Remembering another Veteran who passed away this Memorial Day Weekend - The Love Boat Captain

1northcoin

Sadly this weekend saw the passing of Gavin MacLeod known to my generation as Murray Slaughter on the Mary Tyler Moore Show and the Love Boat Captain Merrill Stubing during its 9 seasons from 1977 to 1986 and known to the present generation for his promotional role as Spokesperson and "Global Ambassador" for Princess Cruises.

Fittingly, Gavin who passed away this Memorial Day weekend was also a veteran, although ironically he had been an airman in the United States Air Force rather than a ship captain.

I assume many feel a personal connection having grown up looking up to the TV star. In real life he was an admirable person as well. Just this past week my son was telling me that he had experienced a memorable conversation with someone whom I might remember. He was with Gavin MacLeod helping him in conjunction with a hospitalization. Although confronting various medical issues, the patient was in good spirits and was able to engage in a discussion sharing thoughts and experiences. I note in reading his bio, that Gavin MacLeod maintained close friendships there in the Palm Desert area with past costars including the actors who played the doctor and the bartender on the Love Boat, with actor Tim Lange (the Love Boat bartender) stating, "Gavin was wonderful." Reportedly he was the "longest serving celebrity spokesperson in brand partnership history."

I guess my primary personal connection to the celebrity was getting to sail on one of the Princess Cruise Ships that had a Love Boat connection. Oh, and I guess in a Kevin Bacon sort of connection, we both appeared on episodes of Hawaii Five-0 although his appearances were on the initial season of the original series where he played drug pusher "Big Chicken" and I didn't show up until the series reboot as a Background Actor playing a "Costumed Party Guest with Upscale Car."

Gavin MacLeod has sailed onto other shores, but his time spent plying our earthly seas will continue to be fondly remembered.

Keeping this numismatically related, here is a link to our various postings on the thread titled, "Post Something Nautical;"

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/comment/12935183#Comment_12935183

USSID17

The "vast" majority of Hollywood actors in the 40's, 50's & 60's were all veterans...... No more, those days are gone!

BryceM

At the American cemetery near St. Avoid France. Many of our boys from the Battle of the Bulge and the push across eastern France into Germany are here. If you’ve never been there, US war cemeteries are IMMACULATE and quite unlike the cemeteries of the other major powers (most of which are sadly neglected).

I consider this to be an extremely good and appropriate use of taxpayer dollars.

USSID17

It was 0645 (that's AM) when my wife and I arrived at the front gate of the Luxembourg American Cemetery. The gate was locked. It was a beautiful warm summer morning.

We were the first ones (the only ones) where, when the cemetery curator (an old man) arrived at exactly 0700 to open the gate. We don't even know where he came from, he just showed up out of nowhere to open the gate!!

The guy was so excited to talk to us after learning we were Americans! He drove in with us, then walked with us. He was like our own private tour guide. We literally had the entire cemetery to ourselves, it was incredible!!

He told us; Patton's request "upon his death" was to be buried with his troop...... So he was, placed right in the middle of his troops. However, for many years following his death and after the war ended, thousands of visitors arrived to pay tribute to him and the fallen. There were some many people going to see his burial sight, that they killed the grass. The cemetery curators couldn't keep the grass alive. He said; it was like one big mud puddle!

So they moved him to the front, overlooking his troops.

Jimnight

@BryceM said:
I consider this to be an extremely good and appropriate use of taxpayer dollars.

I totally ... 100% agree with you.

1northcoin

Thanks for the insight into Patton. I had an Uncle who parachuted in at Normandy in advance of the assault to set up communications equipment. He continued on to help liberate Buchenwald Concentration Camp and was one of the first ones into Paris before DeGaulle was ceremoniously given the opportunity to make his entrance as the liberator.

joeykoins

A Believer

ricko

Although I am not a follower of movies or TV, I do recall seeing an episode or two of his TV shows way back then. He seemed to be a good character actor. While in the Navy, we once were in Cherbourg, France. Going down to the local taverns, we were treated like hero's, since those places were owned by former members of the French Resistance. Great times. Cheers, RickO