It's Superman," guest shots on numerous series, a starring turn as Debbie Reynolds' sportswriter husband on "The Debbie Reynolds Show" and recurring characters on "Rhoda," "General Hospital," "One Life to Life," and "Search for Tomorrow.". Though best known for his Emmy-winning performance as Dr. Alan Quartermaine on "General Hospital," actor Stuart Damon made brief forays to other soaps following his abrupt dismissal from that series in 2006 after three decades on the air (via theHollywood Reporter). Former co-stars Shemar Moore (Malcolm Winters) and Victoria Rowell (Drucilla Winters) returned for the CBS soap operas emotional tribute episodes to the actor and his character Neil Winters. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Soaps.com is a part of Penske Media Corporation. In the melodramatic world of soaps where any crime can and does happen, police officers are essential, and Benjamin Hendrickson's Chief Detective Hal Munson became an indispensable thread in the fabric of "ATWT.". Feature film work, all largely anonymous, in the 1940s was interrupted by her blacklisting by Senator Joseph McCarthy's Communist witch hunts in the early 1950s, but she eventually found work television early soaps like "City Hospital" and "The Greatest Gift.". Such was the case with John Colenback and the role of Dan Stewart, which he left for a few years in the '70s. After battling a long illness, soap opera producer Lisa De Cazotte died at age 58 on December 7. 2:49. Throughout it all, there was one constant: Nancy Hughes, the matriarch of the Hughes family, played by Helen Wagner. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. While the character of Dan Stewart was introduced in 1962, John Colenback didn't play this role until 1966, and he embodied Dan for the next seven years. Beth Ehlers Guiding Light, The Best Times, River Ridge Beth Ehlers (born 1968) is an American actress. Born in South Dakota, verDorn began his career in theater, starring in a production of Eric Bentley's Are You Now or Have You Ever Been? Carroll had roles in iconic movies Carmen Jones and Porgy and Bess and headlined the groundbreaking TV series, Julia. Michael Tylo, 'Young and the Restless' star, dead at 72 - New York Post His "ATWT" role was his longest TV engagement and his last; LeMassena died of lung cancer at the age of 76 on January 19, 1993. She also appeared on Broadway on numerous occasions, beginning in a 1951 production of "Saint Joan." In lieu of flowers, verDorn's family has asked for donations to be made to the American Cancer Society, Autism Speaks, the Actors Fund, or any other charity of choice in the late actor's obituary, which fondly remembers his wit and generosity. Carol married a reverend and left Oakdale a move echoed by Rita herself, who married a minister before departing the soap in 1981. Luke Perry died unexpectedly of a stroke on March 4. Cast members. If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Prior to his soap opera stardom, Damon was the star of several Broadway musicals, which led to his role as the prince in a CBS production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" in 1965. Wickwire appeared on television throughout the 1950s and '60s, including a run as Claire English Lowell on "As the World Turns" between 1960 and 1963. For actor William LeMassena, his four years as lawyer Ambrose Bingham on "As the World Turns" fell into the latter category. She won minor, often uncredited roles in several features during this period, and then moved to television in the 1950s. Robert Hogan appeared on "As the World Turns" from 1991 to 1992 as the L.J. The Emmy winner is remembered for creating the Collins family manor sets on Dark Shadows and the classic Forrester mansion sets on the CBS soap opera. At the time of her diagnosis, Schulenburg was a new mother: her daughter, Coda, with husband Zack Robidas (an actor on "Succession"), was born in 2019. The daughter of the late science fiction writer Ray Bradbury had a successful writing career herself serving as a soap opera scribe for All My Children, Days of our Lives, One Life to Live and Santa Barbara. His family shared the news of . She is known for playing Harley Cooper, between 1987 and 2008, on CBS's daytime drama Guiding Light. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Guiding Lights Adam Thorpe, Robert Milli, lost his battle with cancer on July 18. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Selfless ex-teacher who gave the precious gift of life to a stranger who would have died - meets her for the first time. Christopher Bernau died on June 14, 1989, less than two weeks after his birthday. 'Guiding Light': The Longest-Running Cast Members. Thomas Hobbes (1579-1688) " 'Tis weak and vicious people who cast the blame on Fate. A cause of death was not disclosed. But her career and personal life soon foundered: she worked in the adult industry as a make-up artist, struggled through a tumultuous marriage to porn actor Jerry Butler, and became addicted to heroin in the early '90s (via People Magazine). The actor who played Charles on Days of our Lives from 2000 2001 graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and served in the Merchant Navy. A show on the air for so long inevitably requires an extensive cast of characters and a number of Hollywood stars got their starts on "As the World Turns" Amanda Seyfried, Martin Sheen, and Julianne Moore were all part of the cast before their careers took off. The actor turned soap opera scribe was also a novelist, often writing about Hollywood. In 1998, "ATWT" viewers met Nathaniel Marston's Eddie Silva, a young man who grew up in the foster care system and witnessed his mother's violent murder. The answer: very. Henderson Forsythe, a Tony-winning musical theater star and busy character actor, replaced him. "As the World Turns" (or "ATWT" to those in the know) was created by soap opera pioneer Irna Phillips, who wanted a show to focus on character development and follow the slower pace of life itself. She also appeared on another daytime soap, "The Secret Storm," but "AWTW" was her longest running and best-known television role. Douglas made a name for himself in the world of daytime soaps with his turn as another lawyer, Stephen Cord, on "Peyton Place" where he fell in love with Betty Anderson (Barbara Parkins) and fought with his half-brother, Rodney Harrington (Ryan O'Neal). Bettina Bradbury died January 13. "As the World Turns" gave viewers their fair share of heartthrobs, including Michael Morrison's Caleb Snyder, who first appeared on the show in 1988. Scha Jani, who died November 26, 2018, was part of 16 Daytime Emmy Award winning technical teams. James was introduced in 1980 as a greedy, manipulative lawyer and widower whose main interest in life is himself. She got what she desired as the show aired for a whopping 54 years from 1956 through 2010 as it followed the dramas and sagas of the Hughes family. Case in point: Lisa Loring, who played the pigtailed Wednesday Addams on the "The Addams Family" sitcom from 1964 to 1966. Helmond was also well known for her role on the 80s sitcom Whos the Boss. After leaving "ATWT," Lester returned to guest roles on "Star Trek: Voyager" and "Walker, Texas Ranger" and penned music for use on film and television projects. Sadly, his life was cut short in 1993, when he died in his sleep from a drug overdose at just the age of 33 (via The NY Times). She starred opposite Charles Ruggles in the sitcom, "The World of Mr. Sweeney," before getting cast in "As the World Turns," which would dominate her time and resume for the rest of her life. His final screen credit was the 2018 horror-comedy "Cynthia"; Karen died at home in Los Angeles on October 23, 2018, at the age of 94. Lee Lawson, best known for her long-running role as Bea Reardon on soap opera The Guiding Light, died on May 22 at the age of 80. Actor, television writer, and pop-culture figure James Lipton died from bladder cancer on March 1 at the age of 93. Guiding Light Cast Who Have Died - Soap Opera Deaths Jerry verDorn, an actor known for his work in long-running daytime dramas Guiding Light and One Life to Live, died Sunday after a long battle with cancer. One Life to Live alum Brian Tarantina (Lucky Lippman) died on November 2 at 60-years-old. Though an exceptionally popular show, he feared being typecast as a Western star and left the show in 1962 to pursue other options, including a singing career(via theNew YorkTimes). In 2005, verDorn joined ABC's One Life to Live, taking over the role of Clint Buchanan from veteran actor Clint Ritchie. He played more than his share of unyielding authority figures lawyers, cops, doctors, soldiers, and fathers in films and on television shows like "Independence Day," "Scent of a Woman," "Meet the Parents," and most notably, as the attorney who sent Jerry and friends to jail on the "Seinfeld" finale. An open bisexual, Granger had relationships with Shelley Winters - described as "the love of my life and the bane of my existence" in his autobiography - and Robert Calhoun, his longtime partner (via The NY Times). After completing his work on "AWTW," Siebert worked steadily on New York-based television and stage productions before heading to Los Angeles in the mid-1970s. Michael Joel Zaslow (November 1, 1942 - December 6, 1998) was an American actor. In the soap world and that of "As the World Turns," Lisa Grimaldi is a trailblazer the first "vixen" of soap operas, whom Time Magazine once referred to as "the most hated woman on TV" (via TV Fanatic). Cookies help us deliver our Services. He amassed countless credits on episodic TV series ranging from "The Waltons" to "The Golden Girls," as well as a notable turn as the businessman whose greed led to the destruction of Walnut Grove on "Little House on the Prairie.". She moved to Mexico with her third husband, actor Georges Renavent, in 1955 and penned several books about the food and culture of Guadalajara (via the New York Times). News of soap opera writer Hogan Sheffers death circulated in September. Heartfelt words and warm memories of Wittman filled the social media feeds of soap opera stars such as Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki Newman) and Scott Clifton (Liam Spencer). McDermott, the father of Larry McDermott. The Cast of 'Hanging with Mr. Cooper:' Where Are They Now? Allvipp.com. The soap opera alum also had stints on The Bay, Beverly Hills 90210, Days of our Lives, General Hospital and Port Charles. Guiding Light: Actors That Have Passed Revised Spauldingfield 138K views 13 years ago Guiding Light December 24, 1987 bluerose8508 20K views 11 years ago H B 's Funeral Robert Cochran. verDorn is survived by his wife Beth; his sons and daughters-in-law Jake and Laura verDorn and Peter and Erin verDorn, and three young grandchildren. Jerry verDorn, who Starred as Ross on 'Guiding Light,' Dead at 72 - People Although Duncan only appeared in a few episodes of "ATWT," she was already a bona fide soap star known to fans worldwide. Rangy and streetwise in appearance and disposition, he was a natural for detectives and hoods, as well as soldiers, blue-collar types, and even a few priests, which he played in "Lilies of the Field" opposite Sidney Poitier and in Woody Allen's "Bananas.". But he also handled more nuanced characters with considerable skill; he was a vicious serial killer and a dogged defense attorney on episodes of "Law & Order," and played the sympathetic, bipolar father of Claire Danes' troubled CIA agent on "Homeland.". Days of our LivesJohn Clarke died October 16 due to complications of pneumonia. Between soap assignments, he occasionally returned to primetime shows with guest shots on "Murder, She Wrote" and "Midnight Caller." MacLaughlin left the soap shortly after the Hughes celebrated their 50thwedding anniversary; he died after a brief illness at the age of 79 on May 28, 1986. The daytime alum played Arthur Hendricks on The Young and the Restless, Spencer Harrison on Another World and appeared on Dynasty and The Colbys, shows his wife Bridget Hedison worked on behind the scenes. Between these varied assignments, Chastain even found time to sing with his own jazz group as well as Count Basie's Band. Advertisement The New York Yankees fan also starred as Lars Bogard on All My Children. Brown died from an undisclosed illness in 2021 when she was 67 and many mourned her death including Martha Byrne, who played her daughter on "ATWT:" "Lisa was my mentor, mother, sister and so much more for my entire life For the fans, she loved and respected you all more than you will ever know. He drifted through various series and TV-movies, including the notorious "KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park," before gaining widespread attention for Jack Abbott on "The Young and the Restless." Image: Marion Curtis/Starpix/Shutterstock. After three years as Claire, McDermott departed both "ATWT" and acting as a career; she relocated to Los Angeles with her second husband, Tom McDermott, who co-founded the production company Four Star Television. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. 3 Actress Lisa Brown has died at the age of 67 Credit: WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo 3 In 2021, Hogan died at the age of 87 following complications from pneumonia (via USA Today). MacVittie was also a dedicated stage performer and earned respect from peers and critics alike for his work on the New York stage scene. Actor Grant Aleksander played the role of Philip Spaulding from 1983 to 2009 on "Guiding Light," a part that got him four Emmy nominations. The soap opera alum, also known for her role as Violet Beauregarde in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, died on July 11. Her death was written into the series as characters remembered her life. Billed as Rita McLaughlin, she was a young assistant to Don Herbert on the children's science demonstration series "Watch Mr. Wizard" and played a small role on "The Patty Duke Show." You say 'Phoebe,' and 50 million people know what you mean." Soap star Lisa Brown dead at 67 - Actress who played Guiding Light's When his tenure on "AWTW" ended, Johnstone made sporadic forays into episodic television and miniseries until 1988; he died nearly a decade later on November 1, 1996, at the age of 88. Saying goodbye to members of the daytime community who passed away this year. RELATED VIDEO: All My Children Star Mark LaMura Dies at 68. verDorn's retirement from soap operas coincided with the end of One Life to Live. Stacker compiled a list of actors that were born in Alaska from IMDb's most popular list. Sound mixer Christopher Banninger died on October 31 of a massive heart attack. October 1, 2021. , 4:10 am. Celebs who died in 2020 - IMDb We are devastated at the loss of an incredible woman" (via Deadline). In late 2022,Walter's brother, David McLaughlin stated that she had died on December 25, 2022 at the age of 71. Her work on "ATWT" was her most prominent showcase from the 1970s to the 2000s, though she also made appearances on "Law & Order" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Units" during this time period. He was 79. He returned in 2010 to play was Reid Oliver's kindly Uncle Angus, who helped facilitate his nephew's cremation after his accidental death. Hays, whose three marriages included a three-year union with Golden Age Hollywood star Glenn Ford, died at the age of 87 at an assisted living facility in Fairfield, Connecticut on March 25, 2022. Shelley Morrison died December 1 from heart failure. Stalwart family man Dr. David Stewart was initially played by Ernest Graves, who debuted in 1960 but left the series to join "Guiding Light" in 1962. Subsequent projects, including the cult U.S.-Japanese sci-fi thriller "The Green Slime" proved only moderately successful, but Horton remained active in theater and on guest roles until 1989. Bold & Beautiful Shocker: Sheila's One Hope of Getting Out of Jail Is the Last Person We'd Ever Suspect! 3:30. The actor debuted on Broadway in a 1940 production of "The Taming of the Shrew" which starred the legendary theater couple Alfred Lunt and Lynne Fontanne, and returned to the Great White Way on many occasionsover the next four decades, but kept a relatively low profile in regard to film and TV appearances. Star of the ultimate soap opera send-up Soap, Katherine Helmond died from Alzheimers Disease complications on February 23. He followed one of his regular radio assignments, a soap opera called "The Road of Life," to television in 1954 and remained with the series for more than 100 episodes before joining the cast of "AWTW." LeMassena did play the heavenly friend who granted Gordon MacRae's character a final wish in the 1956 film version of "Carousel," and appeared in televised adaptations of classic stage productions, including a take on William Shakespeare's "The Tempest" with Richard Burton that aired on "The Hallmark Hall of Fame" in 1960. He remained active into the 2000s, most notably in the 2006 short "Fireflies" which cast him as an elderly man whose granddaughter (Kate Mara) sought to free him from a nursing home. In fact, she also worked as an acting coach for "Guiding Light," lending her expertise to over 1,400 episodes.