84-year-old Richard Chamberla's failed relatnship wh gay partner of 33 years

Contents:

• 'THORN BIRDS' RICHARD CHAMBERLA STUNS AT 89 - HE & HIS GAY PARTNER OF 38 YEARS ARE STILL LOVE YET LIVE APART
• RICHARD CHAMBERLA ONCE SAID BEG GAY WAS 'WORST' THG — HE HAD SECRET RELATNSHIP WH A MAN FOR 27 YEARS
• 84-YEAR-OLD RICHARD CHAMBERLA'S FAILED RELATNSHIP WH GAY PARTNER OF 33 YEARS
• RICHARD CHAMBERLA, WHO TURNS 87 TODAY, WAS CLOSETED GAY MAN AT PEAK OF HIS FAME – BUT NO MORE!
• RICHARD CHAMBERLA: WHY I KEPT MY GAY LIFE A SECRET BY DR KILDARE
• RICHARD CHAMBERLA ONCE GOT CANDID ABOUT WHY HE CAME OUT AS GAY AT 68
• GAY ACTOR RICHARD CHAMBERLA'S DATG LIFE AND REASON FOR KEEPG HIS SEXUALY A SECRET

'THORN BIRDS' RICHARD CHAMBERLA STUNS AT 89 - HE & HIS GAY PARTNER OF 38 YEARS ARE STILL LOVE YET LIVE APART

Kildare" star Richard Chamberla showed up a tracksu at an event wh his gay partner of 38 years. Kildare" and was a hunk as Father Ralph the 1980s "The Thorn Birds, me out as gay at almost 70 2004, the star was asked about leadg a double life, and he admted that he hated himself and hid as a child. Kildare, " cir 1965 | Source: Getty ImagAlthough he was ially aaid to e out as gay, partly bee he worried about how that would affect his succsful reer based on a lie, Chamberla was still thrivg.

RICHARD CHAMBERLA ONCE SAID BEG GAY WAS 'WORST' THG — HE HAD SECRET RELATNSHIP WH A MAN FOR 27 YEARS

Much like his onscreen prows, he gaed wi populary for g out as gay at age 69. Richard Chamberla cir 1961 | Photo: Getty ImagCOMING OUT AT 69While Chamberla beme the heartthrob of his fans and land rol that ma him a sex symbol, he beme creasgly secretive about his sexual orientatn, but all that changed his 2003 tobgraphy, "Shattered Love, " Chamberla publicly me out as gay and revealed that he had hidn his inty for the sake of his reer but was not aaid to intify wh who he tly "Kg of the Mi-seri, " as he was fondly lled his prime, was 69 when he ma the bold move of g out as gay said he felt burned bee he was leavg a false life by playg romantic RABBET'S ROLEGay actor Richard Chamberla creded his boldns to the help he got om his longtime partner and hband, Mart Rabbet. Eure nfsed that the breakup left him shattered and broken out as gay did not affect Chamberla's reer, but stead, he beme a source of spiratn to other stars hopg to take on his boldns.

84-YEAR-OLD RICHARD CHAMBERLA'S FAILED RELATNSHIP WH GAY PARTNER OF 33 YEARS

The "Shogun" star was gay, and while iends and lleagu were aware of this, he hid om the public.

RICHARD CHAMBERLA, WHO TURNS 87 TODAY, WAS CLOSETED GAY MAN AT PEAK OF HIS FAME – BUT NO MORE!

| Source: Getty ImagChamberla had always felt different, but bee of the era he grew up , was almost like a crime to be gay. In his words:"I've grown up the 30s, 40s, 50s, where beg gay was not an optn. Soon, news of his gay relatnship began to slip to the media, but the actor's team was quick to dismiss such claims, fearg would affect his stardom.

Chamberla had the perfect chance to e out 1997 when he played a gay man dyg of AIDS "A River Ma to Drown In. | Source: Getty ImagClose iends knew his secret life, but at the time when the lovebirds began datg, gay relatnships were viewed as a e for social ncern. Chamberla Came Out but Advised Others Not to Be like HimYears after puttg up wh the heartthrob image he earned om his s Hollywood, Chamberla cid to e out, tellg the world that he's always been actor left no stone unturned when talkg about his sexualy his 2003 memoir, "Shattered Love, " which he promoted alongsi public outgs at several events to mark gay pri month.

RICHARD CHAMBERLA: WHY I KEPT MY GAY LIFE A SECRET BY DR KILDARE

As a rult, Chamberla believ he no longer feared losg out on the admiratn that wh such fully charged much changed Chamberla's reer after g out, and he avoid beg typest to gay rol even though he had played a uple of them. Dpe g out, Chamberla advised other gay actors currently playg lead rol not to take the same path as he did.

The "Shogun" star believ there is a homophobic culture surroundg asked if he would back other gay actors, Chamberla told the Advote, "It's plited. There's still a tremendo amount of homophobia our culture.

RICHARD CHAMBERLA ONCE GOT CANDID ABOUT WHY HE CAME OUT AS GAY AT 68

"He further add, "For an actor to be workg is a kd of miracle, bee most actors aren't, so 's jt silly for a workg actor to say, 'Oh, I don't re if anybody knows I'm gay" — pecially if you're a leadg man.

Personally, I wouldn't advise a gay leadg man–type actor to e out. "Chamberla believ there is still a lot to be achieved to grant gay actors the right and environment to live out their sexualy and not be isolated the movie dtry. Richard Chamberla cir 1961 | Source: Getty ImagChamberla is now an active advote of gay rights and ntu to have a strong prence the movie dtry.

Kildare" the ‘60s, followed by his role as the hunky Father Ralph on "The Thorn Birds" the ‘80s, me out as a gay man when he was nearly 70 years old. It wouldn't be until s later that the star me out as a gay man. There is nothg, absolutely nothg wrong wh you and your life and beg gay.

GAY ACTOR RICHARD CHAMBERLA'S DATG LIFE AND REASON FOR KEEPG HIS SEXUALY A SECRET

… I knew everyone would want to talk about me beg gay Hollywood. “For an actor to be workg at all is a kd of miracle, bee most actors aren’t, so ’s jt silly for a workg actor to say, “Oh, I don’t re if anybody knows I’m gay” – pecially if you’re a leadg man.