Battlestar Galactica actor Richard Hatch dies at 71 of pancreatic cancer

Richard Hatch, best known for playing Captain Apollo in the original Battlestar Galactica, died on February 7. He was 71 and was battling pancreatic cancer.

Richard Hatch, best known for playing Captain Apollo in the original Battlestar Galactica, died on February 7. He was 71 and was battling pancreatic cancer.

Actor Richard Hatch, right at the 2013 Geekie Awards at the Avalon in Los Angeles. (AP)

Hatch died at his home in Santa Clarita, California, with his son Paul by his side, his manger confirmed to Variety.

“I will always remember him fondly for his inspiring sense of youthful wonder, his boundless passion for creative expression, and his huge, kind heart,” his manager Michael Kaliski said.

Hatch was best known for playing Captain Apollo in the original Battlestar Galactica series, which aired from 1978-79, a role that earned him a Golden Globe nomination for best actor in a television series drama.

Actors Jamie Bamber, left, and Richard Hatch during the filming of Sci-fi channel's Battlestar Galactica in Surrey, British Columbia, in 2004. (AP)

He portrayed a different character, Tom Zarek, in the 2003 reimagined series.

After beginning his career Off Broadway, Hatch’s acting career took off after landing a role on the soap opera All My Children in 1971.

His additional TV credits include guest roles in a number of ‘70s and ‘80s favourites, including CHiPs, Fantasy Island, Dynasty, Murder She Wrote, The Love Boat, TJ Hooker, Baywatch, and MacGyver.

He also wrote five original Battlestar novels and became a popular fixture at Comic Book and sci-fi events for fans.

Battlestar Galactica colleagues and friends paid tribute to the actor on social media.

“Richard Hatch was a good man, a gracious man, and a consummate professional. His passing is a heavy blow to the entire BSG family,” executive producer Ronald D Moore tweeted.

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