Richard Hatch as Captain Apollo in 1978’s « Battlestar Galactica. »
When I heard the sad news Tuesday that actor Richard Hatch died , my heart sank.
As Captain Apollo on the 1978 TV series » Battlestar Galactica , » he wasn’t just my first space crush (sorry Han Solo). The pilot he brought to life embodied the kind of passion and stubbornness that made the popular sci-fi series more than what some critics called a « Star Wars wannabe. »
« Battlestar Galactica » actor Richard Hatch with CNET writer Bonnie Burton.
Apollo was a stand-out character to many of us space geeks who loved the short-lived ’70s original series. But Hatch wasn’t just Apollo. He returned to the « Galactica » franchise during its wildly successful 2004 reboot, playing Tom Zarek , a terrorist who becomes a politician.
He also had roles in » All My Children , » » The Streets of San Francisco , » » Hotel , » » The Love Boat » and » Fantasy Island , » and in one of my favorite guest appearances: He played a dubious boyfriend and possible suspect in » Murder, She Wrote.
