GAVIN MACLEOD’S LOVE BOAT MIRACLE

LOVE BOAT skipper Gavin MacLeod was a suicidal alcoholic drowning in a sea of booze — until real-life true love saved his life!

Despite incredible popularity for his role on McHale’s Navy and for his work as wisecracking news writer Murray Slaughter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (MTM), chrome dome MacLeod was consumed by doubt.

“That worthlessness started eating me up,” Gavin admitted. “I started drinking to ease the pain.”

Things got so bad, he almost drove off a

mountain road “to end everything” but “something stopped me.”

It took second wife Patti threatening to leave him to make him quit drinking in 1974, while filming the MTM series. Her ultimatum set him on a new course — and soon he landed the iconic role of Love Boat’s Capt. Merrill Stubing. The show ran for nine seasons until 1986.

Gavin, who ended his career

doing Christian TV shows, passed away at home in Palm Desert, Calif., May 29 at age 90, after a period of ill health.

Farewell, Capt. Stubing: Gavin died May 29, leaving behind wife Patti