Hollywood actor Gil Gerard, known for playing the titular hero in the 1979 NBC sci-fi series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, died Tuesday after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was 82.
His wife Janet confirmed the news of his passing on Facebook on Wednesday.
“Early this morning Gil - my soulmate - lost his fight with a rare and viciously aggressive form of cancer. 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 been enough. Hold the ones you have tightly and love them fiercely,” Janet wrote in her Facebook post.
Prior to his death, Gerard had asked Janet to share his statement on his Facebook page. “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,” reads the message.
“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,” Gerard further said.
“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 continued.
“Don’t waste your time on anything that doesn’t thrill you or bring you love. See you out somewhere in the cosmos,” Gerard signed off.
The sci-fi series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century ran from 1979 to 1981 for two seasons. Based on the character created by Philip Francis Nowlan in 1928, the show was first adapted as a television movie.
The show follows Gerard as Captain William “Buck” Rogers, an astronaut from the 20th century, who remains frozen in space for 504 years and wakes up in the year 2491.
Gerard was also known for his TV series like Sidekicks, Nightingales, E.A.R.T.H. Force and Days of Our Lives. In recent times, he starred in Space Captain and Callista, The Nice Guys, and Blood Fare.
