Gil Gerard, star of Buck Rogers, passes away at 82

Sci-fi star Gil Gerard has sadly lost his battle with cancer on Tuesday morning while staying at a hospice. Deadline reports that his wife was by his side at the time. Gerard was known and beloved by many as the star of the 80s TV series, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. The show was a hit on NBC and came from famed TV producer Glen A. Larson. It aired for two seasons and was a space adventure that spawned from Star Wars‘ success in the late 1970s. Buck Rogers leaned more into comedy and camp and featured a jive-talking robot named Twiki.

His wife, Janet Gerard, would notify fans by confirming the news of his passing on her Facebook page. Her announcement read, “Early this morning Gil – my soulmate – lost his fight with a rare and viciously aggressive form of cancer,” wrote his wife. “From the moment when we knew something was wrong to his death this morning was only days. No matter how many years I got to spend with him it would have ever been enough. Hold the ones you have tightly and love them fiercely.”

She would also recently post a message on the official Gil Gerard Facebook page that her husband left for his fans. Her post included some wholesome, happy pictures of Gerard from recent times and the text would read, “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:

If you are reading this, then Janet has posted it as I asked her to.

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.

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.

Don’t waste your time on anything that doesn’t thrill you or bring you love. See you out somewhere in the cosmos.”

Before Buck Rogers, Gerard played Dr. Alan Stewart on more than 300 episodes of NBC’s The Doctors. After his role in Buck Rogers, Gerard’s career would thrive on television and independent films. He would star as Dr. John Harding in CBS’ short-lived series E.A.R.T.H. Force back in 1990, as well as having a six-episode arc on Days of Our Lives in 1997. He was seen more recently as Bergen Paulsen, a character who played opposite Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling in The Nice Guys.

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