Iconic TV actor Gavin MacLeod is charting a new course with his first book this fall.

In his autobiography to be released Oct. 22 by Thomas Nelson, This Is Your Captain Speaking: My Fantastic Voyage Through Hollywood, Faith & Life, MacLeod shares stories and memories of his long and distinguished career, revealing the highs and lows of his life, and how discovering faith in Christ helped him find true happiness.

"My life has taken one incredible turn after another," MacLeod, 82, writes. "I've gotten to do what I wanted to do. I've been a captain! I've been given this incredible gift of life and now I want to use it to give back. That's why I'm sharing my story here, the fun parts and even some not-so-fun parts, in the hopes that maybe someone will take a nice walk down memory lane with me, and maybe I'll even give someone a little bit of hope."

As the character Murray Slaughter, he wrote for airhead anchor Ted Baxter on the groundbreaking program The Mary Tyler Moore Show for seven years. As Merrill Stubing, he was captain of The Love Boat for nearly a decade, and MacLeod continues to serve as an ambassador for Princess Cruise Lines. Cruise industry executives often credit the top-rated show for igniting a multi-year boom in cruise bookings.

In his memoir, MacLeod discusses his encounters with some of the world's biggest stars, including Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Ronald Reagan, Steve McQueen, Bette Davis and Robert Redford.

He also reveals his battles with depression, alcoholism and near-suicide while working on McHale's Navy, as well as surviving two heart attacks, a quintuple bypass and other health issues.

Additionally, MacLeod recalls how he brought his longtime friend and The Mary Tyler Moore Show co-star Ted Knight to Christ just before he died in 1986.

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