Gavin MacLeod turns 80 onboard the Golden Princess

Yesterday, legendary actor Gavin MacLeod celebrated his 80th birthday aboard Princess Cruises' Golden Princess. Not only is he known as Captain Merrill Stubing from TV's The Love Boat, but he is also the long-time ambassador of the cruise line. The celebration was held onboard the ship in Los Angeles. Crew members, along with his family and friends sang "Happy Birthday" and presented him with a large cake - a 5-foot long, 3D replica of the original "Love Boat" - the Pacific Princess.

Also in Princess' press release about the celebration:

"MacLeod is perhaps best known for his role as “Captain Merrill Stubing” in the popular television series, The Love Boat.  One of the longest running television shows in history, The Love Boat cruised through ten seasons from 1977 to 1986 and is still in syndication in 92 countries worldwide. This year also marks MacLeod’s 25^th anniversary serving as Princess Cruises’ spokesperson.

MacLeod’s impressive career spans television, theater and film.  He spent seven years on the award-winning television series The Mary Tyler Moore Show as “Murray Slaughter,” the acid-tongued newswriter.  His other well-known television roles include “Happy” on McHale’s Navy and “Big Chicken” on Hawaii Five-O, and he has also appeared in The Dick Van Dyke Show, Hogan’s Heroes, The Big Valley, Ironside, To Catch a Thief, Run For Your Life, Hotel and Murder She Wrote.

MacLeod’s film debut was in 1958 with Susan Hayward in the Oscar-winning film I Want to Live.  His subsequent 35 film credits include Compulsion with Orson Welles, Operation Petticoat with Cary Grant, High Time with Bing Crosby, The Party with Peter Sellers, The Sand Pebbles with Steve McQueen and Kelly’s Heroes with Clint Eastwood."

I want to also wish Captain Stubing a very Happy Birthday from all of his cruising fans! Bon Voyage!