Home> Facts and Trivia > Stars > Gavin MacLeod
Gavin MacLeod Facts
| Sign | Pisces |
| Born |
Feb 28, 1931 Mount Kisco, NY |
| Age | 95 |
| Total Facts | 42 |
Alcohol ran in his family, stretching to his elder ancestors, before himself.
Before he was a successful actor, he did everything from janitor to lawn mowing.
Before he was an actor, he served in the Air Force, where he wrote, produced and directed the plays.
Before he was cast opposite Jack Lord in "Hawaii Five-O" (1968), he worked with Lord opposite Betsy Palmer in The True Story of Lynn Stuart (1958).
Best known by the public for his starring roles as Murray Slaughter on "Mary Tyler Moore" (1970) and as Capt. Merrill Stubing on "The Love Boat" (1977).
Enjoys public speaking, traveling, playing tennis, watching movies, golfing, sailing, reading the Bible, praying, cruising, reading and dancing.
Father of Keith, Julie, David and Meghan.
Former child actor Robert Blake once said MacLeod was his favorite actor to date.
Friends with Bernie Kopell, Betty White, Mary Tyler Moore, Ernest Borgnine, Tim Conway, Ted Knight, Aaron Spelling, Raymond Burr and Richard Dawson.
Future actor Ted Lange was said to be an idol of MacLeod's, when he used to watch each and every episode of "Mary Tyler Moore" (1970), before he co-starred with him on "The Love Boat" (1977).
Got the lead role on "The Love Boat" (1977) with the encouragement of Aaron Spelling.
Graduate of Ithaca College in upstate New York.
Graduated from Pleasantville High School in Pleasantville, New York, in 1947, and received a scholarship to Ithaca College.
Had a back operation in 2010.
Had met Mary Tyler Moore on an episode of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961), years before he worked with her on "Mary Tyler Moore" (1970), as her newswriter.
Had quit his role on "McHale's Navy" (1962), due to his battle with alcoholism in 1964. It was suggested by his family and best friend Robert Blake that he to go to an alcohol clinic, where he was getting help. Right around the same time, he also left to do The Sand Pebbles (1966).
Has been going bald since he was 18, at that time, he wore toupees.
Has made $20,000-plus for each "The Love Boat" (1977) episode.
His "The Love Boat" (1977) captain exposure led to a long-running gig promoting the Princess Cruises.
His "The Love Boat" (1977) co-star, Jill Whelan, invited him and Bernie Kopell, to her wedding in 2004.
His ancestry includes Irish, part Chippewa-Indian, Swedish and English.
His autobiography "Back on Course, the Remarkable Story of a Divorce That Ended in Remarriage" details his problems with alcohol and subsequent recovery and remarriage to second wife Patti MacLeod.
His father, George See, dropped out of grade school in the fifth grade, looking for work as a gas station attendant. His mother Margaret See, also dropped out of middle school in the seventh grade. She went on to work for Reader's Digest.
His mother, Margaret See, died on January 4, 2004, she lived to be 97.
Holds an Honorary Doctorate from his Alma Mater Ithaca College.
Honorary Mayor of Pacific Palisades, California.
Is a lacto-vegetarian.
Is one of the three actors to have appeared in every episode of "The Love Boat" (1977).
January 19, 2004: featured on "Late Show with David Letterman" (1993) in their segment "Is It Potatoes or Gavin MacLeod?". It was, in fact, Gavin MacLeod.
Met Bernie Kopell on the set of "Mary Tyler Moore" (1970), before he co-starred with MacLeod on "The Love Boat" (1977).
Met first wife Joan at Radio City Music Hall when he was an usher and she was a Rockette. They had four children before they divorced after 18 years of marriage.
Remained good friends with Ted Lange during and after "The Love Boat" (1977).
Starred in the pilot of 3 shows that didn't sell.
Started acting when he was in Kindergarten.
Stepfather of Stephanie Steele. He also has two other stepchildren, Andrew and Tommy, with his wife Patti.
The oldest of two children.
Took his stage name from his college drama coach Beatrice Macleod, and from an affecting TV drama in which a cerebral palsy victim was named "Gavin".
Used to be a spokesperson for Princess Cruises in the 1980s.
Was a close friend (30 years) of actor Ted Knight long before they appeared together on "Mary Tyler Moore" (1970).
Was not the first choice to audition for the lead role as Capt. Merrill Stubing on "The Love Boat" (1977), it was when Aaron Spelling approached Dick Van Patten to play that role, when he was already doing "Eight Is Enough" (1977) at the time.
When he was just a little boy, he used to go to the movie theaters, where he paid 7 cents, being fascinated by character actors, which led to MacLeod playing character parts in various shows.
While he was playing football at Pleasantville High School, he received word from his family, about his father, who had died in 1945, from cancer. After his father's death, his quit the football team, and went back to acting.