This year the daytime community has had to say goodbye to many of its beloved stars, including Days of Our Lives’ Bill Hayes (Doug) and General Hospital’s Johnny Wactor (ex-Brando), who tragically died during a robbery in May. Alums such as All My Children’s Alex Musser (Del), Port Charles’ David Gail (Joe) and The Young and the Restless’ Meg Bennet (Julia) and Marla Adams (Dina), plus, primetime legend Don Murray (Sid), one of Knot Landing’s original castmembers, were just a few who we paid tribute to earlier in 2024, and now we’d like to honor others who’ve passed since the second half of the year.
At the end of June, a Wyoming funeral home announced that Doug Sheehan had died at 75. Fans may remember him from his roles on General Hospital as Joe, Passions as Davis and Knots Landing as Ben.
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And who could forget legendary fitness guru Richard Simmons… Did you know that he often turned up on General Hospital on and off from 1979-2013? He was 76 years old when he passed in July.
While primetime star Shannon Doherty never appeared on a daytime soap, she starred in a very popular teen drama, Beverly Hills, 90210 as Brenda, as well as on Charmed as Pru. Sadly, after a long battle with breast cancer, the actress passed away on July 13.
Other followed including General Hospital’s James B. Sikking (ex-Jim) and Another World’s John Aprea (Lucas), plus television icons Peter Marshall, best known as the host of The Hollywood Squares, who once appeared on Bold & Beautiful as well as Phil Donahue, who also guest-starred on the CBS soap in the 1990s, and James Earl Jones, who played a doctor on Guiding Light and As the World Turns.
They may all be gone but will never be forgotten for the time they spent on soaps.
We invite you to open up our gallery below, featuring photos of the above and more soap stars who passed away in 2024, ones who have left their mark on daytime forever.