Gil Gerard, star of 'Buck Rogers in the 25th Century' and 'Action Hero Makeover', dies at 82

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Gilbert Cyril Gerard aka Gil Gerard, the Arkansas-born actor best known for playing the quick-witted hero in NBC’s 1979-81 series 'Buck Rogers in the 25th Century,' died Tuesday, December 16, at age 82.

His wife, Janet Gerard, announced on Facebook that he died in Georgia after battling 'a rare and viciously aggressive form of cancer.'

Gil Gerard's wife Janet announces death of her husband

According to a post on the official Facebook page of Janet Gerard, she announced the death of Gil Gerard, her 'soulmate.'

She wrote, “Early this morning Gil - my soulmate - lost his fight with a rare and viciously aggressive form of cancer.” She added, “From the moment when we knew something was wrong to his death this morning was only days.”

Sharing her grief, she wrote, “No matter how many years I got to spend with him it would have ever been enough." She advised, "Hold the ones you have tightly and love them fiercely.”

Gil Gerard left a message before he died

Following his death, Gil Gerard’s wife, Janet, also shared a statement her husband left before he died. “This is Janet Gerard, Gil’s wife. Just to clarify - I was by his side when my husband passed away this morning in hospice care. Below is the message he left,” she wrote.

In the message, posted on his official Facebook page and shared by Janet, Gil said, “If you are reading this, then Janet has posted it as I asked her to.” He continued, “My life has been an amazing journey. The opportunities I’ve had, the people I’ve met and the love I have given and received have made my 82 years on the planet deeply satisfying."

Gerard talked about his life’s path, writing, “My journey has taken me from Arkansas to New York to Los Angeles, and finally, to my home in North Georgia with my amazing wife, Janet, of 18 years. It’s been a great ride, but inevitably one that comes to a close as mine has.”

He concluded, “Don’t waste your time on anything that doesn’t thrill you or bring you love. See you out somewhere in the cosmos."

Gil Gerard’s rise to sci-fi fame

In the late 1970s, Gil Gerard who was born in 1943, appeared in several films before landing his most famous role. In 1977, he played Lee Grant’s romantic interest in 'Airport ’77' and starred as a moonshiner in the comedy 'Hooch, set in Appalachia.'

Soon after, producers approached him to star in 'Buck Rogers in the 25th Century,' a series co-produced by Glen A Larson for Universal Television.

The show drew inspiration from the classic Buck Rogers comic strip, which earlier appeared in a popular 1939 movie serial starring Olympic swimmer Buster Crabbe.

At first, Gerard hesitated to take the role. In a 2018 interview, he said, "I saw what it did to Adam West‘s career with Batman, and this was another cartoon character. I didn’t want to do this campy stuff."

Eventually, he changed his mind and agreed to the project. The Buck Rogers movie became a hit and ranked among the top 25 highest-grossing films of the year.

Producers later reworked the movie into a two-hour pilot for the television series. 'Buck Rogers in the 25th Century' ran for two seasons and aired 32 episodes before ABC canceled it in April 1981.

After the show ended, Gerard starred in several made-for-TV movies, including the popular 1982 film 'Help Wanted: Male with Suzanne Pleshette.' He later played a bachelor police officer who teaches martial arts to a young boy, played by Ernie Reyes Jr, on the ABC series 'Sidekicks,' which aired from 1986 to 1987.

Gerard continued working steadily in television and film over the years. He appeared on the 1990 CBS series 'E.A.R.T.H. Force,' hosted the 1992 reality show 'Code 3,' and played 'Major Dodd on NBC’s daytime soap Days of Our Lives' in 1997. He later made an appearance in the 2016 comedy 'The Nice Guys,' starring Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe.

In 2007, Gerard became the focus of the Discovery Health Channel documentary 'Action Hero Makeover.' In the film, he decided to undergo gastric bypass surgery after his weight reached 350 pounds. Earlier, in a 1990 PEOPLE magazine article, Gerard said overeating had cost him about $1 million in lost work opportunities.

Gerard married four times, including a marriage to actress Connie Sellecca from 1979 until their divorce in 1987. He is survived by his wife of 18 years, Janet, and by his son, Gib, whom he shared with Sellecca.