'HE'S ON TO HIS NEXT GREAT ADVENTURE'

The miniseries king captivated fans throughout his long career

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Rachel Ward was just starting to make a name for herself in Hollywood when she was cast opposite TV superstar Richard Chamberlain in a miniseries that would change her life.

“I remember loving him as a young girl,” Rachel tells Woman’s Day days after Richard died on March 29, just two days before his 91st birthday.

“I was so sad to hear about Richard. I enjoyed working with him very much. I was very overwhelmed and vulnerable, and I was blessed to have someone who was so infinitely patient and supportive.”

Everything changed for Rachel, now 67, when she was cast as Meggie Cleary in The Thorn Birds, which was the second highest rated US miniseries at the time, with a combined estimate of 140 million viewers.

A REAL GENTLEMAN

“I remember doing the screen test with him and he was nothing but generous and warm and made me feel good. It was very, very nice working with him,” says Rachel.