Gavin MacLeod
Love and Romance Expert
Gavin 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.
MacLeod’s impressive career spans television, theater and film. He spent seven years in the award-winning television series The Mary Tyler Moore Show as “Murray Slaughter,” the acid-tongued newswriter. His other well-known television roles have included “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 production 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.
Today, MacLeod is a frequent fixture in regional theater. He and his wife, Patti, also appear on Trinity Broadcasting Network in their series, Back On Course, a five-time Religion in Media award winner.
MacLeod has remained an enthusiastic supporter of cruising and currently serves as the spokesperson for Princess Cruises, a role he has held since 1986.
Musings on Romantic Moments
People always ask me what I think was the most romantic moment on The Love Boat. That’s tough to say since each episode brought people together and offered many romantic moments.
Thirty Years After Setting Sail on “The Love Boat”
Gavin MacLeod Muses About Romance on the High Seas
Among the things I enjoyed most about my role as “Captain Stubing” on The Love Boat, were the occasions on which viewers would approach me to tell me that the show gave them something to dream about.
Love on the High Seas
Enjoy this interview with Gavin MacLeod and his wife Patti talking about how they maintain and celebrate their more than 30 years of marriage. They also reminisce about all of their wonderful cruise experiences.

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