Table of Contents
Gil Gerard, Star of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Passes Away at 82
Gil Gerard, who gained worldwide fame for his role in the sci-fi series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, has died at 82.
His wife for 18 years, Janet Gerard, informed the world about the sad event on Facebook on Tuesday, Dec. 16, through a heartfelt post, which stated that it was after the morning when he passed away that the wife learned that the cause of death was “losing his fight with a rare and viciously aggressive form of cancer.”
He had been diagnosed with this type of cancer which was very rare and aggressive, and before he died in the hospice he managed to leave a letter for Janet which she posted afterwards on his official Facebook page.
Gil Gerard’s Final Message Before Passing
Gil Gerard wrote a touching letter to his wife, Janet, which she was to share with the public after his death. “If you’re reading this, it means that Janet has put it up as I asked her to,” he penned. “My existence has been one great adventure. The very moments I had, the people I encountered, and the love I gave and got have made my 82 years on earth profoundly satisfying. My path has led me from Arkansas to New York to Los Angeles, and finally, to my home in North Georgia with my wonderful wife, Janet, whom I have been married to for 18 years.”
Looking back on his life, he said, “It has been an amazing trip, but altogether a trip that has an end as is my case. Do not throw away your life on things that don’t excite you or give you love. I will be somewhere in the cosmos.”
He also has a son, Gib, with whom he shares his ex-wife, Connie Sellecca.
Gil Gerard’s Early Career: From Taxi Driver to Television Star
Originally hailing from Little Rock, Arkansas, Gil Gerard made a move to New York City in 1969. Alongside his training at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, he was a taxi driver, as mentioned on his website. He got his acting debut in the 1970 film Love Story after one of his taxi passengers had recommended him.
After that, Gerard was seen in more than 400 commercials and got a recurring role as Dr. Alan Stewart in the daytime soap The Doctors.
Subsequently, he started an independent production company and produced the 1977 movie Hooch among other projects, and also had a role in Airport ’77. At about the same time, he made a guest appearance on the well-loved TV series Little House on the Prairie.
Gil Gerard’s Career-Altering Role: Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
Gerard’s luck changed in 1979 after he got the role of the hero in the TV series named after it Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. The franchise was made up of a TV series on NBC and a feature film that was the pilot episode of the show. The movie was reportedly the fifth-highest-grossing one in 1979, and the series aired two seasons between 1979 and 1981, according to his website.
Gerard was talking about the series in a 2018 interview with GenXGrownUp where he said, “In L.A., the show has never been as appreciated as it has been elsewhere. But I went to a lot of places where I was signing autographs. And at one place, I signed 5,000 autographs in a single day.”
Gil Gerard’s Late Work and Personal Challenges
During the very same interview in 2018, Gerard mentioned that the reason why Buck Rogers in the 25th Century was taken off the air for a while was so they could ‘build up the special effects,’ but the audience thought the series had been canceled, and it “never really recovered.”
After Buck Rogers, Gerard was involved in various projects, among them were the 1982 film Help Wanted: Male, the 1980s ABC series Sidekicks, the 1990 CBS series E.A.R.T.H. Force, a short appearance on Days of Our Lives, as well as the role in The Nice Guys in 2016.
He was also in the 2007 Discovery Health Channel documentary Action Hero Makeover, which highlighted his journey with gastric bypass surgery. In the PEOPLE magazine issue dated Oct. 1, 1990, Gerard spoke about his difficulties with alcohol, drugs, and overeating and said, “If Buck Rogers had gone on, it would just have delayed the point at which I needed to look at myself.”
Gil Gerard’s Charity and a Family Tribute
Gil Gerard aside from his work as an actor was very keen on charitable work. On his official website, he stated that he was a board member of a Los Angeles-based organization that was geared towards helping homeless women and children by providing them with jobs. He was also one of the longest-time volunteers at the Special Olympics and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Gerard’s spouse, Janet, gave a very moving tribute to her husband, calling him her “soulmate.” “The time from when we recognized that something was not right to his death this morning was just a few days,” she went on to write. “I could have spent a lifetime with him and still it would never have been enough. Hug those you have closely and love them with all your might.”
