Richard Hatch, ‘Battlestar Galactica’ Star, Passes Away at 71

Actor Richard Hatch, recognizable to fans of Battlestar Galactica and The Streets of San Francisco, has died at 71 after battling an extended illness, Bleedingcool.com reports.

 

 

Hatch recently won an Indie Series award in 2012, for his guest role on the comedy drama short series Pairings (2012), but is perhaps best known as Captain Apollo, the dashing swashbuckling space jockey from the long-running hit sci-fi series, Battlestar Galactica, where he was nominated for a Golden Globe for best actor in a television Series drama in 1979.

 

 

 

Hatch also starred in the hit television crime dram series The Streets of San Francisco, alongside Karl Malden and Michael Douglas, where he played Inspector Dan Robbins. He also was instrumental on the revival of Battlestar Galactica, and tried endlessly to convince Universal to revisit the series. Over the years, he has written a number of novels in the same universe and developed a short film, Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming.

 

 

 

The original Battlestar Galactica was a made-for-TV endeavor trying to capitalize on the Star Wars mania of the late 1970s. In 1978 20th Century Fox went so far as to sue Galactica’s Universal Studios for copyright infringement – a case that Fox eventually lost. However, in most fans opinion, the show played an important role in keeping fans interested in the sci-fi universe of films and television.

 

Hatch will always be remember for his love for Battlestar Galactica and his annual panels at the San Diego Comic-Con and DragonCore. He will also be remembered by his adoring fans for his relentless continued enthusiasm for Galactica and the future of sci-fi.

 

 

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14 thoughts on “Richard Hatch, ‘Battlestar Galactica’ Star, Passes Away at 71

  • February 8, 2017 at 6:52 pm
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    Damn. Wasn’t expecting to lose him just yet.

    Clear skies to you, Richard…

    • February 8, 2017 at 8:35 pm
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      Different incarnation of the series but…so say we all.

      • February 9, 2017 at 2:56 pm
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        So say we all.

  • February 8, 2017 at 6:53 pm
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    R.I.P. Captain Apollo, thanks for all the great times.

  • February 8, 2017 at 7:33 pm
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    Always Apollo.RIP and thanks for making some of my childhood awesome.

  • February 8, 2017 at 8:02 pm
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    Sad news – nowadays 71yo is too soon.

    Cancer –
    Pancreatic cancer, I’ve read, is quite savage & often a “death sentence”.
    Related note, US supreme court’s Ginsberg battled it as well, along with another cancer.

    Great memories from when I was a child, appreciating this actor’s character & Battlestar Gallactica.
    My thoughts are with his surviving family/friends.

  • February 8, 2017 at 8:55 pm
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    There was no greater fan of the Battlestar Galactica universe than Richard Hatch. It was something he really cared deeply about. The revival of the series in 2003 was due in no small part to his efforts.
    Though known to younger fans as Tom Zarek, for those of us of a certain age he will always be Apollo. Thanks for the memories. RIP.

  • February 9, 2017 at 1:14 am
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    Don’t want to sound like a douche, but what does this have to do with SW?

    Is this site going to post something up when Bill Shatner passes away as well?

    • February 9, 2017 at 2:29 am
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      i hope so, shatner is a bloody legend.

    • February 9, 2017 at 9:25 am
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      Well, it’s part of the Sci fy universe that Star Wars and Galatica belong to…and we live in a small world that is planet Earth. 🙂

    • February 9, 2017 at 10:46 am
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      If you know about the history of the original show, It was very tied to the OT.

      Shatner is too. The OT would probably never have gotten made if not for TOS and ST today would not exist without the OT’s success.

  • February 9, 2017 at 10:46 am
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    He was a con legend, Been to every one that I been to since I started going. Won’t be the same not seeing him there in the autograph section.

  • February 9, 2017 at 11:24 am
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    Grab your gun and bring in the cat.

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