Veteran actor Drake Hogestyn, well known for his role as John Black on Days of Our Lives, has died at the age of 70.
The actor briefly exited the much-loved Days of Our Lives in 2009 and made a comeback to the soap opera in 2011.
According to reports, Hogestyn died a day before what would have been his 71st birthday.
The family of Hogestyn, a long-time soap star who had appeared in nearly 4 300 episodes, shared a statement on the show’s social media account on Saturday evening.
Pancreatic cancer
“It’s with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Drake Hogestyn,” the family said in a statement.
“He was thrown the curveball of his life when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but he faced the challenge with incredible strength and determination.
“After putting up an unbelievable fight, he passed peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. He was the most amazing husband, father, papa, and actor.
“He loved performing for the Days of Our Lives audience and sharing the stage with the greatest cast, crew, and production team in the business.”
Hogestyn started his acting career when he entered a Columbia Pictures talent search that included 75 000 people.
He was among the 30 selected, and his first starring role was on the prime-time series Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
Fan favourite
Hogestyn joined the cast of Days of Our Lives in 1986, and he initially played a mystery man referred to simply as The Pawn.
He quickly became a fan favourite and enjoyed many pairings, the most popular of which was with long-time co-star Deidre Hall.
In 1991, Wayne Northrop agreed to return to the soap opera to reprise his role of Roman.
In order to keep both actors on the show, Drake’s story was retconned, and his past was rewritten.
In November 2008, it was announced that Hogestyn had been fired from Days of Our Lives, with budget cuts cited as a reason for the exit.
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