Richard Chamberlain

The power of Christ has compelled Richard Chamberlain and Brooke Shields to take two of the lead roles in a new stage version of William Peter Blatty's "The Exorcist," which is scheduled to open at the Geffen Playhouse on July 11. Chamberlain will play Father Merrin, the priest who attempts to exorcise a little girl possessed by a demon. The role was played by Max von Sydow in the 1973 film version of Blatty's book. Shields will take on the role of Chris MacNeil, an actress and the girl's  mother, who was played by Ellen Burstyn in the movie.

The power of Christ has compelled Richard Chamberlain and Brooke Shields to take two of the lead roles in a new stage version of William Peter Blatty's "The Exorcist," which is scheduled to open at the Geffen Playhouse on July 11. Chamberlain will play Father Merrin, the priest who attempts to exorcise a little girl possessed by a demon. The role was played by Max von Sydow in the 1973 film version of Blatty's book. Shields will take on the role of Chris MacNeil, an actress and the girl's  mother, who was played by Ellen Burstyn in the movie.

At the peak of Richard Chamberlain's thrillingly malevolent performance in “The Heiress,” the audience at the Pasadena Playhouse started hissing. If we had had tomatoes, we probably would have thrown them. The theater might want to frisk future ticketholders for produce, or add an anger-management session to the bill: It's that hard to handle the emotions provoked by this gorgeously directed and acted revival. You might not think you'll be so invested in the marital prospects of a young woman in New York society in 1850, especially since Ruth and Augustus Goetz's “The Heiress” (1947)

At the peak of Richard Chamberlain's thrillingly malevolent performance in “The Heiress,” the audience at the Pasadena Playhouse started hissing. If we had had tomatoes, we probably would have thrown them. The theater might want to frisk future ticketholders for produce, or add an anger-management session to the bill: It's that hard to handle the emotions provoked by this gorgeously directed and acted revival. You might not think you'll be so invested in the marital prospects of a young woman in New York society in 1850, especially since Ruth and Augustus Goetz's “The Heiress” (1947)

Worried that Richard Chamberlain may not be up to "My Fair Lady"? Let it be remembered that he once enjoyed a brief but memorable singing career. Back when he was Dr. Kildare on TV (will anyone ever let him forget?), he cut an album in that dreamy style of his. It even spawned a hit single of sorts, "Three Stars Will Shine Tonight." Now "fiftysomething" as he puts it (he's actually 58), he laughed wryly when the record was brought up during a recent interview. It just won't go away.

Richard Chamberlain is putting a lot of his father, Charles, into his role as Dr. Austin Sloper in the Pasadena Playhouse production of "The Heiress," Ruth and Augustus Goetz's 1947 adaptation of Henry James' "Washington Square. " The drama begins previews next week and opens April 29. Set in 1850s New York, "The Heiress" revolves around the wealthy physician's domineering relationship with his plain-Jane daughter, Catherine, and his disapproval of her handsome suitor, whom he believes is a fortune hunter.

. . . Scary thought: "The Night of the Hunter" (1955), which starred Robert Mitchum as a psycho preacher, is being remade for TV--with Richard Chamberlain starring.

Add Richard Chamberlain to the list of former TV stars who have failed in comeback efforts. CBS canceled his series "Island Son" Tuesday. The low-rated medical drama, currently seen on Thursdays, will continue running for an indefinite period.

In regard to "Island Son": please do not cancel the show. It is different, it is interesting and it has Richard Chamberlain. I do not watch too many TV shows, but "Island Son" I will not miss. Miriam Zalben, Los Angeles

'Top' Sinks to the Bottom: CBS canceled "Top of the Hill" on Wednesday after watching it sink to the bottom of the heap. The low-rated series about a young congressman was ranked 63rd out of the 81 shows on the three major networks. Replacing "Top" in its tough Thursday 9 p.m. time slot opposite NBC's hit "Cheers" will be "Island Son" starring Richard Chamberlain. "Son" debuts in its new time period Dec. 14.

Richard Chamberlain is putting a lot of his father, Charles, into his role as Dr. Austin Sloper in the Pasadena Playhouse production of "The Heiress," Ruth and Augustus Goetz's 1947 adaptation of Henry James' "Washington Square. " The drama begins previews next week and opens April 29. Set in 1850s New York, "The Heiress" revolves around the wealthy physician's domineering relationship with his plain-Jane daughter, Catherine, and his disapproval of her handsome suitor, whom he believes is a fortune hunter.

During his long, successful career, Richard Chamberlain has played a wide variety of roles. But who knew that he could also do a pitch-perfect impression of Katharine Hepburn? Chamberlain played opposite the legendary actress in the 1969 film "The Madwoman of Chaillot." He recalls that Hepburn demanded to meet him before he could get the role of Roderick in the comedy. "I had to fly to France for her to OK me for the part," says Chamberlain, still "Shogun" handsome at 76. "She loved to fool around.

What do you tell someone who still wants to see how Joan Van Ark is holding up, chat with Dr. Kildare and Wyatt Earp or look into the, um, eyes of a bevy of still-buoyant "Baywatch" babes? Stand in line. That and 20 bucks buys you a Vaseline-free lens into pop culture's past at the Hollywood Show, where time is elastic, even if its famous faces and figures are not. The quarterly autograph and memorabilia show -- a retro nirvana for TV Land, VH1 and Turner Classic Movies fans and celebrity signature collectors -- unites vintage Tinseltown idols and survivors with the people who made them as-seen-on-TV commodities.

Lee Kurty, 70, an actress who played nurse Zoe Lawton on the popular 1960s TV medical series "Dr. Kildare," died July 23 of complications from dementia at Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys. Kurty joined the cast of "Dr. Kildare," starring Richard Chamberlain, in the show's final season, 1965-66. Described in The Times as resembling "a Swedish cover girl," the blond Pittsburgh native was Chamberlain's love interest. Kurty, who also appeared on the soaps "Love of Life" and "Search for Tomorrow," was born Oct. 17, 1938, and graduated from the drama department of what is now Carnegie Mellon University.

DAILY DOSE OF EMMY Gold Derby blogger Tom O'Neil is keeping hourly watch over the prime-time Emmy race. From network episode submissions to weekly chats with star contenders and insider takes on what academy voters are leaning toward, it's all at goldderby.latimes.com. -- THEY CANNES GO THE DISTANCE The Oscar season got its annual kickoff this month in the south of France and the Envelope team of awards reporters was on the scene.

Richard Chamberlain, still fit and dashingly handsome at 73, describes himself these days as a "beach bum who paints and occasionally acts." But in fact, the star of the 1960s medical drama "Dr. Kildare" and such popular miniseries as "Shogun" and "The Thorn Birds" has been venturing away from his home in Maui for acting gigs regularly of late.

Richard Chamberlain is ready for his close-up. Buffed and preened, he far outshines the tacky tan blandness of his Century City hotel room. Chin up, chin down, head slightly left, now right. As a photographer clicks, he makes the tiny robotic shifts, and switches brilliant smiles on and off like a light bulb. Chamberlain has finally aged a bit, after decades of what some incorrectly perceived as surgically induced youthfulness.

The feeling of being truly Von Trapped--which you tend to get in heavily sugared productions of "The Sound of Music"--is nowhere to be felt in director Susan H. Schulman's classy, satisfying revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's final team effort, one of the more durable American products of 1959. It's no "Gypsy," of course, to name that year's finest musical. But "Gypsy" didn't have the uplift. It didn't have the nuns. It didn't climb every mountain.