Before ‘The Real Love Boat,’ Catch Up With the Stars of the Original ‘Love Boat’
All aboard The Love Boat! Ahead of The Real Love Boat hitting CBS on October 5, we’re checking in with the cast of the original series.
As CBS explains, The Real Love Boat — hosted by couple Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O’Connell — will bring singles together on a luxury Mediterranean cruise for a chance at a cash prize, a once-in-a-lifetime Princess Cruises trip, and, of course, true romance. “Destination dates, challenges, and surprise singles will test the couples’ compatibility and chemistry,” the network adds.
The Real Love Boat sets sail 45 years after its inspiration. ABC’s The Love Boat — which premiered on September 24, 1977, after three TV movies — featured episodic tales of romantic adventures and misadventures, with guest stars like Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Tom Hanks, and Michael J. Fox.
But we’re here to talk about the crew of the Pacific Princess! We have updates on all the regular cast members — except for Pat Klous (Cruise Director Judy McCoy), who dropped off the radar after her final screen role in 1987 — so read on to check out the ports of call of their post-Love Boat careers.
The Real Love Boat, Series Premiere, Wednesday, October 5, 9/8c, CBS
Gavin McLeod (Captain Merrill Stubing)
MacLeod died in 2021 at age 90. His last onscreen role was a 2014 guest-starring part in the TV series The Comeback Kids. In the 2000s, however, he popped up on the shows The King of Queens, JAG, Touched by an Angel, and That ‘70s Show.
Bernie Kopell (Doctor Adam “Doc” Bricker)
Even at age 89, Kopell is still keeping busy: In 2021 alone, he recurred as Mr. Knudsen on B Positive and guest-starred as Marvin Beedleman on The Lincoln Lawyer and Father Christopher on Grey’s Anatomy.
Fred Grandy (Purser Burl “Gopher” Smith)
Grandy became a U.S. representative, a Goodwill CEO, a radio host, and a college professor after The Love Boat. In the last decade, however, he recurred as Dr. William Ledreau on The Mindy Project and guest-starred on shows including Fuller House, Hollywood, and Roar.
Ted Lange (Bartender Isaac Washington)
Lange, who’ll make an appearance on The Real Love Boat, has been trading on 1970s nostalgia recently, with roles in the TV series Child of the ‘70s, The Quarantine Bunch, and TV Therapy (in which his character, Isaac, seeks help from a psychotherapist). Meanwhile, Lange is also a TV director and a stage director and playwright.
Lauren Tewes (Cruise Director Julie McCoy)
Tewes dropped off screen after a recurring role in the 2000 TV show The Fugitive, and Closer Weekly reported in 2021 that she works as a sous-chef for a catering company. She did, however, pop up in an episode of the Twin Peaks revival in 2017.
Jill Whelan (Vicki Stubing)
After Love Boat, Whelan (who’ll also pop up on The Real Love Boat) became a concert producer at Madison Square Garden, an investigative producer at Los Angeles’ KCOP, and a comedy writer for a KLOS FM radio show, according to her professional bio. She also takes the occasional TV role, having appeared on The Bold and the Beautiful, Real Husbands of Hollywood, and Criminal Minds in the 2010s.
Ted McGinley (Photographer Ashley “Ace” Covington Evans)
McGinley currently stars as Webb in the Lifetime Movie Network series Keeping Up With the Joneses. He also had recurring roles on the TV shows No Tomorrow and No Good Nick and guest-starring spots on Hawaii Five-0 and Mom.
From TV Guide Magazine
Crime, Comedy & Convenience Stores: Unwrapping Hulu's 'Deli Boys' With the Cast
Cupcakes, corndogs…and cocaine?! Two brothers find themselves in a hilarious pickle when they inherit an unseemly bodega biz in Hulu’s new comedy Deli Boys. Find out how The Sopranos and Real Housewives of Orange County influenced the cast. Read the story now on TV Insider.
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services