Richard Hatch dies at 71; Edward James Olmos and others pay tribute to Battlestar Galactica star

Richard Lawrence Hatch, the American actor-cum-producer known for his role as Captain Apollo in the science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica (BSG) of 1978, died at his Santa Clarita home in California on Tuesday, February 7, at around 1.30pm EST.

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The Streets Of San Francisco actor was 71 years old. He was suffering from pancreatic cancer and had been hospitalised, his representative told FOX News.

Born in 1945 at Santa Monica in California, Hatch began his acting career with Los Angeles Repertory Theater and won an Obie Award before entering the TV world through a daytime soap opera called All My Children.

His projects on the small screen include Barnaby Jones, Nakia, Cannon, The Waltons, Hawaii Five-O, Addie And The King Of Hearts, The Hatfields And McCoys, Last Of The Belles, The Streets of San Francisco and Baywatch.

The actor also produced movies such as Best Friends, Charlie Chan And The Curse Of The Dragon Queen, Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack, and Prisoners Of The Lost Universe.

The sudden demise of Hatch came as a shock to his co-workers, including director Ronald D Moore and actress Katee Sackhoff. They paid tributes to the Battlestar Galactica star:

• Edward James Olmos: Richard Hatch, you made our universe a better place. We love you for it. Rest In Peace my friend. So Say We All.
• Bear McCreary: I share tragic news with a heavy heart. Richard Hatch is no longer with us. Goodbye Tom Zarek / Apollo.
• Katee Sackhoff: Goodbye my friend. See you on the other side.
• George Takei: Rest with the galactic stars, Richard Hatch
• Ronald D Moore: Richard Hatch was a good man, a gracious man, and a consummate professional. His passing is a heavy blow to the entire BSG family.