mel Blanc, who offered the voice of cartoon characters together with Bugs Bunny.

Gilbert Cyril Gerard, a local of Little Rock, Ark., enrolled at what was then known as Arkansas State Trainer Faculty, in keeping with The Hollywood Reporter, however he moved to New York in 1969. He then studied performing below Philip Burton on the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, till, by an opportunity assembly, he ended up as an additional on the 1970 film Love Story and commenced engaged on commercials.

Gerard was a working actor for many years, having earned his first credit on daytime cleaning soap operas reminiscent of One other World and The Medical doctors, on which he performed Dr. Alan Stewart on greater than 300 episodes.

He made appearances on TV hits together with Little Home on the Prairie, CHiPs, Baretta, and Hawaii 5-0, and he labored on motion pictures reminiscent of 1977's Airport '77, with Jack Lemmon and Olivia de Havilland.

Within the '90s and past, he was a visitor on TV sequence E.A.R.T.H. Power, Pacific Blue, Drop Lifeless Diva, and Days of Our Lives. One in all his last credit got here in 2016, when he was forged in buddy comedy The Good Guys, alongside Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe.

Gerard was married to Resort actress Connie Sellecca from 1979 till 1987, they usually share one son.

He and his spouse, Janet, had been married for 18 years.

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