Jeraldine Saunders, whose book inspired the hit TV series ‘The Love Boat,’ dies at 96

Jeraldine Saunders, whose book on romance and adventure aboard a cruise ship inspired the long-running prime-time television comedy-drama “The Love Boat,” died this week at her home in Glendale. She was 96.

Saunders died Monday due to complications from kidney-stone surgery she underwent in December, her spokesman Edward Lozzi said.

“The Love Boat,” which ran from 1977 to 1986, was based on Saunders’ 1974 nonfiction book “Love Boats,” which recounted tales from her time as a cruise director on a passenger ship. The hit television show revolved around the adventures — both romantic and comedic — of Capt. Merrill Stubing and his crew. Stubing was played by Gavin MacLeod.

The series, which was produced by Aaron Spelling, ran for more than 240 episodes and was preceded by the 1976 made-for-TV movie “The Love Boat.” The popularity of the show was long lasting enough that it was followed by a series of TV movies, including “The Love Boat II” and “The New Love Boat.”

In May, Saunders celebrated with the original cast of the TV series when they received an honorary star plaque on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Unlike Walk of Fame stars, which are on public sidewalks, star plaques are placed on private property.

At the time of her death, Saunders was working on a musical version of “The Love Boat,” as well as a new, racier book about her exploits as the first female cruise director for a major cruise line, Princess Cruises, Lozzi said.

“She broke the gender barrier,” Lozzi added. “That was a big part of her story in life.”

Saunders also was the author of Omarr’s Astrological Forecast, a horoscope column originally penned by Sydney Omarr.

She was recently honored with the Southern California Motion Picture Council’s Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented to her by Bernie Kopell, who played Dr. Adam Bricker on “The Love Boat.”

While Saunders would visit the set of “Love Boat” from time to time, Kopell said they became close friends after re-meeting a few years ago in Ft. Lauderdale.

“She started this whole thing in a very casual way with no inkling of what it might produce,” Kopell said, referring to Saunders’ book. “And now there’s this major miracle that she was responsible for.”

“She was a terrific, grateful, class act who refused to grow old,” Lozzi said.

Saunders’ daughter. Gail, died of hypoglycemia in 1970, inspiring her to write “Hypoglycemia, the Disease Your Doctor Won’t Treat.”

She had no immediate survivors.

Times Community News reporter Lila Seidman contributed to this story.