Gil Gerard, Star of 'Buck Rogers in the 25th Century,' Passes Away at 82: "See You Somewhere in the Cosmos"

The hero who traversed the universe across 500 years has returned to the real stars. Gil Gerard, the hero of NBC's popular series 'Buck Rogers in the 25th Century,' has passed away.

According to reports from Hollywood Reporter and other outlets on the 17th (local time), actor Gil Gerard passed away on the 16th at the age of 82. The cause of death was revealed to be a rare and aggressive cancer.

◆ "See you in the cosmos"

Gil Gerard bid farewell to his fans through a final letter he had prepared in advance on his Facebook. He reflected, "My life has been an amazing journey. The opportunities I had, the people I met, and the love I shared made my 82 years on Earth deeply satisfying," and left a final message reminiscent of Buck Rogers, saying, "Let's meet somewhere in the cosmos."

His wife, Janet Gerard, stated, "My soulmate left this early morning," and revealed that "it was only a few days from the moment we realized something was wrong until he passed away," indicating how suddenly illness had struck him.

◆ From a taxi driver in the 20th century to a hero in the 25th century

Gerard's acting career, hailing from Little Rock, Arkansas, was like a movie. He moved to New York in 1969, studying acting during the day and driving a taxi at night. He got an audition opportunity for the film 'Love Story' on the recommendation of a passenger he randomly picked up, marking his entry into Hollywood.

What catapulted him to stardom was the NBC series 'Buck Rogers in the 25th Century', which aired from 1979 to 1981. He played the role of NASA pilot William 'Buck' Rogers, who was frozen in space and awakened 504 years later in 2491, winning the love of sci-fi fans worldwide with his unique humor and charisma.

◆ A captain who will be remembered forever

Even after 'Buck Rogers,' he continued his acting passion by appearing in the ABC series 'Sidekicks' and the 2016 film 'The Nice Guys.'

In response to the sudden news, fellow actors and fans have taken to social media to express their condolences, saying, "He was my first space hero," and "Now may he embark on a true space journey."