Richard Hatch, The Original Apollo From ‘Battlestar’, Has Passed Away At 71
The original Battlestar Galactica‘s Apollo, Richard Hatch, has sloughed the mortal coil at the age of 71.
Richard Hatch, who played Captain Apollo on the 1970s sci-fi television series “Battlestar Galactica,” has died following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 71.
The actor’s numerous other credits included “Dynasty,” “Hotel,” “The Love Boat” and “Santa Barbara.”
“Richard Hatch passed today around 1:30 p.m. after a battle with pancreatic cancer. His son Paul was by his side in a home in Santa Clarita. He is also survived by his brother John,” his publicist Michael Kaliski confirmed in a statement to TheWrap Tuesday afternoon.
“I will always remember him fondly for his inspiring sense of youthful wonder, his boundless passion for creative expression, and his huge, kind heart,” Kaliski added.
Born in 1945 in Santa Monica, Califonia, began his acting career with the Los Angeles Repertory Theater, moving into television in 1970 after landing the role of Philip Brent in the soap opera “All My Children.” Subsequent credits included guest appearances on “Cannon,” “Barnaby Jones” and “Hawaii Five-0.”
Hatch was probably best known, however, for his role as Captain Apollo on “Battlestar Galactica,” which ran during the 1978-1979 season on ABC. Hatch starred alongside Lorne Greene and Dirk Benedict in a story about a fugitive fleet of ships seeking a new home after being defeated in a 1,00-year war with warrior robots called the Cylons.
Hatch also appeared in the 2004 reboot of the series, as Tom Zarek.
Ronald D. Moore, who developed the reboot, remembered Hatch as “a gracious man.”