Chad Everett, '70s sex symbol and star of the 1969-76 hit drama Medical Center, died at his Los Angeles home Tuesday after a year-and-a-half-long battle with lung cancer, the actor's daughter tells the Associated Press. Everett was 75.
Everett is best known for playing thoracic surgeon Dr. Joe Gannon on Medical Center, a role that earned him two Golden Globe nominations. But his acting career lasted more than 40 years, and he spent much time working on film and television, appearing on the small screen as recently as 2009 with a guest-starring role on The CW's Supernatural.
Born Raymon Lee Cramton on June 11, 1937, in Indiana, Everett became interested in acting in high school and moved to Hollywood to pursue a career after attending Wayne State University. His agent advised him to change his name to "Chad Everett" after he learned his client was sick of telling people it's "Raymon, no 'd', Cramton, no 'p,'" the Los Angeles Times reports.
Everett's first role was in the detective drama Surfside 6, but his career really took off when he landed his gig on Medical Center, which ran for seven seasons beginning in 1969. He also appeared on Murder, She Wrote, The Love Boat, Melrose Place and Cold Case, as well as in movies like Mulholland Drive, Airplane II: The Sequel and the remake of Psycho.
Everett gained some not-so-positive notoriety in 1972 when he referred to his wife, actress Shelby Grant, as his "property" during a visit to Dick Cavett's talk show. It apparently infuriated Lily Tomlin so much that she stormed off the set. People also reports that Everett suffered from alcoholism for much of his adult life.
Grant died last year. Everett is survived by his two daughters, Katherine and Shannon.
