When I was much younger, I loved the show Battlestar Gallactica. Not the remake that came on years later but the original with Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, and Dirk Benedict.

RICHARD HATCH

My favorite was not Dirk Benedict’s hotshot, Starbuck (the character was changed to a woman in the remake), but Richard Hatch’s Apollo. His epic romance with Serena (Jane Seymour) was one of my first introductions to such a love. When Serena died in his arms and Apollo cried, so did I. He took on the care of Serena’s son, Boxey, for the rest of the series, too.

In 2014, at my first Star Trek convention, I thought it was pretty cool when I saw Richard Hatch at a table in the vendor’s room. The actor who played Boomer, Herbert Jefferson Jr, was there too.(I think they made Boomer a female too in the reboot). Richard was very friendly and welcoming to fans there. And he still looked pretty good for a man who was in his late 60s at the time.

Richard Hatch died yesterday at the age of 71 of pancreatic cancer.  But I will always remember him for being one of my original heroes, Captain Apollo.

Rest in Peace.