GODSPEED, GIL GERARD

You were an indisputable hero to me, and it commenced when my friend, Scott, and I played hooky from school to catch Buck Rogers in the 25th Century in Spring 1979.

My admiration for you then spread into the weekly Glen A. Larson series, which gave me substantial escape every Thursday night from the frightful pangs of school, where I watched you engage with top-tier guest stars, alien creatures and a perpetual spree of gorgeous gals. 

Before and after Buck Rogers, you made the rounds, sharing your skills in Little House on the Prairie, which impressed Michael Landon enough to give you the lead in The Killing Stone. You also got on board Airport '77, International Airport, Hear No Evil, Star Trek: Phase II, Hawaii Five-O, Man on a Swing, Nightingales, Hooch, Some of My Best Friends Are, Fugitive Mind, Air Rage, Looking for Bruce, Psycho Hillbilly Massacre!, Stormin' Home, Ransom for Alice, Dire Wolf, Mom Can I Keep Her?, Fish Police, Boldly Gone, Fury to Freedom, Soldier's Fortune, The Nice Guys, Not Just Another Affair, Surge of Power II: The Sequel, Blood Fare, Monsters Madmen & Machines, Final Notice, Johnny Blue, The Big Easy, Help Wanted: Male, For Love or Money, Brotherly Love, Pacific Blue, Days of Our Lives and carried on as a regular for Sidekicks and E.A.R.T.H. Force. You also acted as a superb host for Fox's Code 3 and were the stellar subject of Discovery's Action Hero Makeover. You even entered the experimental, web realm for Buck Rogers Begins, reteaming with your dear costar and friend, Erin Gray, and reunited with her as well for the movie, Nuclear Hurricane.   

You set an ideal blueprint for virility and justice in your portrayals, Mr. Gerard. For many of us, that was important, if not essential, during our developmental years and still stands as an important catalyst for getting any job done. You meant a lot to us, in other words, and always will. Godspeed, my adventurous, guiding friend!