Jeanne Bates
(Jean Perkins, 1967-1968)
(Anne Peters, 1972-1975)
May 21, 1918-November 28, 2007

     Jeanne Bates, who appeared on "Days of Our Lives" as Jean Perkins from 1967-1968 and as Anne Peters from 1972-1975, has died. She was 89. Bates died of breast cancer on November 28, 2007, at the Motion Picture & Television Fund Hospital in Woodland Hills, California.
     Ms. Bates was born on May 21, 1918 in Berkeley, California. She began her acting career while attending San Mateo Junior College, appearing on radio soap operas in San Francisco. It was in radio where she met her future husband, writer Lew X. Lansworth. They wed in 1943 and remained married until his death in 1981. 
      Throughout her career, Bates appeared in countless movies and television series. One of her first roles was as Bela Lugosi's first victim in "Return of the Vampire" in 1943. Among the primetime series Bates appeared in were: "Gunsmoke", "The Lone Ranger", "Perry Mason", "Lassie", "Bonanza", "77 Sunset Strip", "The Donna Reed Show", "The Twilight Zone", "Wagon Train", "Ben Casey", "Hawaii Five-O", "Family Affair", "Marcus Welby" and "The Rockford Files."
      In January 1967, Bates joined "Days of Our Lives" as Jean Perkins, a nurse at University Hospital. She played the supporting role through October 1968. In February 1972, Bates returned to "Days", this time as Anne Peters, the mother of Greg (Peter Brown) and Eric (Stanley Kamel), wife of Phil (Herb Nelson) and mother-in-law of Susan (Bennye Gatteys). She remained on "Days" until 1975.
     After her second stint on "Days", Bates continued to act, appearing in such series as "Barnaby Jones", "Wonder Woman", "Three's Company", "Dallas" and "Wings." She also appeared in the films "Eraserhead", "Mom", "Die Hard 2", and "Dream Lover." Her final screen appearance was in "Mulholland Dr." in 2001.


Stewart Bradley
(Lieutenant Danton, 1967-1971, 1973, 1977-1981)
February 24, 1924-December 22, 1995

     Stewart Bradley, a television actor who appeared on "Days of Our Lives" for many years as Lieutentant Danton, died Dec. 22 in Cambria, Calif. He was 71. Bradley, who was born James Francis Stewart, played more than 300 leading roles on live television. He had appeared on "Kraft Theater," "The U.S. Steel Hour," "Sarge," "Cannon," "Perry Mason," "The Untouchables" (90 times), "The Jackie Gleason Show" and "The Milton Berle Show." A native of Brooklyn, he was graduated by the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and was a lifetime member of the Screen Actors Guild.
     Bradley retired in 1988 to live in Cambria, where he had completed a novel. Survivors include his wife, Yoko Stewart; his son, Thomas Ludwig; and his daughter, Joy Ivarami. (Hollywood Reporter, January 11, 1996)


Stanley Brock
(Howie Hoffstedder, 1983-1986)
July 7, 1931-January 25, 1991

      Stanley Brock, who appeared as comedic private detective Howie Hoffstedder on "Days of Our Lives" from 1983-1986, has died. Brock died of a heart attack on January 25, 1991 in Los Angeles, California. He was 59.
     Brock was born Stanley Eis on July 7, 1931 in Brooklyn, New York. In the early 1960s, he began performing comedy routines for his fellow employees at an air conditioning company. He later headlined comedy acts at New York's top nightclubs. He moved to California in 1975 and began a long career as a character actor. He appeared on such series as "Charlie's Angels", "The Bionic Woman", "The Rockford Files", "Barney Miller", "Happy Days", "Murder, She Wrote", "Hunter", "Night Court" and "Quantum Leap." He also had series regular role on "He's the Mayor" in 1986. Brock was nominated for a primetime Emmy for his guest role on "Barney Miller."
     Brock's most well-known role was his three-year stint as Howie Hoffstedder on "Days of Our Lives." In a memorable scene, Brock's character was dressed up as Hope Williams, who was scheduled to marry Larry Welch. Brock remarked that "What I really like about Howie is that he has a heart of gold. That's an element I look for in all the characters I play." Brock leaves behind two siblings. 


Robert Brubaker
(John Martin, 1966-1971)
October 9, 1916-April 15, 2010

     Robert Brubaker who played John Martin from 1966 to 1971, passed away on April 15, 2010 in Lake Elsinore, California. He was 93. He was born George Robert Brubaker on October 9, 1916 in Robinson, Illinois. While attending Northwestern University, he began his acting career with several plays in 1934. Brubaker served as a pilot in the Air Force during both World War II and the Korean War. Brubaker appeared in two separate recurring roles on "Gunsmoke", first as Jim, the stagecoach driver, and later as Floyd, the bartender. He went on to appear in countless shows such as "I Love Lucy", "The Twilight Zone", "The Andy Griffith Show", "Bonanza", "Perry Mason", "Dragnet", "Barnaby Jones" and "Kojak." Brubaker retired from acting in 1979 and later trained salespeople at Forest Lawn cemetery.


Eric Christmas
(Father Francis Baker, 1995-1996)
March 19, 1916-July 22, 2000

     Eric Christmas enjoyed a career that took him to all corners of the English-speaking actor's art before his death Saturday from prostate cancer and heart failure at his Montecito home. He was 84. In addition to his performances, Mr. Christmas was the founding member of the University of California San Diego drama faculty in 1969 and taught until his mandatory retirement, at age 70, as a full professor.

     Mr. Christmas' one-man show was titled "Shakespeare's Second Bananas" and featured bits from his wide range of colorful minor characters in Shakespeare and other classic plays. Though he also played leading roles, it was these brief, vivid portraits for which he was celebrated. "He did these parts in a way nobody else even touched," said Jack O'Brien, artistic director of the Old Globe Theatre. "I remember he did Sir Oliver Martext in 'As You Like It' and got more laughs than there were lines.

"But he also did an unforgettable Polonius (in 'Hamlet') . . . and he was my favorite Doolittle (in Shaw's 'Pygmalion')." Mr. Christmas worked his magic not only in classical theater, but also in popular movies and television, playing an endless succession of comic authority figures -- generals, priests, headmasters, congressmen -- and bums. He was, for example, the school principal in all the "Porky's" films. And he was a priest for several months on the daytime serial "Days of Our Lives." "He particularly enjoyed playing the school principal in 'Air Bud' (about a dog that plays basketball)," said Marcy Mattox, Mr. Christmas' wife, "because that dog was a stray from San Diego and we used to rescue dogs from pounds."

     Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in his native England, Mr. Christmas spent six years with British repertory companies (including Tempest's) and served during World War II in a Royal Air Force Special Services unit with Peter Sellers. After the war, Mr. Christmas spent 11 seasons as a leading actor with the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada and also began appearing in the United States. In 1961, he won the Clarence Derwent Award as Broadway's best newcomer for his performance opposite Julie Harris in "The Little Moon of Alban."

     Mr. Christmas came to UCSD in 1969 at the invitation of Michael Langham, who had been hired jointly by the new university and the La Jolla Playhouse. When the playhouse went dark and plans for a new theater on the campus were scrapped, Mr. Christmas stayed as the sole member of what became the department of drama and dance until the arrival of Floyd Gaffney and Arthur Wagner in the early 1970s. "Eric was totally a performer," Gaffney said. "He was doing what the rest of us were theorizing about. "When he taught those big cattle-call classes in introduction to drama, people would line up to get into his class." Wagner, UCSD's founding department chairman, said: "Eric brought that whole life in the theater to professional actor training. He played certain roles in the definitive manner -- for example, the role of Davies in (Harold Pinter's) 'The Caretaker,' which we did together at the Globe." Mr. Christmas not only acted for the Old Globe, where he enjoyed the status of "associate artist," but also often directed there. Twice -- for a 1974 "Twelfth Night" and a 1978 "Henry V" -- he served as co-director with the theater's executive director, Craig Noel.

"He was a great friend and collaborator to Craig," O'Brien said.

     In a statement, Noel called Christmas one of the theater's "greatest shining lights." Mourning Mr. Christmas along with actor G Wood, who also died this week, Noel said the Old Globe has lost "two of its dearest friends." Mr. Christmas also directed locally for the San Diego Repertory Theatre, the San Diego Gilbert and Sullivan Company (now the San Diego Comic Opera) and the La Jolla Stage Company. He is survived by his wife, actress Marcy Mattox; a son, Robin, of Toronto; daughters, Holly, of Toronto, and Kyli, of Prescott, Ariz.; and five grandchildren.  (San Diego Tribune, July 28, 2000)


Jack Denbo
(Jack Clayton, 1974-1977)

February 7, 1925-May 24, 1993

     Jack Denbo, who appeared as Jack Clayton on "Days of Our Lives" from 1974-1977, died in a motor vehicle accident on May 24, 1993. Denbo was born on February 7, 1925 in Illinois. In the 1960s, he acted under the name Jacques Denbeaux. Denbo appeared in such series as "Mission: Impossible", "I Spy", "Ironside", and "The Incredible Hulk." In a strange twist of fate, Denbo met his birth father thanks to "Days of Our Lives." Denbo had searched for many years for his father, whom he had never met. In the summer of 1976, he received a letter at the "Days" studio. It was from one of Denbo's father's relatives, who had seen Denbo's name in the "Days" credits and wrote to Denbo. Denbo was finally reunited with his father, who had been living in Marinette, Wisconsin.


Francis DeSales
(Dr. Rusty Lincoln, 1965-1966, 1968)
(James Spencer, 1971)
March 23, 1912-September 25, 1988


     Francis DeSales, who appeared as Dr. Rusty Lincoln on "Days of Our Lives" from 1965-1966, and later played Laura Horton's father, James Spencer, in 1971, died on September 25, 1988 in Van Nuys, California. DeSales appeared in hundreds of films and television series, including series regular roles on "Mr. & Mrs. North" from 1952-1954 and "Two Faces West" from 1960-1961.

 
Frederic Downs
(Hank Wilson, 1973-1980)
May 6, 1916-April 24, 1998

     Actor Frederic Downs, 81, who spent eight years on the soap opera "Days of Our Lives" as Maggie's farm hand, Hank, and appeared in motion pictures with Warren Beatty and Natalie Wood, died yesterday of stomach cancer. Downs, appeared in the movies "Terror From the Year 5000," "California Kid," "Splendor in the Grass" and "Playhouse 54." He worked for several studios, including Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros., MGM and Columbia, and all three major TV networks. Downs performed in the touring company of "Three Penny Opera" and in 1957 opened the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical "Fiorello." He received the Los Angeles Critics Circle Award in 1974 for best supporting actor in "Bus Stop" at the Met Theatre. Downs also wrote, produced and directed "Lincoln's Scrapbook," a play about President Abraham Lincoln. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 2, 1998)



Burt Douglas
(Jim Fisk, 1965-1966)
November 21, 1930-July 13, 2000

     Burton A. Douglas of Denver, a retired stage and film actor, died July 13. He was 69. He was born Nov. 21, 1930, in Denver. He married Yvonne Fair Tessler. She preceded him in death. Douglas served in the Air Corps and attended the University of Denver. He was an actor in New York and later in Hollywood, where he worked in film and television. He is survived by a son, Daniel, Malibu, Calif.; and four stepsons, Michael Tessler, Malibu, Calif., George Tessler, Baker, Nev., John Tessler, Fair Oaks, Calif., and David Tessler, Emmonak, Alaska. (Denver Post, July 24, 2000)


Kathryn Fuller
 (Mabel Cummings, 1980-1981 & Mabel the maid, 1985-1986)
June 5, 1922-May 31, 2012

     Kathryn Virginia Fuller of La Cañada Flintridge, actress and member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAGAFTRA) - and Actors' Equity Association (AEA)-who was affectionately known to her family as "America's Favorite Actress"-passed away peacefully at home on May 24, 2012, due to natural causes. She was 89. Ms. Fuller appeared on "Days of Our Lives" as Mabel Cummings, Lee Dumonde's nurse/assistant, from 1980-1981, and again from 1985-1986 as a different Mabel, Roman and Marlena's housekeeper. 
     Services and interment were conducted May 31, 2012, at Mountain View Chapel in Altadena. Kathryn was born on June 5, 1922, in Delaware, Ohio to Gilbert and Ruth Eagon. She earned a degree in Theatre Arts from Ohio Wesleyan University. There, during the Second World War, she met her future husband, Mark H. Fuller, who was then enrolled in the U.S. Navy V-12 Unit at Ohio Wesleyan. They were married in July, 1945, at Christ Church in New York City. Following the War, Kathryn and Mark resided in California; they lived in Altadena, Arcadia, South Pasadena, and then for 52 years in La Cañada Flintridge. 
     Kathryn began a professional acting career with performances at the Pasadena Playhouse, Theatre Americana (Altadena), and Glendale Centre Theatre. Eventually she would make many appearances on television, in films and on stage. She was a gifted actress, director and writer-but Kathryn will also be remembered as a loving wife and mother, with four sons and two daughters. She managed a busy household that often included extended family members. For over 40 years, Kathryn and her family were active members of Holliston United Methodist Church; she taught pre-school at Holliston's Merryland Nursery School. She volunteered in her community, reading books at local schools and directing theater for non-profits-such as Foothill Service Club for The Blind, where she directed a play cast entirely with blind actors. 
     In over 50 years of work, Kathryn influenced the careers of fellow actors and touched the hearts of many. In 1962, she was a co-founder of Studio Theatre Playhouse in Los Angeles, which today remains a venue for new theatrical talent. As a playwright, she authored: "Lightning in the South" (from the life of Mary Todd Lincoln) and co-authored "Lutie" (a comedic romp set in New Orleans). Both premiered at Glendale Centre Theatre. Her many performances with The Colony at Studio Theatre Playhouse included: Terrence Shank's adaptation of John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath", Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey into Night," and the world stage premier of Ray Bradbury's "The Martian Chronicles." When "The Grapes of Wrath" was picked up by the Louisville Regional Equity Theatre, Kathryn was cast in the featured role of "Mama" for an extended run. 
     On television, Kathryn's recurring roles included Mabel Cummings in "Days of Our Lives," Mrs. Shellenback on "Happy Days," and Mrs. McGregor on "Valerie's Family." Numerous other appearances included "Laverne & Shirley," "Little House on the Prairie," "Highway to Heaven," "Remington Steele," and "Newhart". Her favorite motion picture role was that of Faye Kennedy in "Yes, Georgio" co-starring with Luciano Pavarotti. 
     Kathryn is preceded in death by her parents and her sister Sue Jacobs. She is survived by her husband Mark; sister Meredith Rode and brother Richard Eagon; children, Mike (Tina), Elin Alto (John), Scott (Susanne), Tim (Gail), Babette Coverdale (John) and Matt (Shyrlee), eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She is loved and missed by all. (Pasadena Star-News, 6/30/12).




Silvana Gallardo
(Rosa Ramirez, 1988)
January 13, 1947-January 2, 2012

     Sandra Silvana Gallardo, an actress, acting coach and writer whose face and career were known throughout the world, died Monday, January 2, 2012 at Jewish Hospital in Louisville, Missouri. Gallardo, a New York native who had been living in Paris, Kentucky, was 64. In 1988, Ms. Gallardo appeared on "Days of Our Lives" as Rosa Ramirez, the mother of April, Emilio and Julio and wife of Monty Dolan. In the storyline, Rosa ended up comatose after being hit by a car and Monty decided to pull her life support plug. 
     She appeared on many television shows including Babylon 5, Hill Street Blues, Falcon Crest, NYPD Blue, The Golden Girls and Days of Our Lives . Her film credits include Calendar Girl Murders, Silence of the Heart, Copacabana, The Windwalker, Death Wish II, Out of the Dark and Solar Crisis. Ms. Gallardo taught and coached some of Hollywood's biggest stars, including Angelina Jolie, Keanu Reeves, Billy Drago and Peta Wilson. 
     She moved to Paris, Kentucky after having directed Fading to Zero, a feature docudrama based on the life and work of the late Brooklyn poet laureate Ken Siegelman. Funeral services will be private. Lusk-McFarland Funeral Home in Paris is handling arrangements. (Lexington-Herald Leader, 1/5/12).


Wayne Heffley
(Vern Scofield, 1988-1993, 2002-2003, 2006)
July 15, 1927-November 19, 2008



     Wayne Heffley, who portrayed Vern Scofield on "Days of Our Lives" from 1988-1993 and again for brief stints in 2002, 2003 and 2006, has died. Heffley, who had been on dialysis in recent years, died of kidney failure on November 19, 2008. He was 81. 
    Arnold Wayne Heffley Jr. was born on July 15, 1927 in Bakersfield, California. In a 1991 interview for DaytimeTV's "The Best of Days of Our Lives", Heffley said that "At the age of seven, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to write. I wanted to get married, settle down and that was it. I never wanted to travel! So, when I was old enough, I moved to Hollywood and produced (and acted in) one of my plays in a tiny theater...After the show one night, a lady came up to me and said 'I would like to represent you...as an actor.' I started acting in 1952, hardly anybody knew who I was, but I worked all of the time! I did a lot of war movies, a few episodes of 'The Twilight Zone' and a couple of episodes of 'The Fugitive.' In 1965, I had an (acting) book published. The checks for the book and 'The Fugitive' arrived on the same day...the check for 'The Fugitive' was for $19 more than the one for the book, so I decided to stick with acting!"
    Heffley surmised that his constant travel for various acting jobs prevented him from staying married for too long. In all, he was married five times and had five children. Heffley married his first wife, Mary Holder, in the late 1940s. The marriage produced two children, Michael in 1948 and Patricia in 1949. In 1951, he was briefly married to Dorothea Hess. In 1954, he married Jeanne Gash and they had two children, Devon in 1954 and Kendis in 1956. Heffley married his fourth wife, Ilene Nemerski, in 1962. Finally, he married Lynne Dalton in 1977, and they had a daughter, Dominique. While none of his marriages lasted too long, he was always the most proud of being a father. In the 1991 interview, he stated that: "It is a glorious thing to to be a parent and raise kids. That's the most exciting accomplishment in my life...If a man is expected to have some kind of final monument, I suppose these five kids would be mine."
    Heffley's first acting appearance came in 1952 on the series "Racket Squad." He would be a constant presence on primetime television over the next 35 years, guest starring on countless series such as "Have Gun, Will Travel", "77 Sunset Strip", "Highway Patrol", "Bat Masterson", "Perry Mason", "Gunsmoke", "Ben Casey", "The Twilight Zone", "The Fugitive", "My Three Sons", "The Andy Griffith Show", "Gomer Pyle", "The Invaders", "The Mod Squad", "Family Affair", "Ironside", "Marcus Welby", "Cannon", "Bonanza", "Kung Fu", "Kojak", "Little House on the Prairie", "The Waltons", "Lou Grant", "Barnaby Jones", "Dallas", "Hill Street Blues", "Hart to Hart", "Airwolf", "Matlock", "Hunter", "Simon & Simon" and "Murder, She Wrote." He also appeared in the history-making miniseries "Roots" in 1977. 
    In July 1988, Heffley was hired to play Vern Scofield, the editor of The Salem Spectator, on "Days of Our Lives." Originally slated for just a few episodes, Heffley's role grew as he became sidekick to Jack Deveraux. In 1990, the Scofield clan grew as Vern's three children, Cassie, Brian and Tanner, arrived in Salem. Vern's children left Salem in 1992, but Vern continued to appear regularly for another year. He was paired romantically with Jack's mother, Jo Johnson, and the two eventually married. Heffley returned to play Vern for brief stints in 2002 and 2003, and his last appearance came in September 2006 to say goodbye to Jack and Jennifer Deveraux, who moved to England. In his 1991 DaytimeTV interview, Heffley stated that "I love playing Vern...I like that he's a father figure...I also like the security of Days. They give you a lot of creative leeway here, which is great." In a 1992 interview for DaytimeTV's "Everything You Want to Know About Days of Our Lives", Heffley continued with his love for "Days of Our Lives": "I think I enjoy Days of Our Lives more than any other acting job I ever had. I think it's remarkable for a guy my age to work everyday around the most beautiful women in the world!"
    Heffley is survived by his five children, Michael, Patricia, Devon, Kendis and Dominique; and many grandchildren. 



Stanley Kamel
(Eric Peters, 1972-1976)
January 1, 1943-April 8, 2008

Stanley Kamel, who played Eric Peters on "Days of Our Lives" from 1972-1976, and who had played Monk's psychiatrist, Charles Kroger, on "Monk" since 2002, has died. Kamel was found dead by his agents in his Hollywood home of an apparent heart attack on April 8, 2008. He was 65.
Kamel was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey on January 1, 1943 and raised in South River, New Jersey. He first got the acting bug at the age of four. He attended Rutgers Preparatory School and later graduated from the Boston University School of Fine and Applied Arts. Kamel moved to New York and studied drama under famed acting coach Sandy Meisner. He started his acting career in some off-Broadway productions and soon moved to California and joined Screen Gems' New Talent Program. Kamel made his first television appearance on "Mission: Impossible" in 1969. His first big break came in January 1972, when he joined the cast of "Days of Our Lives" as Eric Peters. His character fathered a daughter, Annie, with Susan Martin and they left Salem together in 1976. After leaving "Days", Kamel continued to appear in supporting roles in numerous films and television series. Some of his more notable roles came as an AIDS-inflicted lawyer on "L.A. Law", as a doctor on "Murder One", as a suicidal boss on "Melrose Place", and as Dylan's father-in-law on "Beverly Hills, 90210." For the past six years he had played Adrian Monk's psychiatrist on the hit USA Network series "Monk." In a 1974 article, Kamel stated: "I used to be more concerned with living for tomorrow, in a kind of fantasy world where I wasn't really aware of what was going on around me. Now I like to think I live for today. I live life for what it is. I am responsible for my own life. It took me a long time to learn who I am. And I keep learning."
"Monk" star Tony Shalhoub released this statement: "Stanley Kamel's consumate talent and professionalism was only surpassed by his warmth, humor and generosity of spirit. I will miss him terribly." USA Network's statement read: “USA is deeply saddened by the news of Stanley Kamel's passing. Stanley was an amazingly talented and extremely kind man, and an important member of the USA family. He will be sorely missed." Kamel is survived by his brothers, Stephen and Robert; five nieces and nephews; and six grand nieces and nephews.



Jane Kean
(Diane Hunter, 1965-1966)
April 10, 1923-November 26, 2013

Jane Kean, one of the last surviving cast members of "Days of Our Lives" from the show's debut year of 1965, has died at the age of 90. Kean portrayed Diane Hunter, the mother of Susan Hunter, from December 1965-March 1966, when she was succeeded by Coleen Gray. Her death leaves only four main cast members surviving from the show's debut year: Marie Cheatham, John Clarke, Dick Colla and Flip Mark. Kean left "Days" to portray Trixie Norton on a revival of one of the most famous comedies in television history: "The Honeymooners."

Jane Kean, best known for her role as Trixie, the long-suffering wife of Ed Norton on the 1960s TV revival of "The Honeymooners" with Jackie Gleason and Art Carney, has died. She was 90.

Kean, a resident of Toluca Lake, died Tuesday at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank of complications from a fall. Her niece, Deidre Wolpert, confirmed her death.

Although she played diverse roles during a career spanning more than four decades, including performing at London's Palladium before moving to Broadway, Kean said her role in "The Honeymooners" was the character that most people remembered.

"There's something about the show -- people relate to it," Kean said in a 1991 interview with The Times. "People believed the show was real, and that we really were the characters we played."

"The Honeymooners," which started as a sketch on "The Jackie Gleason Show" in the early 1950s, starred Gleason as Ralph Kramden, a struggling New York bus driver who lived in a cramped apartment with his wife Alice (Audrey Meadows). Carney played Norton, Kramden's dim-witted neighbor and best friend who was married to Trixie (originally played by Joyce Randolph), who was Alice's best friend.

Kean first started working with Gleason in the 1940s, when they were both on the vaudeville circuit. They also appeared in several stage productions in the 1950s.

She joined the cast of "The Honeymooners" in 1966 as Trixie when Gleason moved to Miami Beach for another version of "The Jackie Gleason Show," where he revived "The Honeymooners" for new sketches that reunited him with Carney. Sheila MacRae took on the role of Alice.

Those "Honeymooners" segments expanded to an hour and were crafted as musical comedies, with several original songs within each installment. The cast also appeared in 1976 for an ABC special, "The Honeymooners -- The Second Honeymoon."

Born April 10, 1923, in Hartford, Conn., Kean first started working professionally in the 1940s on stage. She appeared in starring roles on Broadway in the 1950s in shows such as "The Pajama Game" and "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?" in which she replaced Jayne Mansfield.

During the 1950s, she also teamed up with her sister Betty for a popular nightclub act that blended singing, dance and comedy. The sisters performed on "The Ed Sullivan Show" and had a successful run at the London Palladium.

In the 1980s, Kean performed at colleges, on cruise ships, at dinner theaters and what she called Florida's "condo circuit." She wrote and performed in a two-woman musical, "We," at the Forum Theater in Yorba Linda in 1991. The project, which also starred Barbara Perry, featured comedy and musical numbers from numerous Broadway shows the two women had appeared in.

Kean performed a tribute to Gleason during the show titled, "How Sweet It Was."

Kean’s first marriage, to Richard Linkroum, ended in divorce. She later married her manager, Joe Hecht. He died in 2006. Her sister Betty died in 1986.

Besides Wolpert, Betty Kean's daughter, Jane Kean is survived by Wolpert's husband and two children, along with a stepson, Joseph Hecht Jr., and his son. (Obituary courtesy of Los Angeles Times)


James Luisi
(Duke Johnson, 1987, 1990-1992)
(Earl Johnson, 1989)
November 11, 1928-June 7, 2002


     James Luisi, a character actor adept at portraying hard-boiled detectives and gangsters and remembered for his long-running role as Lt. Doug Chapman on television's "The Rockford Files," has died. Luisi, 73, died June 7 in Los Angeles of cancer. A professional basketball player with the Baltimore Bullets for two years, Luisi got into acting in the late 1950s after hearing that a neighborhood friend, Anthony Franciosa, was appearing in a Broadway show. "I can do that," Luisi said, and promptly enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
     Although probably best known for "The Rockford Files" with James Garner, Luisi won his
top acting award, an Emmy, in 1976 for his portrayal of George Washington in the NBC special, "First Ladies' Diaries: Martha Washington. Luisi also appeared in episodes of many of television's most popular detective and adventure series, including "Cannon," "Kojak," "Hunter," "Wonder Woman," "T.J. Hooker," "Hart to Hart," "The A-Team," "Knight Rider," "The Fall Guy," "Magnum, P.I." and "L.A. Law." For a single season in 1983, he starred in his own series, "Renegades," as a hip cop who organizes seven tough young gang leaders, including Patrick Swayze, to help him fight crime. Luisi also appeared regularly in the soap operas "Another World" and "Days of Our Lives" and in such western series as "Gunsmoke." The actor began his career on the stage, appearing in Broadway's "Alfie!," "The Soldiers" and musicals "Sweet Charity," "Do I Hear a Waltz?" and "Zorba." Off-Broadway, he had leading roles in "The Crucible," "Detective Story" and "Threepenny Opera." He continued working in legitimate theater, notably in national tours and Southern California. Luisi earned the Valley Theater League Award in 1994 for best director of a new play when he handled "Final Reunion" for the Valley Theater.
     Born in East Harlem, N.Y.,
Luisi attended St. Francis College on a basketball scholarship. He served in the Army during the Korean War. Luisi is survived by his wife of 41 years, the former Georgia Phillips, and their daughter, Jamie Swartz of Los Angeles; a brother, Jerry Luisi, of Dallas, and two grandchildren. (Los Angeles Times, June 20, 2002)


Peter MacLean
(Shawn Brady, 1989-1990)
January 2, 1936-May 28, 2003


     Peter MacLean, character actor in popular '70s and '80s skeins from "Knots Landing" to "MacGyver" and who was later star and director of Buffalo Bill's Wild West at Disneyland Paris, died May 28 in Los Angeles of lymphoma. He was 67. In 1963, MacLean's debuted on the silver screen in "The Ritual." He went on to chopsocky favorite "Force: Five," breakdancing pic "Breakin 2" and "The Friends of Eddie Coyle." MacLean nabbed guest appearances on popular TV sitcoms, like "Hunter," "the A-Team," "Remington Steele," and "Charlie's Angels" and won a reprised role on "Starsky and Hutch" in 1975. He additionally served as artistic director of the Bates Summer Theater in Maine, where he directed productions of "The Man Who Came To Dinner" "The Good Doctor" and others. He is survived by wife Dorothy, a son, two daughters, a granddaughter, and two brothers. (Daily Variety, June 23, 2003)


Richard McMurray
(Dr. Mel Bailey, 1968, 1971-1977)
September 9, 1916-December 11, 1984


(New York Times, December 15, 1984)


Corinne Michaels
(Joanne Barnes, 1978)
October 31, 1941-September 15, 2010

     Corinne Michaels, who appeared as Joanne Barnes on "Days of Our Lives" from May to December 1978, has passed away. Michaels, who later went by her married name Corinne Camacho, died of cancer on September 15, 2010 in Beaverton, Oregon. She was 68. On "Days of Our Lives", Michaels' character Joanne Barnes was the biological mother of Janice Barnes, a girl that Mickey and Maggie Horton adopted in the 1970s.
     The New Jersey native, born Gloria Angelina Katharina Alletto on October 31, 1941, moved with her parents to Los Angeles at age 5. She started out modeling and then switched to acting with a part in 1967's "The Wild Wild West" as Artie's date. She studied piano as a child at the Conservatory of Music and Arts and in high school, she began writing music and modeling.
     She followed that up with small parts on "Bewitched," "I Dream of Jeannie," and "The Flying Nun." Later she landed longer arcs in such series as "Mannix" and "Medical Center," as Dr. Jeanne Bartlett for 15 episodes. She had a recurring role on "Rockford Files" from 1974-79. On "Bionic Woman" she had a brief but telling part as a Fembot in the two-part episode "Kill Oscar." Feature credits include 1969's "Marlowe," starring James Garner and Bruce Lee. For the next three decades she would appear in iconic TV shows from "MASH" to "Little House on the Prairie" and "The Waltons." She also had yearlong arc in the soap "Days of Our Lives."
     But in 1996, Camacho's focus shifted from acting and she moved to New Mexico to build and run a hospice center, before moving to Oregon in 2001, reinventing herself as a life coach and compsign children's music. In 2006, she released an album titled "Love Notes & Lullabies" that she self-distributed.
     Survivors include by a son, Chris Camacho; daughter, Gabrielle Yasenchak; and two grandchildren.