Gil Gerard
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Gilbert Vincent Gerard, better known as Gil Gerard (born January 23, 1943) is an American actor. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, he is most famous for his role as Captain William "Buck" Rogers in the 1979-1981 television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.
Gil Gerard did a good deal of acting in high school. He attended the University of Arkansas but dropped out before graduation. He landed a job as an industrial chemist. Within a few years, he became regional manager of a large chemical company headed by governor Winthrop Rockefeller. His employers said they would name him the firm's vice president if he went for his master's degree so he quit rather than tell everyone that he didn't have a college diploma. He went to New York where he studied drama by day and drove a cab at night. Gil Gerard picked up a fare who showed a lively interest in the problems of unknown, unemployed actors. Before he left the cab, he told Gil to report in a few days to the set of "Love Story," which was being filmed on location in New York. When Gil Gerard arrived on the "Love Story" set, he was hired as an extra. Later that day, he was singled out for a "bit" role, which eventually wound up on the cutting room floor, but he now had his first professional credit. During the next few years, he did most of his acting in televison commercials, some four hundred of them, including a stint as spokesman for the Ford Motor Company. Then came a leading role in the daytime TV series, "The Doctors." He formed his own production company in partnership with a writer-producer, co-authored a screenplay called "Hooch" and filmed it as a starring vehicle for himself. With "Hooch" completed, he was summoned to California to co-star with Yvette Mimieux in "Ransom for Alice!" and to play Lee Grant's youthful lover in Universal's "Airport '77." A guest shot in "Little House on the Prairie" impressed producer-star Michael Landon who cast him in the leading role in an ambitious TV movie of the week, "Killing Stone." He signed to play Captain Buck Rogers in the televison series, "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century." After this he was featured in a number of other TV shows and movies, including starring roles in the series Sidekicks and E.A.R.T.H. Force.
External links
- IMDB record (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001266/)
- Official site (http://gilgerard.tripod.com/)
- A Biography (http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/DetailsServlet/epid-0/showid-0/personid-60142/moduleid-38)