Bernie Kopell Shares How He Came Up with ‘Love Boat’ Character’s Name (Exclusive)

Dr. Adam Bricker may have had a different name if it weren’t for Bernie Kopell.

While speaking to PEOPLE during Regal Princess Cruises’ The Love Boat Celebration at Sea, the actor, 92, reflects on how the name of his character came to be. 

“There were some late-night meetings about how to name this guy,” Kopell recalls, noting that he and Hy Averback — who directed the 1977 TV movie, Love Boat II, a pilot for the series — went back and forth about finding the right fit for the doctor.

“And he said, ‘Well, the guy chases the ladies. He’s a bit of a pricker, isn’t he?’ I said, ‘Well, we can’t call him that. We have to change the P to a B.’ And that’s how it came about,” Kopell recalls while sailing from Galveston, Texas, to Cozumel, Mexico, and Roatán, Honduras.

Dr. Bricker came to be known for his sage advice during his time on the show from 1977 to 1986. The Love Boat ran for 10 seasons, and in addition to Kopell, featured Gavin MacLeod, Fred Grandy, Ted Lange, Lauren Tewes, Jill Whelan, and Ted McGinley, to name a few.

The show followed the comedic stories of crew and passengers aboard the cruiseliner, which was a real Princess Cruises ship at the time The Love Boat aired.

Each episode featured guest stars as passengers with their own stories. The show focused on the ship’s crew, who interacted with passengers, giving them advice and leading them through their personal problems. 

In a 1983 interview with the Times Tribune, Kopell said he felt “blessed and privileged” to be part of such a beloved show.

“Do you have any idea how many actors there are out there who don’t have the opportunity to work?” Kopell asked. “I love being on a series that has lasted this long.”

“I work steadily … what could be wrong with that?” he added.

When speaking with PEOPLE in 2024, on board another Love Boat cruise, Kopell also praised “the various stars we had on the show,” which made every day on set feel new and exciting.

“I just loved the people who came aboard,” he said. “We’ve had some amazing, amazing people: Eva Marie Saint, Shirley Jones, Debbie Reynolds. I had fun with them, appreciated their talents.”