- Richard Chamberlain, The Thorn Birds, TV, 1983. Hollywood jumped on Colleen McCullough’s Australian Gone with the Wind when it started selling 33 million copies in 1977. Tara was now Drogheda, an outback sheep farm, Scarlett was the poor Meggie and Rhett was the sexiest priest around until Andrew Scott’s turned on Fleabag in 2019. Herbert Ross was set to direct Christopher Reeve in an epic movie, then Aussie film-maker Peter Weir with Robert Redford. Ryan O’Neal was next in line. Finally, Chamberlain was Father Ralph de Bricassart In the most successful mini-series since Roots – even though it was all made in California (why not s re-set it in Georgia?). Meibourne’s Rogers (Scorpio in the General Hospital soap since 1981) was briefly considered for the randy cleric Bryan Brown was the only Aussie star involved. And he wed the leading lad Rachel Ward. On and off-screen!
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 1