Richard Chamberlain, whose death was confirmed today, came to fame as a “teen idol,” the “McDreamy” of his day playing a young physician on the TV version of “Dr. Kildare.”

He had a few shots at big screen stardom — playing Tchaikovsky in “The Music Lovers,” cashing in with the riotous “Three Musketeers” blockbusters in the ’70s, which spun into TV versions of “The Count of Monte-Cristo” and “The Man in the Iron Mask.”

His best film roles include performances in the classics “The Last Wave” and “The Madwoman of Chaillot.”

And then Richard Chamberlain’s career enjoyed its second “idol” era. The TV miniseries was made for the man, and starting with “Centennial,” then “Shogun” and finally, the icing on the cake, “The Thornbirds,” Chamberlain stood center stage, with vast, saga-length novels on TV unfolding around him.

He collected several Emmy nominations, but no wins.

Those roles might have buried a less charismatic presence, but he held his own in these small screen epics. Those miniseries overwhelmed any movie career he might have restarted in the early ’80s. I reviewed his Allan Quartermain derring do revivals (Stewart Granger played the character in the ’50s), adventure thrillers a tad too malnourished and dated to cash in on their “Indiana Jones of their Day” cachet.

Lithe, dashing and handsome, a star at his best in sensitive, romantic roles and an actor who dabbled in a singing career as well, it was widely rumored Chamberlain was gay during his peak years, something only confirmed when he saved that piece of personal history for his autobiography, 2003’s “Shattered Love: A Memoir.”

He went on to play Maggie Wick, in drag, on TV’s “The Drew Carrey Show,” and take the obligatory guest shot on “Will & Grace,” always gracefully coasting on the fame that came more easily than the acclaim, which he earned, first appearance to last.

Dying a day before turning 91 is probably the one bit of bad timing you can lay at the feet of Beverly Hills’ favorite son.

A class act, first to last. RIP.