At the age of 75, General Hospital actor Doug Sheehan passed away unexpectedly. The passing of a TV great has left many saddened.
During the renowned soap opera, Doug portrayed Joe Kelly.
On its website, the Kane Funeral Home notified the public of his passing.
Doug passed away “with his loving wife [Cate Abert] at his side,” according to the funeral home.
The reason of death is unknown as of this writing, and no further information has been provided.
A week after the tragic news broke, fans of the actor who portrayed “LOVED HIM” reacted to his passing on social media.
On July 8, someone posted on X, saying, “Very sad news.”
“As Joe, I adored him.” I’ve always wanted Gary and Val, even if Ben and Val had some wonderful moments together. Someone else wrote, “Too many beloved soap vets are leaving us.”
“During this difficult time, my prayers and thoughts are with the family of Doug Sheehan. He portrayed Joe Kelly on General Hospital from 1979 until 1982. This news truly saddens me. A third person said, “I will miss him.”
Another said, “Sorry to hear about the passing of General Hospital and Knots Landing alum Doug Sheehan.” “I met him many years ago at a press event, and I remember him being as friendly as his character on screen suggested he was.”
“Oh no, General Hospital lost another outstanding actor to death.” The highly talented, witty, and kind Doug Sheehan. functioned as Joe Kelly. In addition to Knot’s Landing, he completed a great deal of other work. Someone added, “May he rest in peace.”
Doug was well-known for his appearances in Knots Landing and General Hospital. He appeared in almost 100 episodes of every program.
A LIFE CREATED FOR TV
1949 saw the birth of Doug in Santa Monica, California. In 1978, he made his acting debut in a Charlie’s Angels episode.
Following that, he frequently portrayed attorney Joe Kelly on General Hospital.
“Regular” may not be the best description given the insane 205 episodes he appeared in between 1979 and 1982.
For this role, the actor received a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role in a Daytime Drama Series.
He continued to score TV jobs throughout time, one of which was on the CBS spinoff of Dallas, Knots Landing.
From 1983 until 1988, he portrayed reporter Ben Gibson on the program. He quit the show when his character traveled to South America in Season 8.
In a 1989 episode of The Arsenio Hall Show, Doug discussed TV celebrity and how difficult it may be to become well-known.
Casting directors are in charge of making movies; no one else in Hollywood does. Casting professionals never pay attention to what you’re doing.Throughout the day, at night, and every half-hour, I have dedicated my entire existence to demolishing walls. I need to establish a name for myself because they are unsure if I can perform comedic shows for an hour just now.
Doug’s acting career largely flourished on television; he never quite managed to land a job in a feature film.
He appeared in three large-screen motion pictures: Cops n Roberts (1995), Victor/Victoria (1982), and 10 (1979).
He portrayed Cher’s father in the 1990s television series Clueless, which was adapted on the hit film of the same name.
From 1988 to 1989, he starred as Gary David Goldberg in the NBC sitcom Day by Day. He appeared in a few brief appearances on Diagnosis Murder, MacGyver, Columbo, and Cheers.
His final film roles were as Sabrina’s (Melissa Joan Hart) father in What I Like About You and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
Doug was married to Cate Abert prior to his passing. Together, they did not have any children.
