- Born
- Died
- Birth nameAllan George See
- Height5′ 8½″ (1.74 m)
- Gavin MacLeod's pleasing, agreeable manner on two hit TV series in the 1970s and '80s belied a number of shady villains he portrayed in his early career. Born Allan George See in Mt. Kisco, New York, on February 28, 1931, and raised in Pleasantville, he was the son of Margaret (Shea) and George See, a gas station owner who was part Chippewa Indian (Ojibwa). He followed his 1952 graduation from Ithaca College (Fine Arts major) with Air Force military duty, then moved to New York City and worked for a while as an usher and elevator operator at Radio City Music Hall. Focusing on acting, he changed his stage name to "Gavin McLeod."
A solid break on Broadway in "A Hatful of Rain" in 1956 led to a move to Los Angeles in an attempt to break into film and TV. MacLeod began to earn a minor reputation as a second-string heavy in such crime shows as "The Thin Man," "Steve Canyon," "Manhunt," "Mr. Lucky," "Peter Gunn," "Michael Shayne," "The Untouchables" and "Perry Mason." This led to a regular comedy role as part of the McHale's Navy (1962) TV series. He also managed several film roles, although far down the credits, with I Want to Live! (1958), Compulsion (1959), Pork Chop Hill (1959), Operation Petticoat (1959), Twelve Hours to Kill (1960), High Time (1960), War Hunt (1962) and McHale's Navy (1964). He was a member of the superb supporting cast of The Sand Pebbles (1966). He returned to Broadway in "The Captains and the Kings" in 1962.
MacLeod's career more or less flowed and ebbed until 1972, when his shiftless typecast was shattered forever. As Murray Slaughter, the balding, beaming, wisecracking, gleaming-toothed news writer on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970), MacLeod became a happy household name. From then on, he could only be envisaged as a lovable schmuck and nice guy. From there he went on to another benign starring role with the TV series, The Love Boat (1977), as the ingratiating Captain Stubing.
On the down side, "Love Boat" marred MacLeod's chances to be considered for more challenging work, and his inability to cope with success led to alcoholism and divorce from second wife Patti. However, he later turned his life around, remarried his wife, and they both wrote a book called "Back on Course" (1987). MacLeod continued sporadically on the musical stage ("Gypsy," "Annie Get Your Gun," "Gigi"), in TV reunions ("Love Boat" specials) and as a TV guest ("Murder, She Wrote," "Touched by an Angel," "The King of Queens," "Oz," "That 70s Show," "JAG" and "The Comeback Kid").- IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net
- SpousesPatti MacLeod(June 30, 1985 - May 29, 2021) (his death)Patti MacLeod(February 22, 1974 - December 8, 1982) (divorced)Joan F. Rootvik(1955 - August 1972) (divorced, 4 children)
- ParentsGeorge SeeMargaret See
- His bald pate
- His encouraging salute
- His mellifluous, commanding voice
- Was a close friend (30 years) of actor Ted Knight long before they appeared together on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970).
- Even after he quit his role on McHale's Navy (1962), MacLeod remained close friends with Ernest Borgnine for over 45 years, until Borgnine's death in 2012.
- Was the only The Love Boat (1977) actor not to have guest-starred on Fantasy Island (1977).
- His autobiography, 'Back on Course, the Remarkable Story of a Divorce That Ended in Remarriage', detailed his problems with alcohol and subsequent recovery and remarriage to second wife, Patti MacLeod.
- His The Love Boat (1977) captain exposure led to a long-running gig promoting the Princess Cruises.
- No matter where I go, I'm Murray to some people and captain to other people. Mostly the captain.
- I've worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, Gregory Peck, Mary Tyler Moore. But the biggest honor I have ever had was to play the role of Jonathan Sperry in this simple but special film.
- [on the death of John Ritter in 2003]: No, are you kidding? You can see what he's done --- he's commits to whatever he's doing; and that's the kind of a guy he was, and that's the kind of an actor he was, kind of a father and a man he was. It's such a sad, sad, sad thing. He was so inventive and so full of life. Made me struck down like that. You can imagine what he would have continued to do if he'd not died. So, his kids will do it.
- [on working with Dylan Sprouse and his twin brother, Cole Sprouse, while teasing both of them on a cruise]: The 16-year-old Dylan and his twin, Cole, are really wonderful young actors. Some people have it instinctively, and some have to go to school. You can't just put anyone in front of a camera and say, 'Go!' but these two, well, there's a reason for the success of that program. I felt more love on their soundstage than I have anywhere since The The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970) Show.
- [on starring in a Christian movie]: The film is about forgiveness. Forgiveness is one of the greatest tools God has given us.
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