Veteran US actor Drake Hogestyn, best known for Days of Our Lives has died, aged 70.
He passed away one day shy of his 71st birthday after battling pancreatic cancer.
A family statement on Instagram said, “After putting up an unbelievable fight, he passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones,” part of the statement read. “He was the most amazing husband, father, papa and actor. He loved performing for the Days audience and sharing the stage with the greatest cast, crew, and production team in the business. We love him and we will miss him all the Days of our Lives.”
Hogestyn played mysterious and heroic John Black for nearly four decades, having first appeared in 1986.
He appeared as John Black across more than 4,200 episodes, as a spy, mercenary, police officer, private investigator and secret agent. Along the way, he was shot, stabbed, paralysed, ejected from a submarine, trapped in a gas chamber, stalked by a serial killer, attacked by Satan, and even come back to life after being dead.
Former castmate Alison Sweeney, who played Sami Brady said, “Drake was an incredible man. He was funny, generous and thoughtful. He cared about every single scene, every person. He loved Days, the fans, and shared that passion with everyone on set.”
In Friends, Matt LeBlanc’s character Joey worked as an actor on a daytime soap, in the fictional parody was Drake Ramoray, and he was always thought to have been named after the soap opera star. Much like in the real-life show, Ramoray had an exaggerated character arc filled with drama, all of which was seen only in brief snippets throughout the sitcom’s run.
Kristin Alfonso, known for playing Hope Brady on the soap, praised Hogestyn as a “loving father, husband, and dear friend.”
Even in our grief, we want to acknowledge today. Drake’s family shared this photo from 1 year ago. Happy Birthday, Drake pic.twitter.com/yOEA33uIfz
— Days of our Lives (@DaysPeacock) September 29, 2024
Source: LA Times
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