Gil Gerard, the beloved actor who brought the iconic sci-fi hero William 'Buck' Rogers to life in the late 1970s television series, has died at 82 after a battle with a rare, aggressive form of cancer.
Gil Gerard, best known for his starring role as the hunky sci-fi hero William 'Buck' Rogers in NBC’s 'Buck Rogers in the 25th Century' (1979-1981), passed away Tuesday in hospice at the age of 82. His manager, Tina Presley Borek, confirmed his death was due to a rare, aggressive form of cancer. Gerard's wife, Janet Gerard, shared a posthumous Facebook message from him, which encouraged fans to 'Don’t waste your time on anything that doesn’t thrill you or bring you love. See you out somewhere in the cosmos.' The popular series, which also had a theatrical film, was based on Philip Francis Nowlan’s 1928 pulp novella. Gerard's character, a 20th-century NASA pilot, awakens 500 years later in a futuristic world, battling threats with his robot sidekick Twiki and beautiful space pilot Wilma Deering, played by Erin Gray. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Gerard's career extended beyond Buck Rogers, including numerous TV commercials, starring roles in TV movies like 'Hear No Evil' (1982), and hosting the reality series 'Code 3' (1992). He reunited with Erin Gray for the 2007 TV film 'Nuclear Hurricane' and again in 2009 for the 'Buck Rogers Begins' internet video series. Gerard was open about his struggles with addictions to drugs, alcohol, and compulsive overeating, undergoing gastric bypass surgery documented in the 2007 Discovery Health Channel documentary 'Action Hero Makeover.' He was married and divorced four times before Janet and had a son, actor Gilbert Vincent Gerard, with Connie Sellecca. His final message reflected on his 'amazing journey' and the love he had given and received throughout his 82 years.
