Gavin MacLeod Dies, Mary Tyler Moore Show Star and Love Boat Captain Was 90

Sad news has come in as it’s been reported that veteran actor Gavin MacLeod has passed away. MacLeod, whose credits include memorable roles on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Love Boat, reportedly died overnight at his home in Palm Desert, California. He was 90 years old.

According to Gavin’s nephew, Mark See, the actor had been in and out of the hospital over the past few months struggling with various illnesses. As of now, it’s unclear what led to MacLeod’s death, but See says it was not related to Covid-19. MacLeod’s ex-wife, Joan, confirmed the details provided by See except for the location of his death.

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A prolific actor, MacLeod has over 100 acting credits to his name. His breakout role came in the 1970s when he was cast as Murray Slaughter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, a role that won him everlasting fame along with two Golden Globe nominations. Appearing opposite Mary Tyler Moore, MacLeod was featured in a lead role in all 168 episodes of the series over seven years.

Another famous role for MacLeod was as Captain Merrill Stubing on the classic sitcom The Love Boat. After appearing in the popular role for 250 episodes, MacLeod reprised the part for the show’s made-for-TV movies. In 1997, he joined other cast members for a special reunion on an episode of the daytime talk series The Oprah Winfrey Show.

“Oh yeah, sure, Gavin was wonderful,” MacLeod’s Love Boat co-star Ted Lange said in 2017, adding that they were all still close. “Gavin lives down here in Palm Springs and we’re still tight, all of us, Gavin and Bernie and Jill; we still see each other. Fred lives in a different state, we’re still close, we’re still good friends.”

Some of MacLeod’s many other television credits include Hawaii Five-O, Perry Mason, McHale’s Navy, The Untouchables, The Munsters, The Andy Griffith Show, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., My Favorite Martian, Hogan’s Heroes, JAG, The King of Queens, and That ’70s Show. He also appeared as Cardinal Frances Abgott in an episode of the HBO prison drama series Oz and voiced Captain Gumble on the animated children’s series Pound Puppies.

Meanwhile, MacLeod was consistently a regular player on various game shows and variety programs over the years. He’s remembered for appearances on shows like Tattletales, Celebrity Sweepstakes, Hollywood Squares, Donny and Marie, All-Star Family Feud, Late Show, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, and many more. He’s appeared in a variety of movies as well, focusing more on Christian movies in the later years of his career like Time Changer and The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry.

MacLeod’s survivors include his wife, Patti, with whom he’d been married for several years, along with their four children and grandchildren. Our thoughts are with his family at this painful time. It’s never easy to say goodbye, especially to someone who spent such a long time entertaining others, but there’s no doubt that MacLeod’s legacy will live on forever. May he rest in peace. This news comes to us from TMZ.

Topics: Obituaries, The Mary Tyler Moore Show

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