Bad news continues to roll in as soap opera star John Callahan, best known for his role on the long-running seriesAll My Childrenamong many other popular soaps, has sadly passed away. According to a representative for the television star, Callahan suffered a massive stroke at his Palm Desert, California home on Friday and was later placed on life support at a Rancho Mirage hospital. Because of new hospital restrictions to protect staff and patients, Callahan’s family members were only able to see him for “a short while” before the actor died on Saturday. He was 66 years old.
Callahan’s ex-wife and formerAll My Childrenco-star Eva LaRue, with whom he fathered a now 18-year-old daughter and maintained a friendship, expressed her sadness at the news onher personal Instagram account. “Your bigger than life, gregarious personality will leave a hole in our hearts forever. We are devastated-My great friend, co parent partner, and loving father to Kaya,” LaRue writes in the caption of a posted photo of Callahan. She also goes on to add: “Kaya and I are beyond broken hearted, so stunned, sorry that my thoughts are a mess. You gave the best most beautifully written tributes, and I am at a complete loss for words right now for you.”
Born in Brooklyn, Callahan came into the world in the latter days of 1953. After high school, Callahan attended the University of California at Berkley as a pre-Law student, later switching gears to focus on acting when he decided he wanted to be a performer. By the early ’80s, he had made it as a television actor when he played a reporter on the seriesSeven Brides for Seven Brothersin 1982. In the following years, he wouldappear on other classic showslikeThree’s Company,Fantasy Island,Murder, She Wrote,Falcon Crest, andGeneral Hospital. He also played Lt. Jim Travers in multiple episodes of the TV seriesEmerald Point N.A.S.
Of course, Callahan is very well-known for his recurring roles onmany popular soap operas. That notably includesAll My Childrenwith Callahan starring as Edmund Gray between 1992 and 2005. He also starred as Craig Hunt onSanta Barbaraand as Dr. Baker inDays of Our Lives, later playing Detective Mackenzie Johnson in the seriesThe Bay. More recently, Callahan continued to act with roles in the family comediesA Doggone Hollywoodand the sequelA Doggone Adventure, also filming a role for the upcoming movieLoyaltyfrom director Michael Satchell.
After spending decades entertaining audiences across manypopular television shows, Callahan will be missed by many. Still, he has created a legacy as a successful actor with many beloved roles, and he’s never going to be forgotten. We send our condolences at this time to Callahan’s family, and may they take some comfort in seeing just how much Callahan is loved to help them mourn his sudden passing.Rest in peace. This news comes to us fromTMZ.
