Remembering the Daytime Stars We Lost in 2020

Actor and filmmaker Martin West, known to GH fans as Phil Brewer from 1967-’75, died on Dec. 31 at the age of 82. He went on to play AS THE WORLD TURNS’ Don Hughes in the late ’70s and appeared on the big screen in the cult classic Lord Love A Duck, John Carpenter’s Assault On Precinct 13 and Alfred Hitchcock’s Family Plot.

Soap legend Marj Dusay died on Jan. 28 at the age of 83. The beloved actress made her daytime debut as CAPITOL’s Myrna, playing the role from 1983-’87 before moving over to SANTA BARBARA as Pamela. She briefly filled in for Louise Sorel as DAYS’ Vivian in 1993 and then was cast as GUIDING LIGHT’s new Alexandra. In 1999, she moved to Pine Valley, creating the role of AMC villainess Vanessa. Dusay also made a mark on primetime television, with memorable roles on FACTS OF LIFE and STAR TREK.

Veteran actor Orson Bean passed away on Feb. 7 at 91 after being struck by a car. Best known to soap fans as the husband of B&B actress Alley Mills (Pam), Bean also guest-starred on the soap in 2016 as a crotchety seatmate of Liam’s on a flight back from Australia. He was also a Tony-nominated actor on Broadway, regularly appeared in TV series, films, and numerous game shows during his extensive career in show biz.

Daytime icon Lee Phillip Bell passed on Feb. 25 at the age of 91. She was a pioneer in the afternoon talk show format, hosting THE LEE PHILLIP SHOW for CBS for over three decades, though soap fans know Bell best as the wife of the late William J. Bell, as the couple worked together to create the legendary daytime dramas Y&R and B&B.

The daytime villain that viewers loved to hate, Roscoe Born, died by suicide on March 3 at the age of 69. Born’s family issued a statement, which read, “Roscoe has long struggled with bipolar disorder, a shadow that he succumbed to when he took his own life.” The soap-hopper made his daytime debut as Joe on RYAN’S HOPE from 1981-’83 and played OLTL villain Mitch on and off from 1985 through 2009. Born also played twins Robert and Quinn on SANTA BARBARA from 1989-’91, Terrible Tom on Y&R from 2005-’06 and again in 2009, and also had smaller roles on AMC, ATWT, GL, PASSIONS and DAYS.

Forrest Compton, who played Mike Karr on THE EDGE OF NIGHT from 1970-1984, passed away on April 4 at the age of 94 due to complications from coronavirus. The veteran actor starred as Lieutenant Colonel Edward Gray on GOMER PYLE, USMC, from 1964-’69, and had a recurring role as Captain Geissler on HOGAN’S HEROES during the same time.

Phyllis Somerville — who played Mrs. Swan on LOVING, Mrs. Beasley on GL, Charlotte on OLTL and Annabelle and Alice on ATWT in the ’90s — died of natural causes on July 16 at the age of 76.

After a three-year battle with brain cancer, Marcus Smythe died on Aug. 20, at home surrounded by family. The 70-year-old actor’s daytime credits began with GL’s Gordon Middleton in 1979. He went on to play SEARCH FOR TOMORROW’s Dane Taylor from 1982-’83, and ANOTHER WORLD’s Peter Love from 1985-’87. In 1990, Smyth appeared as Martin Ross on GH and finally as Dean Eldridge on PORT CHARLES in 2000.

Although best known for his run as Mack on primetime soap KNOTS LANDING, Kevin Dobson made several daytime stops over the course of his career. He had arcs as Governor Harrison Brooks on OLTL from 2003-’04 and Judge Devin Owens on THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL from 2006-’07, and played Horton patriarch Mickey on DAYS for a stint in 2008. The actor died at the age of 77 on Sept. 6 of a heart attack.

Ben Jorgensen passed away on Oct. 6, reportedly from suicide. The 51-year-old actor was part of AMC’s groundbreaking gay storyline in the ’90s as Kevin Sheffield, and went on to play ATWT’s Chris Hughes.

Elsa Raven passed away on Nov. 3 at the age of 91. While Raven was most recognized as the “save the clock tower” lady in Back To The Future, the actress briefly played CAPITOL’s Gabriela and went on to take part of several memorable daytime storylines. In 1986, she was part of GH’s Mr. Big storyline as Tessie, the woman who was shot dead in Atlantic City before Frisco and Felicia could meet up with her. From 1998-99, Raven also played Lucille on DAYS, the caretaker of Lili Faversham, the eccentric old woman who told Hope she was really Princess Gina.

Y&R’s original Mamie Johnson, Marguerite Ray, died on Nov. 18 at the age of 89. The actress had an extensive career in film and television, in addition to her 10-year run in Genoa City that began in 1980. Ray appeared on numerous sitcoms and was a regular on the SANFORD AND SON sequel, SANFORD, as the wealthy widowed girlfriend of Redd Foxx’s titular character.