He found fame in the late 70s as the charming, flirtatious doctor aboard the MS Pacific Princess – helmed by ‘your captain’ Merrill Stubing – in a hit ABC sitcom.
The popular television show, produced by the late Aaron Spelling, was know for its ensemble cast, which included Gavin MacLeod, Fred Grandy, and Ted Lange.
But it was this actor’s iconic role as the cruise ship ‘doc’ that helped cement the sitcom as a beloved classic in television history.
His career has since spanned far beyond the series, with appearances in other successful TV shows including, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Bewitched, Kojak, and The Streets of San Francisco, to name a few.
Now at 91, the veteran actor is not yet retired and still appears in television and movie productions, as well as an off-Broadway theater role as recently as 2022.
Can you guess who it is?
This veteran actor was spotted out in his LA neighborhood in an extremely rare appearance last week
Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show the sitcom star, now 91, stepping out in a blue fleece zip-up hoodie and sweatpants to grab his mail and an Amazon package that had been delivered at the end of his driveway
It’s Bernie Kopell!
The TV icon was seen stepping out in his Los Angeles neighborhood to pick up his mail and an Amazon package at the end of his driveway.
Dressed casually in a blue zip-up fleece hoodie, black sweatpants, and sneakers, and sunglasses, the senior sitcom star appeared sprightly and in good spirits as he went about his afternoon routine, exclusive DailyMail.com photos show.
Kopell had appeared in several television sitcoms early in his career in the 60s and 70s, but landed his breakout role playing Dr. Adam Bricker in the hit ABC series, The Love Boat, produced by the late Aaron Spelling.
His role as the Pacific Princess cruise ship’s smooth-talking doctor became a defining part of the show, in which he appeared in all 250 episodes during its nine-year run from 1977 to 1986.
More recently, in his older age, Kopell has showed few signs of slowing down, co-starring in off-Broadway play, Two Jews Talking, alongside Hal Linden from August to October 2022.
Bernie Kopell became a household name as Dr. Adam Bricker, the Pacific Princess cruise ship’s charming and flirtatious doctor
Kopell remains active in his career and has showed few signs of slowing down, still appearing in small television roles and even an Off-Broadway play in recent years
Despite his advanced years, the nonagenarian still appears sprightly and in good spirits
He has also continued taking small TV roles since then, making appearances in Grey’s Anatomy and The Lincoln Lawyer in recent years.
The rare sighting marks the first time Kopell has been seen out and about in months.
Last August, he joined Grandy, Lange and Jill Whelan for ‘The Love Boat Celebration at Sea’ aboard the Enchanted Princess.
The seven-night cruise, which departed from Brooklyn, was unveiled as Princess Cruises’ second themed cruise early last year, offering fans a chance to sail to Canada and New England along with Doc (Kopell), Gopher (Grandy), Isaac (Lange) and Vicki Stubing (Whelan) for a week.
Guests and The Love Boat fans alike were treated to a week of themed cocktails and activities, including a Q&A panel with the cast and trivia.
Kopell participated in the ‘Behind the Scenes Stories’ panel held on the penultimate day at sea, in which he revealed which Love Boat guest star tried to be the star of the show.
The cast of The Love Boat in 1978. Pictured, from left: Fred Grandy (Gopher Smith), Ted Lange (Isaac Washington), Gavin MacLeod (Captain Merrill Stubing), Bernie Kopell (Dr. Adam Bricker), Lauren Tewes (Julie McCoy)
Kopell is married to his third wife, Catrina Honadle, 59, whom he wed in 1997. They are pictured together in 2023
‘Debbie Reynolds always had to be the center of attention,’ he said of the actress, who died in 2016 at the age of 84.
Kopell, however, admitted Reynolds was among the ‘amazing people’ he loved having aboard, along with fellow guest stars Eva Marie Saint and Shirley Jones.
The show’s iconic cast had previously reunited for a Princess Cruises event in 2014, when the cruise line launched its new ship, the Regal Princess.
All six main cast members, Kopell, Grandy, Lange, Whelan, Lauren Tewes (cruise director, Julie), and MacLeod (Captain Stubing) – who died in 2021 – gathered in Fort Lauderdale dressed in their old work uniforms.
Kopell is currently married to his third wife, Catrina Honadle, 59, whom he wed in 1997. They have two sons, Adam, 26, and Josh, 21.
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