Gil Gerard, famous for Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, passes away at 82

Gil Gerard, the actor best known for playing Captain William “Buck” Rogers in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, has died at 82. Gil Gerard’s death was confirmed in a report published early Wednesday, December 17, 2025, after his wife, Janet Gerard, shared the news in a social media tribute posted late Tuesday night.

In that post, she said he died earlier Tuesday morning after a fast-moving battle with what she described as “a rare and viciously aggressive form of cancer,” adding that only days passed between realizing something was wrong and his death. The family has not publicly shared additional medical details beyond that statement, and no separate cause-of-death report has been released by authorities.

For audiences, Gil Gerard is most closely tied to the late-1970s sci-fi boom, when his version of Buck mixed humor with old-school hero swagger, turning a comic-strip character into a lasting TV staple.

What happened to Gil Gerard, and what his wife has confirmed about how he died

Reporting states Gil Gerard died on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, with the announcement following later that night via Janet Gerard’s social media tribute. In her message, she described the timeline as sudden, writing that the shift from concern to loss happened in a matter of days.

The only publicly stated cause has come from Janet Gerard’s post, which described cancer as the underlying illness and characterized it as rare and unusually aggressive. Janet Gerard wrote,

“Early this morning Gil - my soulmate - lost his fight with a rare and viciously aggressive form of cancer. From the moment when we knew something was wrong to his death this morning was only days. No matter how many years I got to spend with him it would have ever been enough. Hold the ones you have tightly and love them fiercely."

Beyond that family statement, outlets covering Gil Gerard’s death have not cited any additional on-the-record medical specifics, such as a precise diagnosis subtype, the date of diagnosis, or details of treatment.

Multiple reports also place Gil Gerard in Georgia at the end of his life, tying that to the family’s own language about his final chapter being spent at home there. No funeral, memorial, or visitation information has been formally announced in the same reporting that confirmed the death, and no public statement from law enforcement or a coroner’s office has been highlighted in major coverage as of Wednesday.

Gil Gerard’s final message, and what his family has said publicly so far

Alongside her tribute, Janet Gerard also shared a short farewell message attributed to Gil Gerard, framed as a statement he wanted released after his death. Gil Gerard wrote,

“My life has been an amazing journey. The opportunities I’ve had, the people I’ve met and the love I have given and received have made my 82 years on the planet deeply satisfying.”

In that same message, he reflected on the places his career took him and the home life he returned to, before ending with a final sign-off. Gil Gerard wrote,

“See you out somewhere in the cosmos.”

Publicly reported survivors include his wife, Janet, and his son, Gib, from a previous marriage to actor Connie Sellecca. As of December 17, 2025, no additional family statements, memorial plans, or public service details have been widely published in the same mainstream reports confirming the death.

Gil Gerard’s career legacy, from daytime TV to Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and beyond

Before Gil Gerard became a sci-fi lead, he built a working-actor foundation through commercials, early screen work, and long runs in daytime television, including Another World and The Doctors. That steady pace set up the later moment when he became the face of a glossy, future-forward adventure brand at the exact time American TV was chasing the post-Star Wars appetite for space stories.

His signature role began with the 1979 Buck Rogers in the 25th Century film, which doubled as a launchpad for the weekly series that followed and ran for two seasons. For many viewers, the appeal was that Buck was competent without being cold, and funny without being a parody, which helped the show stay replayable long after its original run. As per Starburst Magazine’s interview feature, Erin Gray who plays Deering, said,

“I think it’s because Buck was such a likeable and cheeky character, and you don’t see much sci fi that has that level of humour any more”

Outside of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Gil Gerard kept moving through recognizable TV titles, including Little House on the Prairie, CHiPs, and Hawaii Five-0, while also taking film roles such as Airport '77 and later The Nice Guys. Put together, that resume shows a career built less on one lane and more on durability, with Gil Gerard remaining a familiar screen presence for decades, even as Buck stayed the role most closely attached to his name.

Stay tuned for more updates.

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